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Off the beaten track - idyllic Sri Lanka.awaits…

"The world is a book & those who do not travel read only one page” - Saint Augustine

Asia sticks to you. From the nomadic steppes of Kazakhstan to the frenetic streets of Hanoi, Asia is a continent so full of intrigue, adventure, solace & spirituality that it has fixated & confounded travellers for centuries. Wrapped in rainforests, edged by golden sands, crowned by volcanoes, studded with ruins of lost civilisations: this is Asia as you have always imagined it. The joss sticks lit for the household shrines in Thailand impart a sweet perfume to the thick air & the heavenly aroma of Indian spices follows you for days.

The word is out: as far as off-the-beaten-path destinations go. Sri Lanka might just be ‘the destination’. Endless beaches, timeless ruins, welcoming people, oodles of elephants, rolling surf, good value for money, fun trains, famous tea & flavourful food make Sri Lanka irresistible. More than ever, intrepid travellers are making their way to Sri Lanka & there is little wonder why. Come……experience Sri Lanka with us………

Spirituality infused with the gods of past & present with ancient spirits of the land & the family, the deities of Buddhism & Hinduism & the rules of Islam, swirls around Southeast Asia like the thick smoke from incense sticks of the devotees in Taoist temples. At dawn in Buddhist nations, monks flood into the streets to gather alms in endless monochrome chains. In Muslim countries, the call to prayer rises in a multi-throated chorus above rooftops while tribal people in remote villages mark the new day's arrival with arcane animist rituals.

The Continent has contributed a cast of villains & heroes to global history. Most of the significant achievements of the modern world had their infancy in Asia. Historic trading routes sliced across epic terrain as expanding empires competed to trade goods & ideas throughout the continent & beyond. Asia’s ambitious civilisations ultimately gave rise to some of the world’s most revolutionary ideas & important technology.

From sublime coastlines to snow-capped mountains, rolling landscapes fed by the monsoon rains, frenetic cities fizzling with energy, the majestic Mekong River to wildlife infested jungle where tigers still roam free (though far from noisy tourists), the diversity of Asia’s landscapes hold an immediacy & vibrancy that captivates & enchants.

Immense expanses of desert flow down from inhospitable mountains, which in turn give way to seemingly impenetrable forests. Trekking in Malaysia’s steamy jungles & wildlife spotting in southern India to riding horses through the Mongolian steppes, skiing in Japan’s Alps & dodging falling coconuts on one of the many remote islands. Nature continues to be the driving force in many peoples’ lives. Virtually every climate on the globe is represented here; take a trek over the Gobi’s arching dunes or sun yourself on the sand-fringed tropical islands of the South China Sea.

Ancient wonders & sacred spaces abound across the continent, from the Great Wall of China & the Temples of Angkor to lesser-known marvels in Myanmar, Nepal & Afghanistan.

A frenetic buzz surrounds urban Asia: the fashion, culture & business in the continent’s metropolises easily challenge the biggest European & American cities for their status as global hubs. Asia's mighty megacities are stepping boldly towards the future with one foot planted firmly in the past.

Watch rice paddies flash by from a whooshing high-speed magnetic trains, pick up a shiny new laptop in a Hong Kong electronics market or shiny smartphones or go to a robot cabaret show in Japan - the future is now.

Gleaming Skyscrapers rise above the roads like crystal gardens, while at street level, traders hustle, food-hawkers hawk & Temples bustle with devotees toting their offerings. China is charging its way into the 21^st century with its economy developing at a head-spinning pace, while South Korea boasts some of the fastest internet speeds in the world & India is a hub of growing technology. Urban energy of Bangkok, or the organised modernity of Singapore, each of Asia's capitals has its own unique character, defined by religion, culture, geography & in most cases, by centuries of colonialism & feuding dynasties.

Every aspect of life here has a spiritual dimension, from the food people eat to the religious geometry that dictates the layout of centuries-old Mosques & Temples.

Is there any greater place to eat than Asia? The continent has exported its cuisines the world over: India’s red hot curries, China’s juicy dumplings, Vietnam’s steaming bowls of pho soup & Thailand’s heaping plates of pat tai (pad Thai) noodles are known & loved across the globe. Asia is where the flavours of some of the world's greatest cuisines melt into one another, throwing up ever more mesmerising combinations.

The region's spices were once valued more highly than gold & combined with one notable import - the South American chilli - they have created a cooking palette that inflames the senses & leaves the taste buds begging for more.

Whether settling down for a Michelin-starred meal in one of Singapore’s finest restaurants or pulling up a plastic stool on a Bangkok street, hungry travellers will never be bored by the diversity of Asia’s cuisines. This is a region where humble hawker stalls come with Michelin stars, where a meal at a roadside canteen or night market can be as memorable as a 5*, dim sum Banquet.

And now let us talk about Sri Lanka, leaving your preconceptions at home, one of the oldest civilisations in the world, a mosaic of multi-cultural experiences, a rich heritage & myriad attractions.

Ancient Civilisation | Undiscovered | Redefining Hospitality

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.

Just off the coast of the Indian sub-continent is the picturesque South Asian Island nation of Sri Lanka. Lying close to the Maldives, Sri Lanka has beautiful beaches, lush green tea plantations & stunning scenery to enjoy. Sri Lanka has always been a strategically important area, right in the path of major trade routes even before the time of the spice trade, leaving it with a wealth of different influences from the surrounding areas & a rich cultural heritage.

They call it the jewel of the Indian Ocean. Sri Lanka is adorned with heavenly beaches, lush green locales, rich wild life bounty and warm & extra ordinarily welcoming natives. Though known in the tourism map, it is still in the list of untouched destinations.

This extraordinary Island set in the Indian Ocean, off the south eastern tip of India, has thousands of years of diverse culture. Still a predominantly Buddhist country, it also has strong Hindu, Christian & Muslim communities as well.

With a strong cultural past, few places have as many UNESCO World Heritage Sites (8) packed into such a small area. Sri Lanka was once one of the richest countries in Asia & its 2000 + years of culture can be discovered at ancient sites where legendary temples boast beautiful details even as they shelter in caves or perch on prominent peaks. More recent are evocative colonial fortresses, from Galle to Trincomalee.

Unbelievable flora & fauna (much endemic), amazing architecture as well as a vast amount of historical & religious sites, white water rafting, cycling & many other adventures for the more active & finally the friendliest of people who carry infectious smiles with them every day!

In more recent times it has not developed at the dramatic pace of its neighbours in the region adding to its charm & character.

Distances are short. In the morning, you can see the sacred home of the world’s oldest living human-planted tree & spy the giant tanks (artificial reservoirs) built by the first Sinhalese rulers around the ancient cities of Anuradhapura & Pollonaruwa.

In the afternoon, stand awestruck by the sight of hundreds of elephants gathering at Minneriya. And then there are the beaches. Dazzlingly white & often untrodden, they ring the Island so that no matter where you go, you will be near a sandy gem. Discover a favourite beach, meditate in a 2000 year old Temple, exchange smiles while strolling a mellow village, marvel at birds & wildflowers, try to keep count of the little dishes that come with your rice & curry. Wander past colonial gems in Colombo, then hit some epic surf. Fringing the coasts is an array of gently arcing golden-sand beaches, now making a comeback after the devastation wreaked by the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami.

In the Hill Country, a layer of cotton wool clouds obscures the view, mirroring the misty mornings travellers often experience in this area of waterfalls and verdant Tea Plantations.

Irrespective of their cultural background, Sinhalese, Tamil & Muslim locals will welcome you with pride. Pride in their criminally underrated cuisine, pride in their national parks & wildlife, and - especially - pride in their national cricket team. Whether you are a humble three-wheeler jockey or a British-trained lawyer or doctor, the sport that frequently stops the nation is always worthy of discussion. How will the boys do in the upcoming series against New Zealand ? Will the country be ready to host the World Cup ever? And have you seen how much that opening batsman from Kandy is earning in the new Indian Premier League?

Across the Island, that thing that goes bump in the night might be an elephant heading to a favourite waterhole. Safari tours of Sri Lanka’s pleasantly relaxed national parks encounter leopards, water buffaloes, all manner of birds and a passel of primates.

Incredibly fertile & a great producer of exotic fruits, it was for centuries the spice producer of the world famous for its Cinnamon & Pepper. It is now best known for its tea plantations established by the British in the cooler, misty and incredibly picturesque hill country.

From beautiful beaches, unbelievable flora & fauna (much endemic), amazing architecture as well as a vast amount of historical & religious sites, white water rafting, cycling & many other adventures for the more active and finally the friendliest of people who carry infectious smiles with them every day!  Whatever you are looking for in Sri Lanka, it is an Island of immense beauty, small enough to explore widely in 10 to 14 days yet large enough to offer infinite variety.

When you are ready to escape the tropical climate of the coast & lowlands, head for the hills, with their temperate, achingly green charms. Verdant Tea Plantations & rain-forested peaks beckon walkers, trekkers & those who just want to see it on a spectacular train ride.

Discover a favourite beach, meditate in a 2000 year old Temple, exchange smiles while strolling a mellow village, marvel at birds and wildflowers, try to keep count of the little dishes that come with your rice & curry.

When the noted writer Sir Arthur C Clarke made his home in Sri Lanka in 1956, he claimed the Island jewel of the Indian Ocean was the best place in the world from which to view the universe. The author of 2001: A Space Odyssey passed away in 2008, but no doubt the futurist would have logged on to Google Earth to gaze back at his Island home from an online universe. And concealed in the sky-high imagery of this teardrop-shaped nation, he would have recognised an amazing diversity for somewhere so compact.

At the same time, palm-fringed beaches are never far away and mountainous greenery beckons inland. It is clear to see why Marco Polo proclaimed Sri Lanka to be one of the best Islands in the world.

Whether it’s a trail elephant crossing the highway, a literary festival in Galle, leopard sighting in Yala National Park, tasting an exceptional cup of tea at a plantation, stumbling upon vast ancient ruins in the middle of the jungle or discovering a deserted beach, Sri Lanka is a series of unexpected delights.

To the northwest, a gossamer-thin land Bridge almost connects fragile Sri Lanka to the modern juggernaut that is India. Two & a half decades of civil war reinforces this Bridge to Tamil Nadu is as much cultural as geographic.

Irrespective of their cultural background, Sinhalese, Tamil & Muslim locals will welcome you with pride. Pride in their criminally underrated cuisine, pride in their national parks and wildlife, and - especially pride in their national cricket team. Whether you are a humble 3 Wheeler jockey or a British trained lawyer or doctor, the sport that frequently stops the nation is always worthy of discussion. How will the boys do in the upcoming series against New Zealand ? And have you seen how much that opening Batsman from Kandy is earning in the new Indian Premier League?

From its lush mountainous regions, to its perfect beaches, from its incomparable wildlife population to its peerless historical monuments, Sri Lanka is again becoming a holidaymakers’ favourite destination. Sumptuous scenery, abundant wildlife, sumptuous food & welcoming people - Sri Lanka is a wonderful country. Now is the best time to discover it.

Now is the best time to discover spectacular, affordable & still often uncrowded Sri Lanka. A unique experience is just the beginning…….as they say “the world is a book & those who do not travel read only one page”. Take the plunge now & embark an unforgettable voyage of discovery. A warm welcome awaits The Journeys is ready to take you on well, a journey (or journeys) of discovery.

Come…be inspired & discover the World

We are in the process of updating our Offerings of experiential journeys to Sri Lanka. Please contact us in the interim if you want to explore options & we will be happy to offer suggestions based on your personal preferences…