In the 13th century, explorer Marco Polo described Sri Lanka as “La più bella isola delle sue dimensioni in tutto il mondo” – the finest island of its size in all the world.

A tiny island with a huge heart, Sri Lanka offers unrivalled rewards for visitors, including eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites dotted across the country. Thanks to its geographic perch, the island has long drawn explorers, voyagers, poets and philosophers; its charms remain undiminished today.

Blessed with astonishingly beautiful and diverse landscapes, every part of the island reveals a totally different experience, with fascinating variations in climate, wildlife, culture and cuisine. Famously hospitable, Sri Lankans are natural hosts, warmly welcoming visitors and proudly sharing the abundant natural treasures of their island.

The island’s rich, complex history reflects its vibrant culture and immersive spirituality, with Buddhist, Muslim, Christian, Hindu and indigenous influences co-existing (sometimes peacefully; sometimes turbulently) across time. The imprint of the Portuguese, Dutch and British colonists remains today in the island’s architecture, cuisine and multi-layered cultural identity, but a modern, progressive sensibility keeps things shifting and ever evolving.

Read more about our island home in our Journal here.