In Minneriya National Park we embarked on a quest to see one of Sri Lanka’s biggest stars: the elephant.
Our jeep leaves the forest and takes us into a panoramic landscape of wide green plains and a large reservoir.
A few meters away are seven elephants, stamping and pawing at the ground like schoolchildren on the playground. Closer to the water there are ten others. And beyond, a dozen more.
This is The Gathering, the summer phenomenon in which Sri Lanka’s elephants migrate to this body of water in the dry middle of the country.
Sri Lanka, an island nation in the Indian Ocean, is nicknamed The Pearl, a nod to its teardrop shape. It is fitting for a nation that dazzles with the colors of precious jewels.
Heavyweight highlights: On a visit to Sri Lanka, Sian Boyle sees wild elephants in Minneriya National Park (pictured)
We landed in Colombo, the capital where the locals are proud of their colonial heritage and the brightly colored food here is distinctly Sri Lankan.
We feasted on bubbling ruby ​​red chicken curry, golden dhal and glistening amber lagoon crab, a local delicacy.
Then it’s time for our epic road trip through the lush wetlands of the Cultural Triangle, the hills and waterfalls of the Central Province and the beaches of the south coast.
We headed northeast along the highway. From the car I glimpse layers of crystal clear rice paddies, the white foam of a torrential waterfall, and misty mountains, shrouded in wispy clouds like a receding hairline.
Sigiriya, the former palace of a playboy king known as the ‘Lion Rock Fortress’, is wonderful.
Having arrived before dawn to avoid the crowds and stifling heat, we have it to ourselves. It sits on a prominent volcanic rock, taller than a skyscraper, and was built as a monastery in the 4th century before it was corrupted by King Kashyapa.
A wild resort: Sian stays at the Jetwing Vil Uyana hotel, ‘a sanctuary for animals and animal lovers’
Halfway up the 1,200-step climb are two formidable lion’s claws, each 10 feet (3 m) high, challenging us to climb further, if we dare. We dare and are rewarded at the summit of Sigiriya with majestic 360-degree views of Sri Lanka in all its delicious splendor.
Braving a winding path in the rock face, we enter a hidden cave adorned with 1,000-year-old paintings of beautiful nymphs that, as befits the rogue Kashyapa, are somewhat fruity.
The adventure continues a ten-minute drive away at the Jetwing Vil Uyana boutique hotel, a sanctuary for animals and their lovers.
Their sprawling villas have private pools, stone bathtubs and modern five-star amenities, but are nestled in the wetland habitat of wild and beautiful animals.
Above is Colombo, the capital where “locals are proud of their colonial heritage.”
The resort’s resident naturalist, Chaminda Jayasekara, shows us night vision images of animals caught on camera like clumsy thieves.
There’s a fishing cat, which looks like a baby leopard, a crocodile and even an elephant that has taken the liberty of sneaking into the resort to swim in the pool.
But it’s perfectly safe, Chaminda assures me, because “the animals are very shy; they’re more afraid of us than we are of them.”
A two-hour drive south in Central Province is the city of Kandy, the site of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Today it has another claim to fame as one of the best places to buy jewelry, so we make a stop for jewelry shopping.
Sigiriya (pictured) is the former palace of a playboy king known as the “Lion Rock Fortress.”
Sian says that from the top of Sigiriya you are rewarded with “majestic 360-degree views of Sri Lanka in all its delicious splendor.”
Sri Lanka, one of the geographically oldest countries in the world, with an age of up to 2.4 billion years, has one of the highest densities of precious gems in the world.
The jewelery is hand-mined in the jungle and great bargains can be had – around half the price you’d find at London’s Hatton Garden. The industry is regulated by the government and it is worth looking for a reputable dealer who will provide you with certificates of validity for your purchases.
Sri Lanka is exotic, but the remnants of its colonial history – left-hand driving, the English language and UK plugs – make it softer than coconut oil for British travellers.
Sri Lanka has one of the highest densities of precious gems in the world, reveals Sian
It is also safe, despite having recently emerged from civil wars, a terrorist attack in 2019 and an ongoing economic crisis that caused fuel and electricity depletion.
The Foreign Office lifted its warning against “all but essential travel” in 2022.
Sri Lanka is actually one of the calmest Asian countries I have visited. Everywhere we encounter an ‘Ayubowan!’, the bowed, palm-pressed salute, which means ‘May you live a long life.’
To finish the tour we headed to the coastal Southern Province, staying at the glorious Cape Weligama. Looking out to sea, it’s hard to believe that the nearest land, in a straight line, is Antarctica.