List of natural beauties to admire in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has a wealth of diverse natural landscapes, many of them virtually unexploited or untouched by humans. The pristine wilderness and virgin lands are undoubtedly one of the reasons why thousands of travellers visit the island each year, may it be splendid beaches or fabulous nature reserves.

What makes Sri Lanka special is the fact that wherever you may be on the island, you are never far away from a place to admire the island’s natural beauty.

Are you keen on the island’s natural beauty or would you like to have your first insight into Sri Lankan wilderness?

In either case, a trip to the island would be incomplete without a wonderful plunge into its wilderness and bathe in scenic landscapes and waterfalls. Like most island nations (think about Madagascar or Australia), Sri Lanka is famous for endemic plants and its biodiversity that you can enjoy at close range during trekking trips. For those who wish to see them at one place, Sri Lanka’s reputed botanical gardens offer a great collection in a natural yet landscaped setting.  For those of you who have always dreamt of sipping Sri Lankan tea, visits to the Hill Country to visit places like Lipton’s Seat near Haputale or the scenic marvels near Nuwara Eliya are bound to quench your thirst.

The waters around the island are also famous for blue whales, sperm whales and a variety of dolphins that you can spot during the right season. Check here for trips to watch cetaceans.  On land, you can spot elephants in the wild, see them in temple processions or enjoy riding them.

Sri Lanka plays host to over 300 endemic bird species and is a prized destination to observe migratory birds. Among the birds, the jungle fowl, an endemic fowl, is the national bird. If you are an avid birdwatcher, you can read detailed information here. The island is also has one of the richest collection of amphibians in the world. There are over 90 varieties of snakes, over 75 types of fresh water fishes and 5 types of marine turtles.