“Sri Lanka is an island that everyone loves at some level inside themselves. A very special island that travellers, from Sinbad to Marco Polo, dreamed about. A place where the contours of the land itself forms a kind of sinewy poetry.” – Romesh Gunesekera

Walking out of the airport we were hit with a wall of humidity, touting taxi drivers, endless honking and the wild dustiness of Colombo city streets. Once we escaped the chaos of Colombo, we saw the Sri Lanka we had heard and dreamed about. A tiny island of jungle beaches, melancholy hills, an array of curries and street food, colorful fishing boats, tuk tuks and wildlife. And despite it’s complex past, both in terms of the still very recent civil war and detrimental tsunami, people were incredibly friendly and open. Tourism has really started to kick off in Sri Lanka and hopefully the country manages to keep its small island charm!

We spent two weeks exploring Sri Lanka, or The Pearl of the Indian Ocean, and it only felt like we barely scratched the surface. There is so much to see and do that it would be easy to get lost there for several weeks.

Curious to know what we did? Two Weeks in Sri Lanka: What to See, Eat and Do

Here are 20 photos that will make you want to book the next flight to Sri Lanka!

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Two Weeks in Sri Lanka: What to See, Eat and Do

On Safari in Udawalawe National Park