Sri Lanka is a teardrop-shaped island in the Indian Ocean, where trains trundle through lofty tea plantations, ancient mountaintop forts thrust skyward from pancake-flat plains, and wild elephants and elusive leopards roam lush rainforests. And it’s more than possible to get a taste of it all in one trip. Once you’ve had your fill of national parks and Buddhist temples, head to the south coast to hop between laid-back, yogi-friendly hippy towns and sun-baked tropical beaches.
