Sri Lanka was described by Marco Polo as the finest island of its size in the world, and he traveled extensively!

This pearl-shaped island was called Serendib by Arab traders, which gave rise to the English word Serendipity—an unexpected discovery leading to a happy ending.

I think that’s a pretty good description, as Sri Lanka packs an extraordinary variety of attractions into its small size.

What I mean by variety is this—beautiful wide sandy beaches along its coast, landscapes from lowland jungle to the misty highlands and tea plantations, lots of wildlife including elephants, leopards, many birds including rare endemic species, well-preserved ruins and caves from some of the kingdoms that ruled 2000 years ago, Buddhist temples, one of the most famous train rides in the world (which we will experience), colorful festivals that have been held for thousands of years, and the food! The influencers of history, including Arab, Malay, Portuguese, Dutch, Chinese, and British, have had their influences on the food, which, combined with the local Tamil and Sinhalese spices, means we won’t go hungry on this trip, and we will be sampling many varieties of delicious food. I have timed this trip for July to experience the Kataragama Festival, which will be one of the many highlights. This festival involves devotees taking part in self-mutilation rituals and walking across burning coals. Attendees come from all over Sri Lanka, some by foot and some by bus, from as far away as Jaffna in the north. Kataragama is one of the three most venerated religious sites in Sri Lanka, held sacred by Buddhists, Hindus, and Muslims, and we will spend a couple of days here attending the festival and taking in the serene ambiance of this ancient town.