SRI LANKA

For a relatively small island, Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, has remarkable cultural and geographical diversity: rolling green hills carpeted with tea plantations, ruins of ancient capital cities, wildlife reserves that display an incredible biodiversity, all wrapped up within a stunning coastline, dotted with boutique beach resorts.

In the lush hills of Kandy, the last Sinhalese city to fall to the British in the 19th century, visit the sacred Temple of the Tooth and exotic botanical gardens. Kandy is the natural gateway to Sri Lanka’s tea country, a dramatic landscape dotted with quaint colonial towns. In the north, the ancient cities of the Cultural Triangle provide a fascinating glimpse into the island’s history. Search for leopards, sloth bears and elephants in Yala National Park, or simply relax on the beaches that fringe the coastline. Before you head home, escape to the idyllic tropical islands of the Maldives, just a short direct flight away from Colombo.