Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Northern Region Now Open to Foreigners

Date: July 12th, 2011 |

Northern Sri Lanka is now freely open to foreign passport holders. The region was off-limits to travelers and most others during 26 years of civil war that ended in 2009, and since then, journalists and foreigners alike needed special permission from the defense ministry to visit the area. Despite the new access, non-governmental organizations still [read more]

Sri Lanka: Navy Begins Whale-Watching Tourist Excursions

Date: February 2nd, 2011 |

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The Sri Lankan Navy is getting into the tourism business in an effort to improve the country’s image after three decades of civil war and to offer tourists a new attraction otherwise unavailable here. It has established a ferry service for whale watching excursions out of the popular tourist port of Galle in the south. [read more]

Sri Lanka: One Year After Civil War Ends, Tamil Tiger Territory a Tourist Attraction

Date: May 19th, 2010 |

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May 18 was the first anniversary of the end of the almost-three-decade Tamil Tigers’ civil war that killed as many as 100,000 people, but the government postponed indefinitely a military parade and ceremony to mark the occasion. Reminders of the war in the northern Jaffna peninsula, however, have become tourist attractions, with visitors flocking to [read more]

Sri Lanka: Campaign for Jan. 26 Presidential Election Could See Demonstrations

Date: December 23rd, 2009 |

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Sri Lanka will hold a presidential election Jan. 26, and in years past political campaigns have produced demonstrations and small-scale violence. The U.S. Embassy in Colombo urges travelers to avoid political rallies, public gatherings and demonstrations, which can start with little or no notice. Police have used tear gas and force to break up unruly [read more]

Sri Lanka: Wasp Attacks Close Famous Archaeological Site

Date: April 1st, 2009 |

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Officials closed the famous archaeological site of Sigiriya after three days of wasp attacks within a week. Several dozen tourists were stung and taken to hospitals for treatment, and some who were stranded at the top of the site had to be evacuated by police and air force personnel. Similar problems occurred each of the [read more]

Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka: U.S. State Department Issues Alert for ICC Cricket World Cup

Date: February 23rd, 2011 |

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The U.S. State Department issued an alert for travelers to Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka for the ICC Cricket World Cup Feb. 19-April 2. Though no specific threat information exists, the State Department warned that such high profile events can be targets for terrorist attacks. Since local authorities are responsible for the security around individual [read more]

Sri Lanka: Government to Legalize Gambling to Attract Foreign Tourists

Date: November 17th, 2010 |

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After almost three decades of civil war, Sri Lanka is looking for ways to attract more foreign tourists, and one option is to open its doors to casino development. Parliament recently passed legislation to legalize gambling and established a plan to designate special gambling zones where casinos and betting agencies could set up shop. The [read more]

Sri Lanka: Violence Mars Run-Up to Presidential Election

Date: January 20th, 2010 |

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The first presidential election since the army defeated the Tamil Tigers in a decades-long civil war will take place Jan. 26, pitting the incumbent president who pushed for a military victory against the general who carried it out. Passions are high and violence has already claimed two lives, prompting the military and police to go [read more]

Sri Lanka: 25 Years of War Come to an End

Date: May 20th, 2009 |

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After 25 years of brutal conflict and an endgame ignoring international calls for restraint, the conventional war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam is over with the army’s defeat of the rebel force. Whether remnants of the group will stage random attacks in the future remains to be seen, but the government appears ready [read more]

Sri Lanka: Truce Ends, Terror Attacks Occur

Date: February 7th, 2008 |

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Two attacks on civilians in recent days and other incidents prompted the U.S. Embassy in Colombo to strongly advise visitors to avoid traveling by bus or train throughout the country. On Feb. 3, 11 civilians were killed and 100 injured when a suicide bombing occurred in Colombo’s Fort Railway Station. The day before, a bomb [read more]

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