Serendip – as Sri Lanka was once known – is the root of the word serendipity; an unexpected, pleasant discovery. And that seems very fitting! Sri Lanka may be small with 22 million residents living in an area of 65,610 square kilometres, but it offers enough attractions to fill an entire holiday. Let’s start with the landscape. The pear-shaped island in the Indian Ocean is mostly covered in lush tropical jungle. Throughout the forest you will find large rock formations and gently sloping tea plantations. All of this beauty is framed by 1,300 kilometres of coastline with beautiful golden beaches.
And there is no shortage of wildlife. The island’s 15 national parks teem with elephants and monkeys, but also leopards and sloth bears. But cultural travellers will also find lots to explore in Sri Lanka. Whilst the country was introduced to Buddhism a long time ago, Hinduism also found a home here. And that explains the stunning temple complexes in the middle of the jungle.