Why "Serendib"
Sri Lanka appears in old Persian and Arabic trade accounts as "Serendib", a name later reworked by the English writer Horace Walpole in 1754 into "serendipity", after a Persian tale about princes who kept finding good things they weren't looking for.
It is a fitting name for a country where a half-day built around one temple regularly turns into a half-day of tea shops, unplanned beaches and conversations with strangers who insist you stay for lunch.
Formerly known as Ceylon under British rule, the country became independent in 1948 and was renamed Sri Lanka in 1972.
Quick facts
| Capital | Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is the administrative capital; Colombo is the commercial capital, main airport gateway and largest city. |
| Languages | Sinhala and Tamil are the official languages. English is widely spoken in tourism, business and road signage. |
| Currency | Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR). Cards are accepted in most hotels and city restaurants; carry cash for smaller towns and tuk-tuks. |
| Time zone | Sri Lanka Standard Time, UTC+5:30, the same offset year-round with no daylight saving. |
| Climate | Tropical, with two monsoon systems on opposite sides of the island, so somewhere is usually dry even when somewhere else isn't. |
| Best time for the south & west coasts, hill country | December to March, during the dry "Yala" season on that side of the island. |
| Best time for the east coast | May to September, when the north-east coast including Arugam Bay has its dry season. |
| Getting around | Private car with driver for flexibility, scenic train lines through the hill country, or domestic flights and buses between regions. |
A short history
Successive royal capitals from around the 4th century BCE built vast irrigation reservoirs, stupas and monasteries, several of which are still active places of worship today.
Coastal control passed between three European powers from the 16th century, leaving fort towns such as Galle, plantation agriculture, and the railway network still used today.
Independent since 1948 and renamed Sri Lanka in 1972, the country today balances tea, garment and tourism exports with a fast-growing domestic travel and hospitality sector.