Sri Lanka

Philip Briggs

• Publisher: Bradt Travel Guides
• Year: 2023
• eBook ISBN: 9781804691502
• Topic: Personal Development
• Subtopic: Travel

The new seventh edition of Bradt's Sri Lanka remains the most detailed and comprehensive guidebook to this alluring island nation. Written by Philip Briggs, one of the world's most experienced and highly regarded guidebook writers, this thoroughly updated guide provides detailed coverage of every aspect of this diverse and compact country, from idyllic tropical coastlines to mist-shrouded tea plantations and time-warped colonial homesteads. Alongside in-depth sections on all major beach resorts, archaeological sites, historic towns and national parks, it introduces adventurous travellers to intriguing lesser-known sites and emergent destinations inaccessible for decades prior to 2009, when the civil war ended.

Beach holidays are a year-round attraction, while fantastic Buddhist-affiliated UNESCO World Heritage Sites range from the massive dagobas of Anuradhapura, built in pre-Christian times on a scale rivalling Egyptian pyramids, to Dambulla's exquisitely painted cave temples. Wildlife-viewing opportunities abound, and this guide provides unparalleled, illustrated advice on making the most of these. Asia's densest elephant and leopard populations thrive in an extensive network of national parks, complemented by fine whale and dolphin-watching, and 450 bird species including 30 occurring in no other country.

Extensive hotel and restaurant listings, covering everything from exclusive boutique hotels to shoestring homestays, have been cherry-picked based on the author's personal inspection of hundreds of properties countrywide. Sri Lanka's increasingly renowned cuisine features strongly, as does its growing focus on wellness tourism including Ayurveda therapies. This guidebook differs further from competitors by catering for truly independent travellers, providing 70-plus visitor-focused maps covering all major towns and resorts, clear directions for public transport, and off-the-beaten-track information.

Following a tourist boom in the south, and the gradual opening of the north and east to independent travel, tourism jumped 15% in the two years to 2018. Following COVID-19 and a 2019 terrorism incident, Sri Lankan tourism is again welcoming visitors, with infrastructure benefitting from recent investment in trains, which provide comfortable, efficient and inexpensive public transport. Whether you're into wildlife, culture, beaches or cuisine - and whether you seek luxury or budget travel - Bradt's Sri Lanka will address your every need for an enjoyable visit to this bewitching and varied country.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Contents
• Colour Map
• List of Maps
• Photos – Sri Lanka Don’t Miss…
• Photos – Sri Lanka In Colour
• Introduction
• At a Glance
• Part One: General Information
• Chapter 1: History and Background
• Chapter 2: The Natural World
• Chapter 3: Practical Information
• Chapter 4: Health and Safety
• Part Two: Colombo and Surrounds
• Chapter 5: Colombo
• Chapter 6: The Coast from Negombo to Kalpitiya
• Chapter 7: Inland of Colombo
• Chapter 8: The Western Resort Coast: Bentota, Kosgoda and Hikkaduwa
• Part Three: The Cultural Triangle
• Chapter 9: Dambulla, Sigiriya and Surrounds
• Chapter 10: Polonnaruwa
• Chapter 11: Anuradhapura and Surrounds
• Part Four: Northern and Eastern Provinces
• Chapter 12: Northern Province
• Chapter 13: Eastern Province
• Part Five: Kandy and The Hill Country
• Chapter 14: Kandy and Surrounds
• Chapter 15: High Hill Country: Adam’s Peak, Nuwara Eliya and Ella
• Chapter 16: Low Hill Country: Kitulgala, Ratnapura and Sinharaja
• Part Six: Galle and The Deep South
• Chapter 17: Tissamaharama and the Southern Safari Circuit
• Chapter 18: The South Coast
• Chapter 19: Galle and Surrounds
• Appendix 1: Language
• Appendix 2: Glossaries
• Appendix 3: Further Information
• Author
• Copyright
• Acknowledgements
• Back Cover