Located in Southern Asia , in the Indian Ocean to the south of India (7 00 N, 81 00 E), the island is approximately 65,610 sq meters. The ocean encompasses beautiful tropical beaches, verdant vegetation, ancient monuments and a thousand delights to please all tastes.

Sri Lanka is typically tropical with an average temperature of 27°C. In the higher elevations it can be quite cool with temperatures going down to 16°C at an altitude of nearly 2,000 meters. Bright, sunny, warm days are common even during the monsoon season, thus meaning climatically Sri Lanka has no off season. The monsoon brings rain to the western, southern and central parts of the island from May to July, and to the northern and eastern parts of the island from December to January.

The island has a population of approximately 20,100,000, with many different ethnic and religious groups, with the majority being Sinhalese. Other ethnic groups are made up of Sri Lankan Tamils, Indian Tamils, Moors, Malays and Burghers (of Portuguese and Dutch descent). The country also houses many different religions, Buddhism constituting the majority, and others being Hinduism, Muslim and Christianity. The official languages of Sri Lanka are Sinhala and Tamil, but English is widely spoken and understood.

Sri Lanka houses festivals all year round, with most of them relating to religion.

Being a predominately Buddhist country, Buddhist festivals are more frequent within the country, with Poya Days occurring every full moon day. Other Buddhist festivals include Vesak, celebrated in May, marking the Birth, Enlightenment and Decease of the Buddha. Houses are decorated with bright lanterns during this time. Poson is another major Buddhist festival, commemorating the day Buddhism was introduced into Sri Lanka , and is held in June. Processions are held in many parts of the country.

Vel takes place in July/August, and is held to honor the War God Skhanda in Colombo . The city streets are filled with processions of colorfully decorated chariots, music and dance. Deepavali is another major Hindu festival celebrated here, and is also known as the Festival of Lights, due to the thousands of oil lamps that are lit. It takes place in October/November.

Traditional New Year of the Sinhalese and Tamils occurs on the 13 th or 14 th of April, and is a colorful and vibrant time, where people celebrate by cleaning their house, buying new clothes and eating special meals; all marking the first day of the new year.

GDP (PPP) for 2004 was $80.58 billion, and the labor force by occupation is 38% agriculture, 17% industry and 45 % services. Sri Lanka 's biggest income sectors include food processing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages, telecommunications, and insurance and banking. Rice is the chief crop of Sri Lanka , with the country almost being self sufficient. Tea, rubber and coconut are also important agricultural crops; tea being the main foreign exchange earner. Other important industries include exporting precious and semi-precious stones, and tourism, although this has dropped, due to the tsunami that occurred in January 2005.

The working week is generally from 8.30am to 4.30pm . Shops are usually open from 10.00am to 7.00pm during the week, and until around 3.00pm on Saturdays. Banks are generally open from 9.00am to 3.00pm

Buses- There are three kinds of buses in Sri Lanka ; ‘peoplised' buses, state-owned buses and private buses. The most commonly used in the city, and to go out of town to other villages, are the ‘peoplised' buses, which are extremely cheap, but also very crowded. Express buses which can be air conditioned, are also available for long-distance trips. Contact a travel agent for more details.

Taxis - taxis can be found in most towns around the island, and most are metered. Taxis ordered from hotels may be more expensive.

Three-Wheelers- also known as tuk-tuks, these are now extremely common all over the island. It is best to agree on a fare before you get in, and the usual cost is around RS20 per kilometer depending on the road and traffic. Beware that the cost is always higher for foreigners!

Train- train travel is generally quite good in Sri Lanka, offering three different classes; third class (the cheapest, where benches are available to sit if not too crowded), second class (has padded seats and sometimes fans), and first class (which has air-con and also observations saloons and sleeping berths are available.)

Rental Car and Driver - rented cars and drivers are easily available in Colombo ; just contact your hotel or a travel agency. Prices vary, and cars can be hired for day trips, or even a few weeks.