When you think of the Emerald Islands, you think of Ireland. But there’s also the Emerald Island in the Indian Ocean. But it is more like Pearl. The pearl is called Sri Lanka. Shaped like a pearl, this lovely paradise is located right in the south of South India and is home to lush tea plantations, astonishing beaches, lovely relics and most of all, warm and welcoming people.
Beach lovers in the Middle East can save themselves the trouble of an 8-9 hour trip to a South Asian beach. That’s because Sri Lanka has astonishing white sand beaches that are affordable and 4 hours away from Dubai, the travel hub for the region. You can find yourself rolling in luxury at the most luxurious resorts, with private beach access and direct views of dolphins and turtles. Families will find it easy and affordable to rent a fantastic colonial house by the sea and spend weeks together enjoying beach life in peace. If Dubai is walking, in Sri Lanka everyone seems to be walking. This is why it’s a gem of a country to visit.
If the beaches of Bentota and Kosagoda do not entice you, try spending time in bustling Colombo, a distinctive blend of historic British colonial culture fused with local flair and a modern skyline. Dotted between the old and the new, there are numerous temples with Buddha representing the main (but not only) religious identity on the island. Walk the streets of Colombo and you’ll see tons of stray dogs roaming comfortably. The island’s ethos is peaceful and friendly so it turns out that nobody wants to hurt the animals and dogs rule!
If dogs do not tickle your wildlife fancy, maybe you want to take a walk with the elephants at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. Large, lumbering pachyderms roam freely through the luxurious foliage to wash in the rivers. You can walk to the riverside to see elephants playing and bathing. Along the way, you will see kitschy tourist items including cute elephant items such as paper produced from elephant dung which appears to be a popular purchase!
The trip to Kandy was very thrilling. When the cool air rises from the mountain dew, it leaves a refreshing scent of earth and rain that becomes a memory in itself. Hakgala Botanical Gardens is a horticulturalist’s dream place. One can easily spend a few hours on the trails finding the fascinating flora and a few curious monkeys. The garden is located between the tea plantations of Loolecondera Tea Plantation, the first tea house in Kandy to produce the very expensive silver tip tea. 
Heaven is not without problems. The pearly form of Asia suffered through a brutal civil war that affected thousands of individuals and strained intra-community relations. Still, the country is trying hard to recover and with time, they hope to find some common ground. The ocean gave life to this pearl, but it was also cruel and cruel. Who can forget the 2004 Tsunami? Even today, as you walk from one lovely beach town to another, you can still see the skeletons of homes flooded by the Ocean. There is a really iconic Buddha statue in Hikkaduwa which was donated by the Japanese in memory of the victims.
A seductive and exquisite country crammed with curiosities, pristine beaches, incredible wildlife and a precious culture rich in hospitality. The teardrop-shaped island is undoubtedly the “Pearl of the East”.
