Looking at a map, you might have noticed the island nation off the very tip of India with the funny name. After decades of civil war, Sri Lanka is emerging as a world-class tourist destination, and for good reason: this small country packs a lot into one island, including beautiful beaches, Buddhist temples and ruins, amazing wildlife, unspoiled nature and possibly the best tea in the world.

The country is an easy flight from many European hubs. It can be a stopover on the way to the Maldives from Dubai. It’s also a short flight from India. Transportation is very affordable here, but car and bus travel is slow, with traffic and single-lane roads. Trains are faster, but only service a few parts of the country. Most travelers opt to hire and driver for several days. Inexpensive compared to Western prices, it allows you to get to places that would be challenging by public transport.

Sigiriya is one of the first visits on many a traveler’s list. A huge rock jutting out of the jungle, it’s a destination for adventurers who climb to its peak, complete with the remains of a temple that would be well suited to an Indiana Jones movie. After a steep climb, you get to the next level by ascending a set of steps sandwiched between two giant claws carved out of rock. The journey is half the fun, but climbers are rewarded with amazing views of the jungle and other rock formations below.

The ancient Buddhist cities of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa are UNESCO World Heritage sites and have amazing temple ruins, giant stupas and tribes of monkeys swinging around looking for handouts. There’s a lot of impressive Buddha statues sprinkled throughout the ruins. (You might recognize the region from Duran Duran’s “Save a Prayer” video.) The nearby Buddhist caves in Dambulla are very well preserved and also a UNESCO World Heritage site.

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