Sri Lanka: A teardrop shaped island in the Indian Ocean, located just off the southern tip of India, its myriad charms have attracted the curious traveler from the farthest corners of the world for well over a millennia. Filled with rich cultural and natural treasures, the island was a prominent stop on the ancient Silk Road.

The ancient Greeks called the island Taprobanā, while Persians and Arabs referred to it as Sarandīb – the origin of the word ‘serendipity’ – and Ceilão was its last Colonial name, christened by the Portuguese when they arrived in 1505, only to be translated by the English to Ceylon.

Ruled successively from the 16th century onwards by the Portuguese, Dutch and finally the British, Ceylon gained independence in 1948, and today the influences of its colonisers remain in the island’s food, art and most notably its architecture as seen in a number of well-restored and preserved fortresses across the country.

Sri Lanka is quite unique in that it is a genuine year-round destination. While one part of the island succumbs to a monsoon, another side awakens. It has a little something for every traveler, whether its wildlife, culture, beaches and mysteries of the deep blue or its unique cuisine, all bundled up in a geographically varied and stunning landscape. It appeals to the family, the lone backpacker, couples and groups and offers some of the most unique in luxury stays. One can experience the flat and rolling plains, the tropical and humid coast and the mountain ranges that rise as high as over 2500 meters, in a matter of hours. Sri Lanka is also home to eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, highly sought after Ceylon tea, a beautiful hill county railway journey, colourful and lively Hindu and Buddhist festivals and the largest gathering of wild elephants seen anywhere in the world.

For a journey that takes in the wonders of a civilization which is among the oldest in Asia with great diversity few match Sri Lanka.