Ah… Sri Lanka. Have you ever had that thing where you're in love with a place but when asked why, it's tough to explain?
When I see Sri Lanka on my upcoming list of tours, I take quiet pleasure every time. It's not easy explaining why, but I guess my job here is to do so.
I think I'm going to settle for the 'Sri Lanka smile'. This country has been through a succession of truly awful events, but despite all of the problems, the people are possibly the most welcoming that I have come across anywhere in the world. The Sri Lanka smile beams at you throughout your stay, and it is astonishing that people should still be able to offer it after all they and the country has been through.
Things are much better now. They're in a good and happy place and heading north again. Tourists are returning. And they should - there's never been a better time.
You'll arrive and immediately notice the Sri Lanka smile. I feel a real affection for the Sri Lankan people - matching that for Cambodians. They always turn up smiling. That takes a particular kind of strength that is rare, and to be admired.
Wildlife in Sri Lanka: Elephants & leopards
Apart from the people, what else is there in Sri Lanka that makes it a special place to visit?
Well, since you ask, there's a lot. Let's start with wildlife and specifically elephants. Sri Lanka has the highest density of elephants in Asia. You don't need to search for them - they're everywhere and by their nature are easy to spot - there are about 8,000 wandering around.
There are 233 resident species of animal, including 33 found nowhere else. Migratory species stretch this number to an astounding 482.
Included in that is the Sri Lankan leopard, most of which may be found in the Yala National Park which we visit on the Great Rail Journeys' tours.
Time for tea
What else? Tea, of course!
Originally, the British decided that coffee was the ideal crop for Sri Lanka - and it was, until suddenly it wasn't. A leaf disease devastated the entire coffee crop in 1869, destroying the entire industry within 15 years.
A Scottish planter named James Taylor discovered that tea could flourish in place of coffee and the island never looked back. In 2019, Sri Lanka was the fourth largest tea producer and the third largest tea exporter in the world.
Tea is the most drunk beverage in the world (after water) and the UN estimates that the world drinks about six billion cups of tea a day, with Britain consuming a mere 100 million daily.
The wonderful thing about the tea plantations is the way they bring the countryside to life. The paths for the tea pickers follow the contour lines of the hills, decorating them with manicured bright green Ordnance Survey lines that make them sing in the evening sunshine.
Great Rail Journeys' tours travel on the famous and photogenic tea train to Nanu Oya, staying overnight in Nuwara Eliya, the beating heart of tea country. The Post Office for stamps and the Grand Hotel for afternoon tea are reminders of British colonial heritage and some of the new build residential areas would feel architecturally at home in Surrey.
Following in the footsteps of the Buddha
My third reason for being in love with Sri Lanka is Buddhism. The more I travel east, the more I come into contact with Buddhism and the more fascinated by it I become.
It's safe to say that it is the only global religion that has consistently made any degree of sense to me (except Hinduism, supposedly an offshoot of Buddhism). However, it is commonly accepted that it is not a religion so much as a philosophy. Should you want to learn more about Buddhism, the 70% of Sri Lankans who practice it will be happy to advise.
Theravada Buddhism is the oldest and most orthodox of Buddhism's three major sects, regarded as the belief closest to the one taught by the Buddha himself. It is said that Buddha visited Sri Lanka in the 6th century BC and there are magnificent stupas all over the island.
The first stupa was built in the former capital Anuradhapura, and a Bo tree was planted nearby from shoot of the original Bo tree, under which Buddha attained enlightenment in India.
Great Rail Journeys' tours visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (guess what's inside!), Tissamaharama and the Dambulla Cave Temples.
Scenic railways
I've barely scraped the surface of what we see on our Sri Lanka tour, but another highlight is the railway journeys.
These extraordinary, winding journeys travel up through jungle past rice paddies, giant tropical leaves and tea plantations, not to mention the iconic Nine Arches Bridge.
Incredible food
The food is very special and should never be thought of as Indian. It has its own character entirely and you'll find influences from India, Britain, the Netherlands, Portugal, Arabia, Africa and Malaysia.
You'll find jackfruit, cashews, jaggery, fish, rice, coconut and aubergine on the menu. And then there are the beloved hoppers. These have nothing to do with things that hop but are bowl-shaped rice pancakes into which you can put a variety of fillings. The ideal Tour Manager food, they can be quickly eaten with one hand while writing out rail seat assignments with the other.
What you need to know before visiting Sri Lanka
The climate will be hot and humid in the lowlands and coastal areas, but cool and pleasant in the Highlands where the tea is grown. You will need a linen shirt but also a sweater.
At some point, you will get rained on so don't forget to bring a waterproof or an umbrella. The beaches are beautiful, widespread and massive, so a swimming costume is essential. You'll need to cover your shoulders and knees and remove footwear before entering religious sites like Buddhist temples, Hindu temples, and mosques.
In Sri Lanka, the sale of alcohol is prohibited on Poya days, which occur monthly on the full moon. Your hotel bar may be able to set aside an area for tourists but also may not - you'll need to talk to your Tour Manager.
Keep your distance from all wildlife, including monkeys, no matter how cute they look and please don't attempt to feed them.
Why you should visit Sri Lanka with Great Rail Journeys
In my view, everybody should visit Sri Lanka. The island was described by Marco Polo as 'the finest island of its size in the world' - and he'd been around a bit. The hotels are superb, the people enchanting and the railway journeys a rare pleasure. I'm going again soon - hope to see you there!
Discover sensational Sri Lanka on an escorted tour with Great Rail Journeys:
