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| Tea plantations in Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka - Photo: britannica.com |
That's Sri Lanka, an island nation with excellent quality tea that has only recently gained attention from tourists.
For a long time, Sri Lanka was virtually unknown to tourists worldwide due to the more than 25-year civil war between the government forces and the Tamil Tigers in northern Sri Lanka, followed by the devastating tsunami that ravaged the island nation in 2004.
But since the end of the civil war in 2009, Sri Lanka's tourism industry has begun to boom, attracting more and more tourists from all over the world. It's argued that now is the time to explore this "pearl of the Indian Ocean" before it becomes too famous in the travel world!
Currently, Sri Lanka boasts a modern and friendly hotel system with affordable prices and a wide range of excellent entertainment options. Despite its small size, Sri Lanka is a country with a uniquely diverse appeal, from its picturesque landscapes to its rich cultural and historical heritage.
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| Tea plantations near Kandy, Sri Lanka - Photo: wordpress.com |
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| The Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy - Photo: Wiki |
The friendliness of the locals towards foreign tourists is considered a major plus for this island nation's tourism industry. Regardless of religion or origin, Sri Lankans of all ethnicities—Sinhale (74% of the 20 million population), Tamil (12.5%), or Muslim—are always ready to help visitors, enthusiastically posing for photos with genuine smiles...
Therefore, many tourists say they have visited Sri Lanka more than once.
In Sri Lanka's cities, Arab, Portuguese, Dutch, and British colonists left their mark on the architecture. For example, in Kandy, the British presence is clearly felt, while Galle exudes a Dutch influence...
Upon leaving the capital Colombo, visitors are often captivated by the rich and incredibly diverse vegetation. Towering coconut trees densely line the island, casting their shadows on the ocean's surface, and the island is bordered by almost endless stretches of golden sand.
According to many tourism experts, many beaches in Sri Lanka are among the most beautiful in Asia. And it would be remiss not to visit the countless terraced tea plantations on the mountain slopes, one of the world's leading producers of teas with diverse flavors.
Once a center of Buddhist culture, the cultural heritage of Anuradhapura, including monasteries and Buddhist relics that have retained their original appearance, continues to attract Buddhist devotees. Around 300 BC, the first Buddhists from India who arrived in Sri Lanka brought with them a cutting from a Bodhi tree. Today, this tree still stands in Anuradhapura, and the Kataragama Temple is always bustling with visitors who come to admire the sacred Bodhi tree, despite the arduous climb of 1,840 steps.
Meanwhile, the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, Sri Lanka's last capital, is said to house a tooth of the Buddha and is considered the most sacred place in the Buddhist world, a pilgrimage site for Buddhist devotees. Dambullan, another Buddhist sanctuary with temples located within five caves, is also a must-visit destination. Its 150 murals and Buddha statues, including one 15-meter-tall statue, will make visitors want to spend more time there...
DAN THY (According to)La Presse)
