Sri Lanka

At a Glance

Sri Lanka is a teardrop-shaped island in the Indian Ocean with a compressed geography that includes beaches, tea-covered highlands, ancient Buddhist ruins, and elephant-filled national parks, all reachable within a few hours of each other. The culture draws from a deep Sinhalese and Tamil heritage, with temples, festivals, and a cuisine of spiced curries and coconut that is among the most distinctive in Asia. Those who can handle heat and a little infrastructure unpredictability will find it one of the most rewarding islands in Asia.

• First country in the world to elect a female prime minister (1960).
• Cinnamon originated here — European traders spent centuries trying to find the source.
• Higher literacy rate than India despite significantly lower GDP per capita.