Sri Lanka travel tips and stories. Vacations ideas, cruises, spa and resorts

For a quarter century, Sri Lanka have been implicate in brutal civil war between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil minority. However the conflict finally ended last May, ushering in a new era for this teardrop-shaped island off India’s coast, rich in natural beauty and cultural splendors. The island has a population of 20 million and feels like one big tropical zoo. Elephants wander freely, water buffaloes idle in paddy fields and monkeys swing from trees.

There are miles of sugary white sand beaches flanked by bamboo groves that were off-limits to most visitors until recently. Among the most scenic, is Nilaveli Beach in the Tamil north. where a few military checkpoints remain,and  vacationers can lounge on poolside hammocks under palm trees or snorkel in its crystal-clear waters. An international airport in Matara, is taking place, still in under construction, which will make the gorgeous beaches near the seaside village of Galle easier to get to.

Unawatuna, a crescent-shaped beach a few miles south of Galle, includes Thambapanni Retreat, which features four-poster beds, yoga and an ayurvedic spa. The Sun House , in Galle, looks like a place where the Queen of England might stay, with its mango courtyard and colonial décor. One stylish place tucked within Galle’s city walls is the Galle Fort Hotel , a refurbished gem merchant’s house run by a couple of Aussies. Photos by: Keith Bedford