How To Use This E-Book

This Explore Guide has been produced by the editors of Insight Guides, whose books have set the standard for visual travel guides since 1970. With ­top-­quality photography and authoritative recommendations, these guidebooks bring you the very best routes and itineraries in the world’s most exciting destinations.

Best Routes

The routes in this book provide something to suit all budgets, tastes and trip lengths. As well as covering the destination’s many classic attractions, the itineraries track lesser-known sights. The routes embrace a range of interests, so whether you are an art fan, a gourmet, a history buff or have kids to entertain, you will find an option to suit.

We recommend reading the whole of a route before setting out. This should help you to familiarise yourself with it and enable you to plan where to stop for refreshments – options are shown in the ‘Food and Drink’ box at the end of each tour.

Introduction

The routes are set in context by this introductory section, giving an overview of the destination to set the scene, plus background information on food and drink, shopping and more, while a succinct history timeline highlights the key events over the centuries.

Directory

Also supporting the routes is a Directory chapter, with a clearly organised A–Z of practical information, our pick of where to stay while you are there and select restaurant listings; these eateries complement the more low-key cafés and restaurants that feature within the routes and are intended to offer a wider choice for evening dining. Also included here is a handy language guide and our recommendations for books and films about the destination.

Getting around the e-book

In the Table of Contents and throughout this e-book you will see hyperlinked references. Just tap a hyperlink once to skip to the section you would like to read. Practical information and listings are also hyperlinked, so as long as you have an external connection to the internet, you can tap a link to go directly to the website for more information.

Maps

All key attractions and sights mentioned in the text are numbered and cross-referenced to high-quality maps. Wherever you see the reference [map] just tap this to go straight to the related map. You can also double-tap any map for a zoom view.

Images

You’ll find lots of beautiful high-resolution images that capture the essence of the destination. Simply double-tap on an image to see it full-screen.

© 2017 Apa Digital (CH) AG and Apa Publications (UK) Ltd

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Table of Contents

Recommended Routes For...

Ancient temples

Animal lovers

Beaches

Botanical gardens

Colonial architecture

Hottest curries

Mountain views

Tea trekking

Explore Sri Lanka

Geography and layout

Exploring the country

History

Climate

Population

Local customs

Politics

Economics

Food and Drink

Local cuisine

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Other delicacies

Snacks

Fruit

Where to eat

Drinks

Shopping

What to buy

Gems

Batiks

Handicrafts

Tea and spices

Shopping tips

Entertainment

Dance and music

Art

Nightlife

Festivals

Activities

Cricket

Diving and watersports

Swimming and snorkelling

Surfing

Whale-watching

White-water rafting

Golf

Horse-riding

Spas

Walking

History: Key Dates

Early history

Colonial period

Independence

Ethnic strife

Colombo Fort and Pettah

Fort

The Presidential Secretariat

King’s Prison Cell

President’s House

Colonial buildings

Pettah

Municipal mementoes

Dutch Period Museum

Modern Colombo

Galle Face Green

Gangaramaya Temple

Vihara Mahadevi Park and the Town Hall

Colombo’s southern suburbs

New Parliament

Convention Centre

National Museum

Shopping in Bambalapitiya

Kelani Valley Rail Journey

Fort Railway Station

Steam locomotive

Maradana station

Royal Colombo Golf Club

Nugegoda

Homagama

Mount Lavinia and Dehiwala Zoo

Mount Lavinia Beach

Mount Lavinia Hotel

Beach life

Dehiwala Zoo

The animals

Negombo via the Wetlands

Muthurajawela

Wetlands

Negombo

St Mary’s Church

Negombo Beach

Road to Kandy

Henerathgoda Botanical Gardens

Warakapola

Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage

Bible Rock

Kadugannawa and the Highway Museum

Tea Fortress

Kandy

Temple of the Tooth

Kandyan Arts & Crafts Association

Kandy Lake

British Garrison Cemetery

Shopping district

Tea Museum

Hill Country

Gampola

Ramboda falls

Nuwara Eliya

Market Place

Victoria Park

Racecourse and lake

Kandapola

Hakgala Botanical Gardens

Horton Plains National Park

Back to Colombo

Haputale, Ella and Bandarawela

Nuwara Eliya to Haputale

Adisham

Haputale

Plantation bungalows

Dambatenne Tea Factory

Lipton’s Seat

Diyatalawa

Bandarawela

Dowa Cave Temple

Ella

Rawana Ella Falls

Dambulla, Sigiriya and Anuradhapura

Dambulla

Lunch options

Anuradhapura

Isurumuniya

Sacred Bo Tree

Archeological Museum

Ruwanweliseya

Thuparama

King Mahasen’s Palace

Kuttam Pokuna

Habarana

Sigiriya

Museum and gardens

Sigiriya frescoes

Mirror Wall and the summit

Popham Arboretum

Minneriya and Polonnaruwa

Minneriya National Park

Elephant gathering

Polonnaruwa

Parakrama Samudra

Statue of Parakramabahu/Agastaya

Royal Palace

The Quadrangle

Shiva Devale

Kiri Vihara

Galle Fort

Main Gate

Church Street

Groote Kerk

Queen’s Street

Aker Sloot

Historical Mansion Museum

The Ramparts

Unawatuna

Yala National Park

Hambantota

Tissamarahama

Safari jeeps

Kirinda

Yala National Park

Elephants and leopards

Accommodation

Colombo

Around Colombo: Mount Lavinia

West Coast: Negombo

West Coast: Bentota

West Coast: Ahungalla

West Coast: Hikkaduwa

Cultural Triangle: Kandy

Hill Country: Nuwara Eliya

Hill Country: Ella

Cultural Triangle: Habarana

Cultural Triangle: Giritale

Cultural Triangle: Dambulla

Cultural Triangle: Sigiriya

East Coast: Trincomalee

South Coast: Galle

South Coast: Koggala

South Coast: Yala

Restaurants

Colombo

West Coast: Negombo

West Coast: Bentota

West Coast: Hikkaduwa

East Coast: Trincomalee

Cultural Triangle: Around Kandy

Cultural Triangle: Habarana

Hill Country

South Coast: Unawatuna

South Coast: Galle

A-Z

A

Admission charges

Age restrictions

B

Begging

Budgeting

C

Carbon offsetting

Children

Clothing

Crime and safety

Customs

On departure

D

Disabled travellers

E

Electricity

Embassies and 
high commissions

Emergencies

Etiquette

G

Gay and lesbian travellers

Green issues

H

Health

Inoculations

Healthcare and insurance

Hospitals

Pharmacies

Hours and holidays

Hours

Public holidays

I

Internet

L

Language

M

Maps

Media

Newspapers

Radio

Television

Money

Currency

Credit cards

ATMs

Exchanging money

Tipping

P

Police

Post

R

Religion

S

Smoking

T

Telephones

Time Zone

Toilets

Tourist information

Transport

Airports – arrival and departure

Public transport

Tuk-tuks and taxis

Driving

V

Visas and passports

W

Websites

Weights and measures

Women and solo travellers

Language

Sinhala

Greetings and phrases

Questions

Days of the week

Place names

Numbers

Social media

Tamil

Basics

Useful words

Verbs

Questions

Days of the week

Numbers

Health

Food

Social media

Books and Film

Books

Fiction

History and travel

Art and architecture

Specialist guides

Film