Environment
Sri Lanka is shaped like a giant teardrop falling
from the southern
tip of the vast Indian subcontinent. It is separated from India by
the 50km (31mi) wide Palk Strait, although there is a series of
stepping-stone coral islets known as Adam's Bridge which almost
form a land bridge between the two countries. The island is just
350km (217mi) long and only 180km (112mi) wide at its widest, and
is about the same size as Ireland, West Virginia or Tasmania.
The southern half of the island is dominated by beautiful
and
rugged hill country. The entire northern half comprises a large
plain extending from the edge of the hill country to the Jaffna
peninsula. The highest mountain is the 2524m (1565mi)
Mt Pidurutalagala near Nuwara Eliya, and the longest river is
the Mahaweli which courses from the centre and empties into
the Indian Ocean at Trincomalee. The best beaches are on the
south-western, southern and south-eastern coasts.
Ebony, teak, silkwood and spectacular orchids are found
in the dense
south-western tropical rainforests. Hardy grasslands, rhododendrons
and stunted forests predominate in the cool, damp highlands, and
shrubs and grasslands survive in arid zones in the north. Animal
life is profuse and includes the ubiquitous elephant, as well as
leopards, deer, monkeys, sloth bears, wild boar, cobras,
crocodiles, dugong and turtles. The island is an important
seasonal home to migrating birds, including flamingoes, who
flock to the lagoons, wetlands and bird sanctuaries for respite
from the northern winter. The best time to see birds is between
January and April.
Sri Lanka is a typically tropical country with distinct
dry and
wet seasons, but the picture is somewhat complicated by the fact
that it is subject to two monsoons: the Yala season
(May to August), when the south-west monsoon brings rain to the
southern, western and central regions; and the Maha season
(October to January), when the north-east monsoon brings rain
to the north and east of the island. Temperatures in the low-lying
coastal regions are high year round but they rapidly fall with
altitude and in the hill country, where it feels like perpetual
spring. The highest temperatures are from March through June, while
November to January is usually the coolest time of the year. Rainfall
is heaviest in the south, south west and central highlands; the northern
and north-central regions are very dry. The best time to visit the west,
south coast and hill country is between December and March. May to
September is best on the east coast.
398 km. from Colombo, Jaffna has an austere kind of beauty
that
is vastly different from the rest of the island. Its virgin
beaches and coraline coast, off shore islets, and the
peninsula's very distinctive way of life can be an enigmatic
experience for the individual traveller. Not to be missed
are the sand dunes of Manalkadu - a miniscule desert whose
sheer wildness will impress you. Casuarina Beach is situated
at Karainagar and there are good beaches also at Santhakulam
and Thondaimannar.
