Sri Lanka

Full of mystery and magic, it is no wonder Sri Lanka has been described as 'the undiscovered country'. Lying off the Southern coast of India, the island has a mesmerising pull and is full of hidden delights and undiscovered treasures. Cue stretches of dazzling white beaches, charming locals, ancient ruins, Ayurvedic spa treatments, fragrant tea, friendly elephants and delicious cuisine. With eight UNESCO World Heritage sights and a myriad of legendary temples all packed into a relatively small amount of space, you can wake up and meditate in a 2,000-year-old temple and spend the morning mesmerised by the sight of hundreds of elephants at Minneriya, then visit the home of the world's oldest living tree in the afternoon at Anuradhapura. Meanwhile, away from the tropical climate of the coast and lowlands, the hills offer verdant rainforests and tea plantations best discovered by train or on foot, as part of a life-changing hike.

MOMENTS

Take a large private beach house and invite your friends for a milestone birthday | Gasp in awe at fire-eaters, dancers and caparisoned elephants at the annual Perahera festival in Kandy | Stay at an incredible tented beach camp and use it as a base for private leopard safaris into Yala National Park | Spend a night aboard a luxury catamaran with a marine biologist to spot blue whales in Mirissa | Explore the wondrous houses of Geoffrey Bawa with a leading architect | Rent out the finest plantation house in Sri Lanka’s tea country and enjoy a private traditional dance performance | Learn how to master spices with a top chef on a private lake island | Make a ritual mask with a master craftsman | Explore historic Galle Fort with the family on a treasure hunt | Escape to a mindfulness retreat or practice quantum yoga with a wellness guru in the hills | Discuss art and philosophy with Kandy’s most pre-eminent artist | Connect to the forest spirits as you walk with a Vedda tribal chief | Float above ancient Sigiriya in a hot-air balloon | Witness the summer gathering of elephant super-herds in Minneriya National Park | Walk from lodge to lodge through the glorious tea estates of Hatton | Improve your literary skills at a creative writing workshop with a famous Sri Lankan novelist | Feel connected to the universe as you reach the summit of Adams Peak at sunrise

WHERE TO STAY

Stunning private beach villas | Grand colonial tea plantations | Modernist lake retreats | Perfectly hosted boutique hideaways | Aboard a luxury catamaran

WHEN TO GO

For reliable weather head to Sri Lanka’s southern and western coasts and the Hill Country from December to March. Summer is the best time to visit the Cultural Triangle and witness the extraordinary gathering of elephants at Minneriya.