Say hello to your friendly neighbour
Drop in at nearby Sri Lanka and enjoy nature's bounty and soak in the warmth of the locals, sipping the world-famous Ceylon tea.
Sri Lanka, the tiny ‘drop’ nation harbours eight UNESCO World Heritage sites, which is nothing less than an exquisite cocktail of history and geography. This country, with numerous picturesque beaches across the Indian Ocean, is deeply stitched into our mythology, yet often ignored by us when it comes to tourism. Aptly dubbed as ‘The Emerald Island of Asia’, the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka are nestled nonchalantly in the cradle of nature. Standing tall at 7,353 feet and revered deeply across all major religions, Adam’s Peak has been long considered the highest peak of Ceylon. It is known all over the world for the Sri Pada, the sacred footprint, a 1.8 m rock formation near the summit, which in Buddhist tradition, is known to be the footprint of the Buddha, in Hindu tradition, that of Shiva, and in Islamic and Christian tradition, that of Adam, or that of St. Thomas.
And, if you’re spiritually inclined, a visit to Ashoka Vatika, where Sita was kept captive by Ravana and was visited by Hanuman to give Rama’s ring, is strongly recommended. The temple surroundings have huge footprints which are said to be that of Hanuman and the carbon dating done of the deity statues have indicated it to be centuries old. A guided tour to one of the many British era tea estates and sipping the freshly prepared Ceylon Tea are also some of the must-do things here. At close proximity to India, with on-arrival Visa, delicious cuisine, varied flora and fauna, and with not much of a language barrier, friendly people and diversity that abounds holistically, Sri Lanka can be an obvious first choice for your next vacation.
The writer is a clinician and a travel enthusiast