Sri Lanka, popularly acknowledged as the 'Paradise Island', offers an unparalleled choice of sights and activities to suit all tastes, they range from ruins of past great civilisations, spectacular mountain ranges, vast open spaces, wild life parks, and beautiful tropical beaches. The island has a number of ancient cities and wondrous ruins, which testify to great civilisations of a past era. It is circled by golden beaches and in a matter of a few hours inland, towering mountains, to tropical rain forests and primeval jungles with a variety of fauna and flora to semi desert.  

Shopping in the bazaars of Colombo, its capital, and other towns is an unimaginable bargain; all teeming with colourful collectable items, from this rich cultural blend of diverse people, include bargains for batiks, handlooms, brass and silver ware, ceramics, wood crafts, gems and tea.  

Under European control for some 450 years, Ceylon won independence from the United Kingdom in 1948 and changed its name in 1972.  

Since then a segment of the Tamil Hindu minority has pressured the Sinhalese Buddhist majority for a separate state. Conflict broke out in 1983 and escalated to civil war; an Indian peacekeeping force failed to see a resolution.