Sri_Lanka 

Like a gem hanging off the Indian subcontinent, this brilliant country holds far more than its size would have you believe, enough to have you coming back to it again and again. Offering breathtaking sands, lush green hills, teeming wildlife, mighty waterfalls, endless heritage and pilgrimage sites; it's no wonder that Marco Polo described Sri Lanka as "the finest island of its size in the world." In ancient times the Arabs referred to this island as Serendib, the origin of the word 'serendipity'. The name Sri Lanka means 'resplendent land' and the island nation truly lives up to the epithet.

General information -SRI LANKA

AREA 65,610 km²

POPULATION 21,284,000

CAPITAL CITY Colombo

CURRENCY Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR)

LANGUAGES Sinhala (official and national), Tamil (national)

TIME ZONES +05:30 (GMT/UTC)

COUNTRY PHONE CODE +94

ELECTRICITY 230V AC 50hz

TIPPING Tipping is not compulsory, but is usually expected as a sign of appreciation of good service. Many hotels and restaurants charge a 10% service surcharge.

BANKS OPENING HOURS Mon-Fri: 9.00 am to 5.00 pm.

HEALTH Vaccinations and malaria prophylaxis are recommended. Please consult your doctor before departure.

NATIONAL PUBLIC HOLIDAYS 01.01.12 New Year’s Day, 04.02.2012 Independence Day, 14.02.2012 Birth of the Prophet, 06.04.2012 Good Friday, 01.05.2012 May Day, 19.08.2012 Id al Fitr (end of Ramadan), 15.10.2012 National Tree Planting Day, 27.11.2012 National Flag Day, 25.12.2012 Christmas Day