Well-preserved rainforests,
hilltop plains, exotic gardens, wildlife
sanctuaries, coral reefs and ideal trekking areas provide an enriching insight of how rich Sri
Lanka is with her natural resources. With the emphasis on preservation of the environment,
Sri Lanka ensures that its natural assets are maintained in their
original state. These assets, combined with the island's tourist
attractions, make a winning combination.
The conservation of nature has been in existence
in Sri Lanka for centuries, and is linked to the adherence of
the Sinhalese to Buddhism. For instance, the people respect the na and nuga trees and worship
the bo tree. They believe deities live in certain towering old
trees and no one is permitted to cut those trees down - an ancient
form of conservation which led to the protection of valuable
trees and resulted in protected nature reserves such as the Sinharaja Forest
Reserve and the Udawale
Sanctuary.
These can still be visited today, along with numerous other National Parks such as the largest - Yala.
With the trend moving towards the promotion of Eco-tourism,
one should keep in mind that visitors would not like to be packed
into "concrete jungles".
Instead, they look for space,
scenic beauty, tranquility and peace; all of these are waiting
to be discovered in Sri Lanka!
