A teardrop-shaped island cast adrift in the Indian Ocean, Sri lanka is filled with cultural and natural treasures. Indians, Portuguese, Dutch and British have all left their marks here, making for a delightful mix of ancient cities, monuments and atmospheric colonial architecture. At the same time, palm-fringed beaches are never far away and lush mountainous greenery beckons inland. It's clear to see why Marco Polo proclaimed Sri Lanka to be one of the best islands in the world.

热带岛国斯里兰卡(SriLanka)旧称锡兰，如同印度半岛的一滴眼泪，镶嵌在广阔的印度洋海面上。“斯里兰卡”在僧伽罗语中意为“乐土”或“光明富庶的土地”，有“宝石王国”、“印度洋上的明珠”的美称，被马可波罗认为是最美丽的岛屿，因为没有一个度假胜地能有与其媲美的海滨，无穷秘密的古城，丰富的自然遗产，以及独特迷人的文化.

The beach thing may be a cliche, but don't miss them. Then head to the hills to cool off amidst tea plantations and ancient cities. The island teems with bird life, and even the occasional elephant or leopard. To top it all off, the people are friendly, the food is delicious and costs are low.

美丽沙滩、热带雨林，奇异花卉鸟兽、高原茶园、缤纷节庆及千年古迹，令人叹息的古老佛教遗址是无所不在，斯里兰卡其实有着比我们想像还要丰富的旅游资源，岛上处处散发另一种异域风情。即便只是走在那里的街头，完全陌生的风情都能让人喜悦。而且斯里兰卡物价低廉，对中国游客很友好，非常适合度假。



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 European winter.

气候最干燥的季节是是12月至3月，这也是在西部和南部沿海和丘陵地区旅游的最佳季节，而5月至9月则是到东海岸旅行的最佳季节。十二月至三月是斯里兰卡的旅游旺季，大量的外国游客纷纷来此，其中大部分是为了逃离欧洲的冬天。

Out of season travel has its advantages - it's less crowded, and 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.

在淡季出行有它的好处 - 它不那么拥挤，许多机票和住宿都有很大的折扣。而且也并使这时候的所有天气都是雨天的。珊瑚礁可以保护海滩游泳区，在有季风吹拂的地方诸如Hikkaduwa，便可以拥有十分美好的旅游享受。

July/August is the time of the Kandy Esala Perahera, the 10-day festival honouring the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha, and also the time for the Kataragama Festival in the South. In both towns accommodation just before, during and immediately after the festivals is very difficult to come by, and rates usually double or treble. Be sure to book rooms well in advance.

七月/八月是Kandy Esala Perahera的旅游盛季，10天的节日来纪念佛牙，同时，也是南方Kataragama节时间。之前，期间和之后的节日期间在这两个城市住宿是很难得的。但是这里的旅行者通常也会增加两三倍。所以一定要提前预订好房间。

The country was also devastated by the 2004 tsunami, which killed more than 30,000 Sri Lankans and wiped out many coastal communities. While many tourists have been discouraged by the troubles, tourism is a healing force in this hard-hit country, and visitors will be guaranteed a warm welcome.

2004年的海啸几乎摧毁了这个国家，造成超过3.0万斯里兰卡人丧生也使得许多沿海社区遭受了灭顶之灾。很多游客为此感到可惜，旅游业将是推动这个遭受重创的国家重新恢复活力的重要因素，游客来这里也会受到热烈的欢迎。