A lush tropical island off the southern tip of India, Sri Lanka remains one of Asia’s overlooked gems – a status that is slowly but rightly changing. Called Taprobane by the Greeks, Serendib by the Arabs and Ceylon by the Europeans, it is a land of stunning natural beauty whose fabled riches and strategic maritime locale have combined for a captivating history. Over the centuries, the parade of boldface names that has visited its shores includes Ptolemy, Marco Polo, medieval Chinese admiral Zheng He, as well as the Portuguese, Dutch and British empires. Literary luminaries include Paul Bowles and Arthur C. Clarke (both made Ceylon their adopted home) and native Michael Ondaatje.
Today, after a period of internal conflict, a new era of peace and stability reigns and Sri Lanka once again beckons visitors with fantastic beaches, ancient World Heritage ruins, superb highlands trekking, national parks full of elephants, birds and other wildlife, and first-rate hotels. From the cultural heartland of Dambulla (home to Sigiriya, the massive 5th-century “Lion’s Rock” fortress) to the lush tea fields of Nuwara Eliya; from Kandy, the last redoubt of Sinhalese kings, to colonial ramparts of Galle, Remote Lands invites you to discover Sri Lanka with us.