“YOU’RE drinking one of the finest cups of tea in the world,” the shop owner tells me as the steam billows from the china pot. I’m inclined to agree, but this isn’t my ordinary cuppa. I’m 5,000 miles away from the UK.
Sri Lanka is home to the world-famous Ceylon tea which goes into making our delicious English Breakfast morning brew . And it’s not the only relationship between Sri Lanka and Britain — they drive on the left side of the road, most signs are in English and you’ll find cricket talked about nearly everywhere you go. However, that’s where the similarities end on the Pearl of the Indian Ocean.
The island somehow has it all; beautiful beaches, bucket-list animal safaris and fantastically rich cuisine, while still feeling untouched by tourism compared to its South Asian counterparts. READ MORE ON TRAVEL IDEAS One of the most popular attractions to visit is the Unesco world heritage site Sigiriya, a fortress “in the sky” which is built on a huge ancient rock. Dating back to the 5th century, how it was built remains a mystery although my tour guide joked of a local myth which claims it was “aided” by UFOs.
I wanted the very best views of it so I was up at 6am to make the steep climb at sunrise, joined by just a few other eager tourists. The 1,200 steps are a challenge — talking turned to gasps for air — but it is worth it for the panoramic views of the bright green jungle stretching for miles. Most read in News Travel The early start mean.