Sri Lanka (Ceylon) The Pearl of Indian Ocean - Holidays October-March

For a quarter century, Sri Lanka seems to have been plagued by misfortune, including a brutal civil war between the Sinhalese-dominated government and a separatist Tamil group. But the conflict finally ended last May, ushering in a more peaceful era for this teardrop-shaped island off India's coast, rich in natural beauty and cultural splendors.

The island, with a population of just 20 million, feels like one big tropical zoo: elephants roam freely, water buffaloes idle in paddy fields and monkeys swing from trees. And then there's the pristine coastline. The miles of sugary white sand flanked by bamboo groves that were off-limits to most visitors until recently are a happy, if unintended byproduct of the war.

Among the most scenic, if difficult stretches to reach, is Nilaveli Beach in the Tamil north. While a few military checkpoints remain, vacationers can lounge on poolside hammocks under palm trees or snorkel in its crystal-clear waters. Or they can order cocktails at the Nilaveli Beach Hotel (www.tangerinehotels.com/nilavelibeach), a collection of recently renovated bungalows with private terraces.

An international airport in Matara, on the island's southern shore, is under construction, which will make the gorgeous beaches near the seaside village of Galle easier to get to. Decimated by the tsunami in 2004, the surrounding coastline is now teeming with stylish guesthouses and boutique hotels.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/tra...
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Sri Lanka, the pearl of the Indian Ocean, is an island located off the southern tip of India. Formerly known as Ceylon, the country was once a British colony until its independence in 1948. The Garden of Eden, is only 270 miles long and 140 miles across. The paradise has rich abundance of natural resources, fauna and flora, mountains, rivers and beautiful beaches. Part of the charm of touring around the island is the unhurried life-style of the people and the sights and sounds of the unexpected. It will make an unforgettable holiday experience on one of the most scenic islands in the world.

When the noted writer Sir Arthur C Clarke made his home in Sri Lanka in 1956, he claimed the island jewel of the Indian Ocean was the best place in the world from which to view the universe. The author of 2001: A Space Odyssey passed away in 2008, but no doubt the futurist would have logged on to Google Earth to gaze back at his island home from an online universe. And concealed in the sky-high imagery of this teardrop-shaped nation, he would have recognised an amazing diversity for somewhere so compact

More Information:
CIA World Factbook - Sri Lanka
https://www.cia.gov/library/publicati...
Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lanka
Kuoni Travel Packages
http://www.kuoni.co.uk/en/offers/page...
Lonely Planet Travel Gide
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/sri-lanka
Sri Lanka Tourism Reviews on TRIP ADVISOR http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g2...