When best to travel to Sri Lanka
Climatically the driest and best seasons are from December to March on the west and south coasts and in the hill country, and from May to September on the east coast. December to March is also the time when most foreign tourists come, the majority of them escaping the harsh European winter.

There are advantages in out of season travel - not only do the crowds go away but many airfares and accommodation prices go right down. Nor does it rain all the time. Reefs may protect a beach area and make swimming quite feasible at places like Hikkaduwa, which during the monsoon can be quite pleasant.

Festivals in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has a variegated number of Buddhist, Hindu, Christian and Muslim festivals.

The Kandy Esala Perahera (July/August) is the country's most important and spectacular pageant, with 10 days of torch-bearers, whip-crackers, dancers, drummers and elephants like illuminated moving battle ships. It climaxes in great procession honouring the Buddha's Sacred Tooth Relic of Kandy.

Second in importance is the Duruthu Perahera (January), held under the auspices of the Gangaramaya temple in Colombo, which celebrates a visit by Buddha to Sri Lanka.

Other celebrations include National Day (February), which is celebrated with military parades, and dances.

The Sinhala and Tamil New Year (March/April), celebrated with elephant races, coconut games and pillow fights;

Vesak (May), when every living abode, rich or poor, is lit up with traditional lanterns or flickering bulbs to celebrate the sacred full moon festival commemorating the birth, death and enlightenment of Buddha;

The Hindu Vel festival (July/August) in Colombo, where the ceremonial chariot of Skanda, the God of War, is hauled between two temples;

The predominantly Hindu Kataragama festival (July/August) in Kataragama, where devotees put themselves through the whole gamut of ritual masochism.

Costs of holidaying
Currency: Sri Lankan Rupee

Meals
* Budget: US$0.50-3
* Mid-range: US$3-6
* Top-end: US$6 and upwards

Lodging
* Budget: US$4-15
* Mid-range: US$15-30
* Top-end: US$30 and upwards

Traveling around in Sri Lanka is quite still economical compared to other Asian countries. Travelers on shoestring budgets can exist comfortably on less than US$20 a day by staying in basic share or double rooms, getting around by bus and patronizing medium size restaurants. If you wish to go up the scale a bit, add US$5 or $10 for kipping down in delightful rest houses, or plan on around US$100 a day if you want the full five star hotel comfort. p> You'll have no problem changing travelers' cheques at most major banks. Banks will give you a slightly better rate for travelers' cheques, but it's convenient to have some cash for times when you can't get to a bank (there are plenty of money changers in Colombo and Hikkaduwa). US dollars are the best. ATMs are becoming a common sight, especially in major cities, but other than in Colombo and Kandy, they're unlikely to accept international cards. Credit cards are widely accepted; Visa and MasterCard cash withdrawals are possible at major banks.

A 10% service charge is added to nearly every accommodation or eating bill in the middle and top ranges, so there's no need to tip, even though those serving you are unlikely to see much of it. Nor is there any need to top up taxi or three-wheeler fares. Hotel porters normally get Rs 10-20 per heavy bag. On the whole, prices are very negotiable in Sri Lanka, but bargaining is quite OK. Find out what the approximate cost is and then come to a mutually acceptable compromise. It is always better to agree on a price before demanding any service. Otherwise, you may be exploited.

Getting there and departing
The only way to enter Sri Lanka is by flying. Colombo is the international gateway for direct flights from Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East. There are cheap flights available between Colombo and Madras, Trichy, Trivandrum and Bombay. Departure tax is US$10.

Getting Around
Buses and trains are the dominant modes of public transport.
Buses, and modern private coaches, are cheap, plentiful but always overcrowded.
Train travel, while slower, is infinitely more comfortable.
Motorbike hiring and self-drive car hire are also available and popular among tourists,
It's common to rent a car with a driver for a day-trip or a few days' tour of the island; prices are reasonable.
Taxis and auto-rickshaws (called tuk-tuk) are also available, but it is prudent to agree on the fare before embarking on the journey.
There are domestic passenger flights from Colombo in Sri Lanka only to Palaly Airport in the North.

Some geographical facets
Sri Lanka often called the Pearl of the Orient, is shaped like a giant mango, and often described as a teardrop falling from the southern tip of the vast Indian subcontinent. It is separated from India by the 50km (31miles) wide Palk Strait, although there is a series of stepping-stone coral islets known as Adam's Bridge, which almost form a land bridge between the two countries. The island is just 350km (217miles) long and only 180km (112miles) wide at its widest, and is about the same size as Ireland, West Virginia or Tasmania.

A typically tropical country with distinct dry and wet seasons, the island is subject to two monsoons: the Yala season (May to August), when the south-west monsoon brings rain to the southern, western and central regions; and the Maha season (October to January), when the north-east monsoon brings rain to the north and east of the island.

Temperatures in the low-lying coastal regions are high year round but they rapidly fall with altitude and in the hill country, where it feels like perpetual spring. The highest temperatures are from March through June, while November to January is usually the coolest time of the year. Rainfall is heaviest in the south, south west and central highlands; the northern and north-central regions are very dry. The best time to visit the west, south coast and hill country is between December and March. May to September is best on the east coast

Satin wood, Jak, Ebony, and Teak wood trees abound in the island, and spectacular orchids are found in the dense south-western tropical rainforests. Hardy grasslands, rhododendrons and stunted forests predominate in the cool, damp highlands, and shrubs and grasslands survive in arid zones in the north. Animal life is profuse and includes the ubiquitous elephant, as well as leopards, deer, monkeys, sloth bears, wild boar, cobras, crocodiles, dugong and turtles. The island is an important seasonal home to migrating birds, including flamingoes, who flock to the lagoons, wetlands and bird sanctuaries for respite from the northern winter. The best time to see birds is between January and April.

The southern half of the island is dominated by beautiful and rugged hill country. The entire northern half comprises a large plain extending from the edge of the hill country to the Jaffna peninsula. The highest mountain is the 2524m Mt Pidurutalagala near Nuwara Eliya, and the longest river is the Mahaweli which courses from the centre and empties into the Indian Ocean at Trincomalee. The best beaches are on the south-western, southern and south-eastern coasts.