As Sri Lanka's spectacular East Coast is finally opened up, discover big game and ancient treasures on an island of wild wonders

EXCLUSIVE As Sri Lanka's spectacular East Coast is finally opened up, discover big game and ancient treasures on an island of wild wonders Fiona Hardcastle travels around Sri Lanka on a tour organised by Uga Resorts Her trip to Chena Huts, an 'exclusive' safari setting, is a major highlight She visits white sand beaches and spots leopards, elephants and monkeys READ MORE: How to see North Korea by sleeper train when it reopens to tourists By Fiona Hardcastle For The Mail On Sunday Published: 08:53, 20 August 2024 | Updated: 08:56, 20 August 2024 e-mail View comments Sunset on the Indian Ocean and a beach bonfire crackles beneath a slowly rising orange moon. A candlelit table for five sits on the sand, a bottle of wine chills in the cooler. ‘Oh my goodness, look,’ yells my son Felix, 12, rocketing from his chair.

A hand clasps my shoulder. ‘Madam, could you please move your family? An elephant is coming.’ I spin round and there he is.

Five tons of elephas maximus maximus, 20ft from the tablecloth. We scatter as hotel rangers follow his progress by torchlight. He’s on his way to a freshwater lake.

‘At least he’s not heading to reception,’ says our waiter. ‘Last time, he spent two hours drinking out of the pond and no one could get back to their rooms.’ Animal magic: Sri Lanka is home to the 'largest elephant gathering in the world', reveals Fiona Hardcastle, who travels around the country on a tour organised by Uga Resorts Small islands are not meant to have.