Colombo is the commercial centre; Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is the administrative capital.
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A traveller's companion
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Sri Lanka
Heritage · Wildlife · Tea Country · Coast
I
The Pearl of the Indian Ocean
A small island with an immense story
Sri Lanka brings together ancient capitals, sacred landscapes, tropical forests, tea-covered highlands and a coastline shaped by two monsoon systems.
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Begin with the map, then shape the journey around the places that speak to you.
II
Quick orientation
Sri Lanka at a glance
Sinhala and Tamil are official languages, with English widely used in tourism.
Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR).
Tropical, with regional seasons shaped by southwest and northeast monsoons.
Inside this guide
map
Interactive Sri Lanka map and attraction markers
route
Saved places and itinerary planning
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Bookable-style travel experiences and cart
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Passport, visa, vaccine and travel-health planning
III
A journey through time
From ancient kingdoms to the island today
Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa developed as major centres of religion, irrigation and royal power.
Kandy became the last independent kingdom and remains a major cultural and spiritual centre.
Portuguese, Dutch and British influence reshaped ports, forts, railways and plantation regions.
The island today combines living traditions, biodiversity, cities and globally recognised travel routes.
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79°–82° E
IV
Choose your chapter
What kind of journey will this be?
Heritage
Ancient cities, cave temples, forts and sacred landscapes.
Wildlife
Elephants, leopards, rainforest species and marine life.
Highlands
Tea estates, waterfalls, mountain walks and scenic railways.
Coast
Surf towns, calm eastern bays, southern beaches and historic ports.