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Sri Lanka has been known by many names. The early Europeans in Asia knew it as Zelian or Seilan, the British as Ceylon, and it has also been called the Teardrop of India, Resplendent Isle, Island of Dharma and Pearl of the Orient.

Colombo, the commercial capital, has a population of around 652 000, lots of open spaces and gracious colonial buildings. The governing capital was shifted in recent years to Sri Jayewardenepura, 15 minutes from Colombo. Other major cities include Jaffna, Kandy and Galle. Anuradhapura is Sri Lanka's first capital and the most important of Sri Lanka's ancient cities.

Nature
The southern half of Sri Lanka is dominated by rugged hills, while the north is mostly a large plain from the edge of the hill country to the Jaffna peninsula. The south-western tropical rainforests are home to ebony, teak and spectacular orchids. The country has an abundance of fauna including elephants, monkeys, leopards, wild boar, crocodiles, dugong and turtles. Flamingoes and other migrating birds flock to the lagoons, wetlands and sanctuaries during the northern winter.

The sights
The ancient city of Anuradhapura was the capital of the island for more than 1400 years with its Buddhist monuments and royal ruins dating back 2000 years. Some best known sites include the Sacred Bo-Tree grown from a sapling of the tree under which Buddha achieved enlightenment; the Thuparamaya Dagoba, built in the 3rd century BC and believed to contain the right collarbone of Buddha; Ruvan, the oldest historically docu-mented tree in the world; and the seven storey Lovamahapaya, also known as the Brazen Place.

The ancient city of Polonnaruwa is south-east of Anuradhapura while the amazing Sigiriya Rock Fortress is the site of a sixth century fortified palace. Upcountry is Kandy, 116 kilo-metres from Colombo, built around a peaceful lake and surrounded by picturesque hills. The sacred tooth relic of the Buddha is preserved here at the Temple of the Tooth. En route to Kandy, visit the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, home to more than 40 elephants.

Where to stay
Travelling in Sri Lanka is quite economical and travellers can experience 5-star luxury at very reasonable prices in the countryside, while budget travellers can find delightful traditional 'rest houses'.

Getting around
Train travel is comfortable but slow, with modern coaches a better option. Local transport consists of buses, taxis and auto-rickshaws. Car and motorbike hire is becoming increasingly popular. Renting a car with a driver is not expensive, but it is important to negotiate beforehand.

Food and entertainment
Traditional Sri Lankan food is dominated by rice and curry, and is usually very spicy and hot. A dish unique to Sri Lanka is string hoppers - a tangle of rice flour noodles which are eaten with curry. Sinhalese dancing resembles Indian dance but the story is told using acrobatics and symbolism. Sri Lankan folklore is recreated in theatre using dance, masked drama, drumming and exorcism rituals.

Things to do
The south-western coast offers good swimming beaches. The dive centre at Hikkaduwa is a good base to explore the reefs in the region such as Dodanduwa, Gintota and Ralagala. The Bentota River is ideal for sailing, windsurfing and waterskiing. Climb Adam's Peak for a taste of trekking, or walk across the Horton Plains near Nuwara Eliya to see the 700-metre drop at World's End.

Shopping
On the road linking Colombo and Kandy is a series of 'monoculture' villages: one sells clay pots, while others sell brooms, roof tiles, cane chairs, cashews and coconuts. Not surprisingly, the most popular purchase is tea, sold in many flavours and all manner of gift containers and teapots. Woodcarving, weaving, pottery and metalwork are all popular crafts and Sri Lanka is especially renowned for its gems and jewellery.

Climate
The climate is tropical, hot and humid during the day, cooling off in the evening. In the hilly regions cooler temperatures prevail. Pack light cotton clothes for coastal areas and a light jacket or warm sweater for cooler evenings in the hill country.

Currency
Sri Lankan rupee (SLR) consiss of 100 cents. Tipping is appropriate and major credit cards are widely accepted in shops.