Have you ever wanted to travel to one of Asia’s most amazing countries but also help put something back? This is now your chance! Visit this astonishing and beautiful country and help make a difference.

Arguably the most beautiful island country of its size Sri Lanka has so many things to offer the most hardened traveller. The animal life on Sri Lanka is abundant and includes species such as Elephant, Leopard, Monkeys, Sloth Bears and many more. Sri Lanka’s beauty and charisma cannot however over shadow the need for conservation initiatives to help save these beautiful creatures.

The Language & Culture
Sri Lanka has a colourful culture and many different ethnic back grounds. The ethnic groups found in Sri Lanka consist of the Sinhalese, the Tamils, the Muslims and Burghers. The ethnicity of a person is not determined as to their appearance but to their religious and language.

The friction and conflict between these different ethnic groups has proved to create problems however it does create a very unique and interesting culture. The traditional architecture of the country is mainly Buddhist however more recent arts and sculptures now feature much more dominantly in every day life.

Food is traditionally very spicy and hot with many different local dishes to sample should you be able to take the heat.

The Land
Sri Lanka is situated to the South of the of the Indian coast and stretched down like a droplet of water in the Indian Ocean. The country itself lies only a short 30 miles stretch from India which is called the Palk Strait. The island covers an area of 66,000 square kilometres and is only 180 km wide at its widest point.
The northern areas of the island are predominantly vast open plains stretching down to the more rugged and hilly terrain further south, where you will also find the highest mountain on the island, some 2500 metres.

The capital of Sir Lanka is Colombo situated on the Western coast mid way down the island.
Sri Lanka boasts 1,340 km of coastline and is surrounded by only one ocean, that being the Indian Ocean.
Unfortunately Sri lanka has many environmental issues which include, deforestation, soil erosion, wildlife threatened by poaching, increasing pollution both water and air. These issues need to be addressed. This is where Worldwide Experience and you as a volunteer come in. This is your chance to help and put some thing back.

The History
Sri Lanka's first settlers are thought to be the Veddahs who are related to the Yakkhas. The Yakkhas were believed to be conquered by the Sinhalese around the 6th century BC, were they have remained since. The Indian's introduced Buddhism in the 3rd Century BC and it fast become the most wide spread religion on the island. Sri Lanka then became subject to frequented invasions from southern India over the next 1000 or so years.

The first European settlers to arrive in Sri Lanka were the Portuguese who arrived on the islands shores 1505. They quickly capitalised on the spice trade and by 1597 they had taken over full control of the island all except for Kandy, which was still a powerful Sinhalese kingdom.
The British arrived a couple of hundred years later in 1796. They quickly wore down the remaining sinhalese kingdom at Kandy and became the first European power to rule the entire island. English was instated as the official language.

In 1948 Sri Lanka achieved full independence and the government formed socialist policies. They reinstated Sinhalese as the official language of the island and promoted their best interests.

Climate
The climate of Sri Lanka is very much tropical, with an average temperature of 27o C. Bright sunny days are always common. Sri Lanka has a monsoon season where storms are frequent (May to July in the South and December to January in the North) however the temperature stays warm even during these times. The rainfall pattern of the island is influenced by the monsoon winds of the Indian Ocean.
Humidity is normally higher in the southwest and mountainous areas. Depending on where you are on the island determines humidity. Colombo for example can have anything from 70 - 90 % humidity depending on season.

Average Temperature