Sri Lanka has a recorded history that spans back 3000 years. Like its massive neighbour India, Sri Lanka is a diverse country, home to many religions, ethnicities and languages. It is also still blessed with a variety of wildlife that has survived alongside this human civilization, on this small island for centuries. Today it offers tourists a diverse experience - from the modern city of Colombo with its sky scrapers to national parks teeming with elephants and religious and cultural buildings of multiple origins.
Situated in the northern Matale District of Sri Lanka, the small village of Sigiriya is best known for its proximity to the magnificent Sigiriya ‘Lion Rock’. The village offers some comfortable accommodations and a variety of restaurants for visitors to enjoy when stopping over to view the famous rock. This ancient rock fortress rises abruptly from the lush landscape and reaches over 200 metres in height. Crowning this massive outcrop are the ruins of an ancient civilisation, which are considered one of the best-preserved examples of ancient urban planning and have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors can walk through the lily-dotted moats, lush gardens and cave shrines, through the grand lion-paw entrance, and climb the series of steep staircases passing beautiful murals painted on the sheer rock walls, and enjoy exploring the ruins and soaking up spectacular views of the surrounds.
Nochchiyagama is a tiny settlement in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka, surrounded by vast, breathtaking natural landscapes of forests and plains. Travellers seeking an escape from the stress of modern city life can find solitude and tranquillity here, in this small community. Nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts will find the town a fantastic base to explore the wild, untamed local area - with Wilpattu National Park resting within easy reach. Visitors interested in history, culture or religion should make sure to visit the nearby Katubulgama Buddhist temple. Nochchiyagama serves as a wonderful base from which travellers can explore.
Encompassing over 1000 coral islands that form about 25 natural atolls, the Maldives is separated from the rest of the world by the seemingly endless Indian Ocean, offering visitors a secluded little pocket of paradise. These exquisite tropical islands are best known for their white powder sand beaches, glistening blue lagoons and extensive reefs which are home to a diverse range of colourful marine life. The nation’s bustling capital of Male features an array of charming shops and restaurants as well as a busy fish market and a must-see 17th-century mosque known as Hukuru Miskiy which was constructed out of intricately carved white coral. Visitors will find plenty of activities to keep them entertained including: scuba diving, snorkelling, water skiing, stand up paddleboarding, spa visits, and hopping from one idyllic little island to the next.
Located in the northern Maldives, the Male Atoll consists of two separate coral atolls, North Male Atoll and South Male Atoll. South Male Atoll offers spectacular diving on its abundant coral reefs, while sun-worshippers will be in their element on its exquisite white sand beaches. It is situated conveniently close to the international airport on Male Island. Owing to the strong currents, the marine life in South Male Atoll is mostly of the larger variety, so visitors may spot eagle rays, turtles, grey sharks, reef sharks, mantas, whale sharks, schools of fusiliers, barracuda, trevally, and even hammerhead sharks (from May to November). Smaller marine life includes anemones, shrimp, lionfish, squirrelfish, soldierfish, unicornfish, morays, and batfish.
