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		Sri Lanka
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Sri Lanka, jewel of the Indian Ocean was proclaimed by Marco Polo to be amongst the finest islands on earth.

Filled with cultural and natural treasures, the island encompasses magnificent landscapes, beautiful beaches, abundant wildlife and ancient art and architecture. Over 1,300 km of beach surround the island, from established tourist destinations of the southern coast to the less-visited beaches of the north and east.

Sri Lanka is home to seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Six of these are testament to a civilization with over 2,000 years of recorded history while a seventh natural site boasts some of the highest biodiversity in the world. These sites showcase the island’s rich history and contribution to civilization. The largest of these sites are located in the ‘cultural triangle’, an area that links the ancient capitals of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Kandy.

With 12 National Parks and 52 Sanctuaries, the island of Sri Lanka is one of the most biologically diverse countries in Asia. A safari offers the chance to see some of Sri Lanka’s 92 mammals, of which 16 are endemic.

ANURADHAPURA (206 km north-east of Colombo)
For some 1,400 years, Anuradhapura was a city that flourished in the arts, humanities, hydraulic technology and Buddhism at a time when Europe was still in its infancy.
Anuradhapura is now a modern city with spacious roads and concrete buildings. A short distance away lay the impressive ruins of its ancient city. The structures are mostly intact or restored. Jetavana was the world’s greatest mass of masonry after the pyramids of Giza. 

DAMBULLA (148 km north-east of Colombo)
A modern market town, Dambulla is the commercial hub of the North Central Province. One of Sri Lanka’s seven UNESCO Heritage Sites, Golden Temple of Dambulla (a cave temple complex), is located here. It is also home to the countries’ newest international cricket stadium.

KANDY (93 km north-east of Colombo)
Picturesque Kandy is known to Sri Lankans as ‘the Great City’. Traditionally it is a transit point to the Cultural Triangle. It is the centre of Sri Lanka’s rich culture and a symbol of the nation’s identity. It is famous for the Temple of the Tooth.

POLONNARUWA (140 km north of Kandy)
From the 11-13th centuries, Polonnaruwa was Sri Lanka’s medieval capital. The ruins of the ancient city stand on the east shore of an artificial lake and within a rectangle of city walls stand royal palaces, bathing ponds, monasteries and sacred architecture.

SIGIRIYA (22km north-east of Dambulla)
Another UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sigiriya is an ancient rock fortress and palace ruin, surrounded by an extensive network of gardens. It towers more than 200m over the surrounding plains. A dawn ascent of the rock is recommended.

PINNAWALA (90 km from Colombo, towards Kandy)
Pinnawala is home to the elephant orphanage. The elephants are accustomed to curious human visitors. Bathing and feeding times are popular.

With its exciting cultural past, Sri Lanka (formerly known as Ceylon) has a rich maritime history. According to historical records it is estimated that there are over 200 shipwrecks around the coast of Sri Lanka. Five hundred years of trade, commerce, conflict and war from the times of the Portuguese, Dutch and the British resulted in vast amount of shipping traffic around the coast, ensuring a diverse selection and large number of wrecks.

Introduction to HMS Hermes
At dawn, on 9 April 1942, in the Indian Ocean just off the east coast of Sri Lanka, the 167m long, 12,900 ton aircraft carrier HMS Hermes, was attacked in a devastating raid by 70 Japanese aircraft. Taking 40 hits in just 10 minutes, HMS Hermes capsized and disappeared beneath the waves, with the loss of 307 men.

Lying in 45-58m of water, 8km off the coast of Batticaloa, the wreck has been off-limits to divers unless accompanied by the Sri Lankan navy. But now, more than sixty years after sinking, the area has been opened to tourism and the HMS Hermes has finally become available for technically trained divers to explore. One of just three aircraft carriers accessible to divers (the USS Oriskany located in Florida, and the USS Saratoga located in Bikini Atoll) the HMS Hermes is unique in that she was the only one sunk in battle. This is without doubt, one of the most outstanding wreck dives in the world, with incredible visibility and abundant marine life.
We are very excited to be able to offer divers the unique opportunity to dive this remarkable wreck.

Diving Guidelines

HMS Hermes is recommended for divers with minimum technical training to 50 mtr.

The wreck is a "military maritime grave" and as such no attempt should be made to gain access to the inside of the wreck or touch or disturb or in any way interfere with the wreck.  There must be no attempt to remove artefacts of any kind form the wreck.
Whilst there is no objection to still photography or filming of the wreck, the dive team should only photograph or film the exterior of the wreck.
Every effort must be made to avoid photographing or filming any human remains.
Any photographs or film inadvertently taken of human remains should under no circumstances be published or broadcast.

Technical Diving & Diver Requirements
Cylinder Set Up : 11 litre X 2 luxfer twin Aluminum cylinders with Isolator manifolds as back gas Normal Clean air (21% O2) 11 litre x 1 Aluminium cylinder EANX 50% for the decompression to start at 18m (similar gear twice a day)
The maximum depth of the wreck is 56m and the water temperature is approximately 27 C’ at 40m.
Note: The above dives are not on Trimix. Helium is available. (must be ordered in advance)

Diver Training: The minimum training requirement to dive the Hermes is as follows:
Technical dive qualification to minimum of 50m plus Advanced Nitrox certified.
Rebreather Divers: We can cater for rebreather divers. To ensure that the sorb is available for you on arrival, we will need to know what type of rebreathers are being used. We can then obtain a quotation for the purchasing and shipping costs of the sorb. Full payment will be required prior to purchasing and shipping. Please allow a minimum of 3 months for ordering and shipping of sorb.
Equipment required: Divers will need to bring their own BCD , 3 x Din Regulators, mask, fins, wet suit, dive computer and slates. All divers must have a Safety Marker Buoy with line and reel for decompressions stops.

Getting You Started
The Island of Sri Lanka is a small Island containing as many variations of culture, scenery, and
climate as some countries a dozen times its size. Filled with cultural and natural treasures, the island encompasses, magnificent landscapes, beautiful tropical beaches, an abundance if wildlife, breathtaking views, ancient art and architecture. The international country code for Sri Lanka is 94
Sri Lanka is 5.5 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Entry & Visa Requirements
Genuine tourists who are nationals of Commonwealth countries, EU countries and the U.S.A. do not currently need a visa to visit Sri Lanka . A free of charge 30 day visa free will be issued on arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, Sri Lanka.  For further information, please refer to www.slcgsyd.com
Effective from 01 Jan 2012 an ETA visa obtained online at www.eta.gov.lk is required for entry to Sri Lanka. Cost is USD$20 for a Tourist Visa double entry for 30 days; free for a Transit Visa single entry for up to 48 hours.

Medical & Health Requirements
THepatitis A and Tetanus are recommended. A recompression chamber is located at the Naval Base in Trimcomalee. (For further details contact Travel Vax on 1300 360 164).

Currency
The currency of Sri Lanka is the Rupee. VISA and Mastercard are widely accepted. American Express is also often accepted.
1 AUD = approximately 115 Rupee (January 2012)

Baggage (International flights Ex Australia)
Sri Lankan Airlines - 20kgs per person
Singapore Airlines - 20kgs per person
For excess luggage requirements, please contact Dive Adventures.    
(Subject to change without notice)

Duty Free
The allowance is 2 bottles of wine and 1.5 litres of spirits and a small quantity of perfume and 250ml of eau de toilette. There is no longer a duty-free allowance for tobacco products. Any passenger clearing customs with cigarettes in their     possession will be charged a fee per carton (approx. RS 6,000).

Weather
Tropical with distinct wet and dry seasons. From May to August the Yala Monsoon brings rain to the island’s southwestern half, while the dry season lasts from December to March. From October to January the Maha monsoon blows bringing rain to the north and east, while the dry season is from May to September. The North and East are comparatively dry. There is an inter-monsoonal period in October and November when rain can occur in many parts of the island.

Clothing
Light, casual clothing, but not too brief in public places. Swimwear is not permitted in the public areas of hotels. Light cotton clothing is recommended at dawn and dusk to prevent mosquito bites. Sun protection is absolutely essential.

Electricity
230 volts AC, Plug D - round three-pin plug.
(for further details refer to http://www.kropla.com/electric2.htm).

Banking
Sri Lanka offers a large selection of banks, they include: Bank of Ceylon, NationsTrust Bank, People’s Bank, Hatton National Bank, Seylan Bank, Sampath Bank and HSBC. Any bank or exchange bureau will change major currencies in cash, including AUD, US dollars, euros and pounds sterling. Change rupees back into hard currency before you leave the country for the best rates. Language

Language
Sinhala, Tamil and English are widely spoken.

Religion
Buddhism is the major religion although Hinduism, Christianity and Islam are also followed.

Water
All water should be regarded as potentially contaminated. Consume bottled water.

Shopping
There are a number of modern shopping malls and some 5-star hotels have shopping arcades. Local handicrafts, brass, ceramics, wood and terracotta can be found.

Tipping
Most hotels include a 10% service charge. Extra tipping is optional.

Diving
Without a doubt the main attraction of diving in Sri lanka is WWII wreck of The HMS Hermes. Ensure that all equipment is serviced and in working order prior to departure. You will need to bring a DIN converter for DIN regulators. 3mm wetsuit or lycra exposure protection are recommended (check season).

Departure Tax
There is currently no locally paid departure taxes for Sri Lanka.