Sri Lanka
Our little neighbour to the south-east, Tear Drop Island, Serendib—all epithets that Sri Lanka wears with immense pride and grace. Fastened like a lush emerald in the Indian Ocean, the tiny island nation has bounced back onto the world’s travel scene after decades of civil war that ravaged it to the core. With peace now prevailing, Sri Lanka is gearing up to face the tourism onslaught… and how! Colombo, the vibrant capital offers everything—from fine dining and great shopping to amazing beaches and Buddhist temples. Galle, in the south is a haven for beach lovers with its many soft-sanded lagoons and coves dotted with turtle conservations centres. The Galle Fort built by the Dutch, is another wonderful place to get lost in. Head up north into the ‘up-country’ as locals refer to it and one can partake in the serenity of the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy. Historical sites like Sigiriya and Dambulla are perfect for culture vultures, while the tea country of Nuwara Eliya gives you a dose of the country’s British colonial past with its tea estates and stately manors. With the Sri Lankan rupee pegged at a ridiculously low INR0.44, you can truly feel like royalty here. Accommodation options here range from comfortable home stays to superb boutique hotels that can be had for rates as low as `2,500 for two people, per night. Delectable Sri Lankan meals like kottu roti, string hoppers and lamprais cost a ‘princely’ INR150 – 200. Stores like Laksala, Barefoot and Paradise Road, which have branches all over the island, are great for handicrafts, crockery sets and fabrics available at rock bottom prices. Our advice: go there now!