Sri Lanka is an island in the Indian Ocean, located south of the Indian subcontinent. total area 65610 sq. km, length from north to south 445 km, and from west to east 225 km. In the center of the island is the Central Mountain Range.

The average height of the mountains is 1000-2000 m above sea level, but some peaks rise higher.

The most high point islands - Mount Pidurutalagala has a height of 2524 m. However, the most famous is the majestic Adam's Peak (2243 m).

Usually on weekdays, shops are open from 9:30 to 17:00, and on Saturdays from 9:30 to 13:00. Addresses of shops recommended by the Sri Lanka Ministry of Tourism can be found in many guidebooks around the island.

In addition to tea, which, by the way, is allowed to be exported as a souvenir in an amount of more than three kilograms, silver and copper items are considered traditional souvenirs. These products are made in the Kandy region. Also beautiful pottery is also made in the Kandy area. They are painted mainly in red tones, decorating with various patterns. In the south of the island, various demon masks are made.

The oldest folk crafts include woodcarving and the manufacture of various fabrics. Sri Lanka is famous for its rich selection of precious and semi-precious stones and silk.

Tipping is not required. However, a receptionist at a hotel or a waiter at a restaurant will be happy with a few extra rupees.

It is recommended to wear light cotton clothing and a hat. Be sure to stock up on sunscreen and sunburn lotion. There are no strict clothing requirements in the country, but you should not visit the temples in shorts, in clothes with an open back and shoulders, and you should also take off your shoes when entering the temple.

Climate

Equatorial, with monsoon seasons.

Almost 95% of all precipitation falls during the summer rainy season. The rest of the months are pretty dry. Only in the northeast of the island does it rain in autumn, when the northeast monsoon passes over Ceylon.

The air temperature on the island practically does not change and all year round is 26-28 C. It is cooler in the mountains of the central part of the island, and in the coldest point, the mountain resort of Nuwara Eliya, located at an altitude of 1880 meters above sea level, is about 15 C.

There is high humidity in Sri Lanka, and this is felt when you exit the plane, when you get the feeling that you are being doused with a warm, "bath", air stream.

Language

The official languages ​​are Tamil, Sinhalese and English. The total population is 15 million people. The ethnic composition of the country is multinational, the population consists of Sinhalese, Tamils, burghers (descendants of the Portuguese and Dutch) and Moors (descendants of Arab traders).

Currency

From Monday to Friday, banks are usually open from 9.00 to 13.00-15.00. During the holidays, as well as on Saturday and Sunday, they do not work. Money exchange is allowed only in banks and organizations that have received permission to do so. The list of these organizations includes most hotels.

Transport

Movement is left-handed.

Nuwara Eliya is a city in the highlands of the central province of Sri Lanka. Its name means "city on the plain" or "city of light". The city is the administrative capital of the Nuwara Eliya district, with a picturesque landscape and a temperate climate. It is located at an altitude of 1886 meters and is considered the most important area in tea production. The city is located at the foot of the mountain Pidurutalagala (Pidurutalagala) - the most high mountains Sri Lanka. Nuwara Eliya is known for its cool temperate climate - it is the coldest area

The city of Batticaloa received its modern name during the period of British colonial rule. The original name of the city was Madakalapuwa (the first "M" changed to "B" at the time the island was held by the Dutch), which means "muddy lagoon" in Sinhala. This name, in turn, is derived from the Tamil Madurankernikulum. Batticaloa is located on east coast Sri Lanka, on a flat flat spit separating the lagoon from the ocean. The city rises above sea level by an average of only 5 meters. Near

Ella (Ella) - small beautiful town in the southern highlands of Sri Lanka. It is located in the middle of picturesque countryside, with small vegetable gardens in the valleys, tea plantations on the hillsides and forests covering the mountain slopes. The climate is typical of the Sri Lankan highlands for most of the year, with hot afternoon sun but moderate air temperatures. There may be showers in the afternoon, but they usually go within an hour. At night you may need a jumper or

Trincomalee (Trincomalee) or simply Trinco (Trinco) - chief seaport and administrative capital Eastern Province Sri Lanka is located on the east coast of the island, about 180 kilometers south of Jaffna. The population of the city is 99135 people. The city is built on a peninsula that separates the inner and outer ports. Trincomalee is one of the main centers of Tamil language culture on the island. The famous ancient temple Koneswaram, who is mentioned in the Tamil chronicle Thirukonamalai,

Colombo is the largest city in Sri Lanka. It is located in the Western Province, in the Colombo district. Population - 672.7 thousand inhabitants (2007), the population of Greater Colombo (which also includes the large cities of Moratuwa, Dehiwala Mount Lavinia and Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte - the capital of the country) - 5,648,000 people. History The city's name comes from the Sinhala "Kola-amba-thota", meaning "mango harbour". Arab, Chinese, Roman merchants visited the harbor of Colombo over 2000 years ago. In the 8th century A.D. e. the Arabs settled here for a long time, controlling almost the entire sea

Ratnapura is a city in the southwest of Sri Lanka, at the foot of Mount Adam's Peak, the administrative center of the province of Sabaragamuwa. The population is about 48 thousand people. (2002). Trade and transport center in the area of ​​plantations of rubber and tea plantations. Connected by rail to Colombo and Badulla. Ratnapura is famous for its precious stones. Here, since the Middle Ages, stones such as "cat's eye", aquamarines, amethysts, sapphires have been mined. The largest sapphire weighing more than 400 carats "The Blue Beauty of Asia" was found near Ratnapura. Also near the city

Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the official capital of Sri Lanka (since 1982). Located in the southern suburbs of Colombo. Population - about 115 thousand people. (2002). The name Jayewardenepura means "City of Coming Victory" in Sinhala. This name was given to the city by its founder Alagakkonara. The name "Kotte" comes from the Tamil "kottey" - a fortress: fortified structures arose on this site in the 13th century. Historically, the part of the city, bounded by the moat, was called Etul Kotte (inner fort), and outside it - Pittacotte (outer fort).

Badulla is a city in the southwest of Sri Lanka, is the capital of Uva province and is considered one of the most ancient settlements Sri Lanka. It is located at an altitude of 680 meters above sea level. The city is surrounded on almost all sides by the Badulla River and mountains. As a result, a special microclimate is created in the city and its environs, characterized by high humidity and frequent dense fogs, as well as relatively low average temperatures for this region. The population is about 43 thousand people (2004).

Negombo - popular resort town, known for its historical heritage and scenic beauty. Negombo is a beautiful resort town located along a beautiful west coast Sri Lanka. Close proximity to the city International Airport Sri Lanka has made it popular with tourists who usually start or end their trip to Sri Lanka here. Exuding Old World charm, Negombo has a rich historical heritage and is widely known for its magnificent and picturesque coastlines. Here in Negombo, there are many attractions that make

According to the economic situation, the city of Kandy, with a population of about 100 thousand people, ranks second in the republic after Colombo. Located in a mountain range at an altitude of 488 meters above sea level, the city is very picturesque. Its peculiar necklace is the river Mahaweli Ganga with shady banks. The city was founded in the XIV century. At the end of the 16th century, when the Portuguese captured the southwestern and north coast islands, the Sinhalese rulers went to the mountains and founded a state with a capital in

Kandy is another historical capital Sri Lanka, which we managed to visit. This is the last city of Sri Lanka, which remained a stronghold of independence from the British until 1815. Unlike the dead one, Kandy, although it has lost its official status, still holds the title of the spiritual center of Sri Lanka. And all because here is the main shrine of the Buddhists of the island - the tooth of the Buddha.

In the morning we drove off to the elephant orphanage in Pinnawala and returned to Kandy only in the evening. There are two main attractions in Kandy: the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Temple of the Tooth Relic. But we only made it to one of them. I am absolutely indifferent to gardens and parks, but I love temples of all religions, so the choice was obvious. After checking into the hotel, we went along the banks of Kandy Lake in the center of Kandy to the Temple of the Tooth.

An island rises in the center of a hand-dug lake. Allegedly, it housed the harem of the king of Sri Lanka. The lake was dug by the last king of Kandy. It seems to have happened at the beginning of the 19th century, it is known that the subjects did not approve of this wasteful and useless project. But for us tourists the lake is quite OK.

The baths of the Queen of Kandy were located in this pavilion.

Closer to the Temple of the Tooth, there is a small market where you can buy lotus flowers, which are usually offered to the Tooth.

The fence that runs along the entire shore of the lake to the temple symbolizes a heavenly cloud. During the holidays, lamps are inserted into the holes so that the entire lake is in the lights around the perimeter.

In the center of Kandy there are several pretty streets built in the colonial style during the British rule. Let's face it, after the British, nothing decent was built in the city. The most interesting building is the former residence of the governor, and now the Qeens Hotel, one of oldest hotels islands. Here is the conditional center of the city, the farther from it, the more trash and devastation.

This boy's family Madduma Bandara Ehelapola) was sentenced to death for resisting the British. His elder ten-year-old brother was afraid of the execution and hid with his mother. Then the younger brother, who was only eight years old, said: "I will show you an example of how to meet death." And he boldly went to the execution, however, asking the executioner to cut off his head the first time.

Well, enough walking, it's time to visit the main attraction of all of Sri Lanka.

Another monument on the way to the Tooth. The monk tearing down the British flag is Wariyapola Sri Sumangala. During the uprising against the British in the early 19th century, he stole the Tooth of Buddha from the temple and dragged it to the rebels, which greatly encouraged them. Then he was caught... and after a couple of years in prison, he was forgiven by the local governor.

The area around the Temple of the Tooth is quite pretty and well maintained. The museum complex includes not only the temple itself, but also many other historical buildings. For example, in the photo of the former Royal Palace Kandy.

The most spectacular building is the octagonal tower in the wall of the complex (according to the reports, many tourists mistake it for the temple itself).

The Temple of the Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa) in Kandy was built in the 17th century. It is believed that the upper left fang of the Buddha is located there. This precious relic attracts white-robed pilgrims carrying lotus and jasmine flowers every day. According to legend, the tooth was taken from the Buddha while he was lying on a funeral pyre. It was smuggled to Sri Lanka in the fourth century AD in the hair of Princess Hemamali, who was fleeing a Hindu army besieging her father's kingdom in India. The tooth immediately became an object of worship and reverence, it began to be considered one of the most precious relics. It was taken out only for special occasions and carried on the backs of elephants, which are sacred animals. Countless attempts have been made to capture and destroy the tooth.

When the capital was moved to Kandy, the tooth was brought there; he was placed in a temple built in his honor. The temple was built by the rulers of Kandy at the end of the 17th century, but then suffered heavily during the colonial wars against the Portuguese and Dutch in the 18th century. After the war the original wooden buildings were restored in stone. In January 1998, Tamil separatists blew up the temple, damaging its façade and roof. Recovery began immediately after that.

Temple buildings do not look magnificent or ornate. White with red roofs, they cluster around Kandy Lake. In stark contrast to the simple exterior is the interior of the temple, richly decorated with carvings and inlays of wood, ivory, and lacquer.

Around the whole complex is a low white stone wall, with holes delicately carved into it. During celebrations, candles are inserted there, illuminating the entire temple. The tooth is in a two-story sacred vault. The relic lies on a golden lotus flower, enclosed in a precious box, lying on the throne.

Lotus flowers are brought to the tooth.

Even on a normal day, there are quite a lot of pilgrims and tourists here; on holidays, according to reviews, it’s not crowded at all.

For me, the most interesting hall was the temple room, where the history of the Tooth of Buddha was clearly depicted. Very interesting and informative.

I honestly walked around all the pictures (there are several dozen of them here) and read all the signatures. I will not torment readers with a complete set of pictures, I will post only a couple for example. Let's say this one shows how godless Hindus tried to break a tooth with hammers. And, of course, they were disgraced. The tooth soared into the sky and shone like a bright star. Oh! Well, everything, I'm silent, I'm silent.

Before it got dark at all, we wandered around the territory of the complex a little more.