Endless beaches, timeless ruins, welcoming people, oodles of elephants, rolling surf, cheap prices, fun trains, famous tea and flavourful food make Sri Lanka irresistible.
You might say Sri Lanka has been hiding in plain sight. Scores of travellers have passed overhead on their way to someplace else, but years of uncertainty kept Sri Lanka off many itineraries.
Now, however, all that has changed. The country is moving forward quickly as more and more people discover its myriad charms.
Lying between the more trodden parts of India and Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka's history, culture and natural beauty are undeniably alluring. It's the place you haven't been to yet, that you should.
Few places have as many Unesco World Heritage Sites (eight) packed into such a small area.
Sri Lanka's 2000-plus years of culture can be found at ancient sites where temples can be found in caves or on prominent peaks. More recent are colonial fortresses, from Galle to Trincomalee.
Safari tours of Sri Lanka’s pleasantly relaxed national parks encounter elephants, leopards, water buffaloes, all manner of birds and a passel of primates.
Distances are short: see the sacred home of the world’s oldest living human-planted tree in the morning (Anuradhapura) then stand awestruck by the sight of hundreds of elephants gathering (Minneriya).
Discover a favourite beach, meditate in a 2000-year-old temple, stroll a mellow village, marvel at birds and wildflowers, try to keep count of the little dishes that come with your rice and curry.
Wander past colonial gems in Colombo, then hit some epic surf. Sri Lanka is spectacular, affordable and still often uncrowded. Now is the best time to discover it.
When you’re ready to escape the tropical climate of the coast and lowlands, head for the hills, with their temperate, achingly green charms.
Verdant tea plantations and rainforested peaks beckon walkers, trekkers and those who just want to see them from a spectacular train ride.
And then there are the beaches. Dazzlingly white and often untrodden, they ring the island so that no matter where you go, you’ll be near a sandy gem.
Should you beat the inevitable languor, you can surf and dive world-class sites without world-class crowds. And you're always just a short hop from something utterly new.
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Sri Lanka's best places to visit.