- Let's take a look at the map
- According to European traditions
- How does Sri Lanka celebrate their own New Year?
- Useful information for tourists
What comes to mind for the average tourist when he mentions the blessed island in the Indian Ocean, formerly called Ceylon and now marked on world maps as Sri Lanka? Of course, eternal summer, turquoise waves, white sand of beaches and the opportunity to be alone with nature, not hearing the noise of the city and leaving all the problems and worries at home.
Among the tourist brotherhood there are many daredevils who decided to celebrate the New Year in Sri Lanka, because the ability to escape from a long winter to warm lands for at least a few days is one of the most cherished desires of any person.
Let's take a look at the map
- Located off the southeastern coast of India, the former Ceylon is located in the subequatorial climate zone, and its weather depends not only on latitude, but also on the traditional monsoons for these places. From October to March, it is determined by the north-east wind, and from May to October - by the south-west.
- In December and January, most of the island has a dry season and rains are rare. This usually happens around noon and precipitation is short-lived. The only region where showers can be more frequent and persistent is the northeast of the island.
- If you decide to go to celebrate the New Year in Sri Lanka, book a hotel in the southern and western regions, in the Galle resort or in the vicinity of Colombo. The air temperature in December and January in this part of the island does not drop below + 28 ° С during the day and + 26 ° С at night. The water in the ocean warms up to a confident + 26 ° C, and therefore swimming will give you only pleasant sensations.
Weather forecast for the resorts of Sri Lanka by month
New Year's holidays are the peak of the tourist season in Sri Lanka. Hotel rooms are flying like hotcakes at this time, and therefore do not forget to plan and book your trip well in advance.
According to European traditions
New Year's traditions were brought to Sri Lanka by Europeans. First, the night from December 31 to January 1 was made special by the British colonialists, who "/>
Festive illumination, decorated trees on the territory of hotels and a special entertainment program, which each hotel thinks out in advance and with special care, is becoming the main sign of the upcoming Christmas and New Year holidays. Festive dishes, traditional for the Old World, appear on the menu this night, but the basis of the table is still numerous types of curries with rice, fresh seafood grilled, and tropical fruits - both by themselves and as part of sweets and desserts.
On the beaches of the island here and there red caps of Santa Claus flicker, and the role of Christmas trees is taken on by palm trees, which the Sri Lankans literally entwine with colorful garlands.
How does Sri Lanka celebrate their own New Year?
The distant island would not be so exotic if it did not have its own holidays - unique and one of a kind. New Year is no exception, and Sri Lankans celebrate it with pleasure in full accordance with national traditions and their own calendar.
The Alut Avurudu festival begins on April 13, when the sun moves from the constellation Pisces to Aries. In the daily life of the inhabitants of Sri Lanka these days, the harvest of the next harvest of rice ends and a new life cycle of nature begins.
Preparation for the holiday is a general frill of the dwelling, large-scale washing and preparation of national dishes, traditional for the New Year's table. Then comes the eve of the festival called Nonagataia. Sri Lankans consider this time a temporary vacuum, when the old period has already ended, and the new one has not yet begun. It is not recommended to eat, drink or work for several hours. You can only pray and wait for the astrologer's signal that the New Year in Sri Lanka has come and you can sit down at the table.
The uniqueness of Alut Avurudu also lies in the fact that the holiday unites representatives of the two main religions living in Ceylon - Hindus and Buddhists. Wishing a happy new year in the midst of spring is equally meaningful to all residents of a distant island in the Indian Ocean.
Useful information for tourists
- The cheapest prices for tickets for the New Year in Sri Lanka are offered by Air Arabia. With a transfer in Sharjah, you will get from Moscow Domodedovo Airport to Colombo for 600 euros and 9.5 hours without connecting. A flight with Flydubai will cost a little more - from 690 euros. In this case, the transfer will be in Dubai, and you will have to spend about 10 hours in the sky.
- Cheap flight options are usually offered by travel agencies. The tour package usually contains a charter flight from Moscow or another city to Colombo.
- If you want to combine New Years and diving, choose resorts in the east, where underwater sites look best between August and December, or in the west, where divers open the season in early January.
The best New Year's resort in Sri Lanka for active travelers is Hikkaduwa. The diving season here lasts from November to mid-spring, and therefore you can dive both seeing off the old year and meeting the new one. The relatively calm sea during this period makes it possible to see its riches even for those who do not yet risk wearing scuba gear. An ideal alternative is sea excursions on a glass bottom boat.
Due to the powerful ebb and flow on the beaches of Hikkaduwa, surfers have also chosen it. Instructors from numerous schools located on the shore will teach you how to operate the board, and the beautiful landscapes of Sri Lanka from the water will seem especially mesmerizing to you.
