The Shy Smile

Slowly, very slowly the landscape moves past. The train chugs through endless green tea fields, where women in their colorful silk saris swirl like confetti among the greenery. Behind a shy smile hides a warm welcome.

Sri Lanka has everything a traveler dreams of. The diversity of animals in the countless national parks is greater than in many other Asian countries. Buffalo, deer, crocodiles, elephants and even leopards live on this small land in the ocean. It has so much coast that endlessly long beaches are pristine. You only see footsteps when you look back.

In the capital, wide boulevards recall colonialism Colombo . The time this city was in the hands of the British. An old Dutch hospital reveals that the Dutch navigators once moored here. Yet the city has found its own identity with the many small Hindu temples. The Buddhist north is still new for travelers. Not so long ago, this area was torn apart by war. Peace has now returned and visitors are welcomed with the familiar shy smile. Culture and religion mix here in Anuradhapura . The complex of ruins leaves no doubt that this city has lost its power over the island after a thousand years of rule.

And then there is Ella , the most beautiful mountain village on the island. From tea plantation to temple, waterfall and viewpoint; there is a suitable walking path for everyone, a short walk around or a walk at height. Because in the middle of the island are the Horton Plains , who conquers these hills, sees all the beauty that Sri Lanka has to offer at a glance.