Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka har underbara stränder, men efter ett tag tröttnar man på solsvedda axlar och sand mellan tårna. Då är det dags att åka tåg, vandra uppför klippor, bo på kolonialhotell, meditera, leva hälsosamt och spana i det tropiska djurlivet.

Galle is a jewel. A Unesco World Heritage Site, this historic city is a delight to explore on foot, an endlessly exotic old trading port blessed with imposing Dutch-colonial buildings, ancient mosques and churches, grand mansions and museums. Wandering its rambling lanes you'll pass stylish cafes, quirky boutiques and impeccably restored hotels owned by local and foreign artists, writers, photographers and designers.

Högst upp på berget Ambuluwawa i Sri Lanka finns ett torn med snäva trappsteg och en bang-utsikt som heter duga! Frågan är bara – vågar du klättra upp?

Yala is Sri Lanka's most famous national park. Forming a total area of 1268 sq km of scrub, light forest, grassy plains and brackish lagoons, it's very rich in wildlife and you're virtually certain to encounter elephants, crocodiles, buffaloes and monkeys. Plan your trip carefully, however – such is Yala's appeal that the main tracks and viewing spots can be crowded.

Framed by soaring highlands on its northern boundary, the Uda Walawe National Park is one of the world's best places to see wild elephants. Largely comprised of grasslands and bush forest, it's also one of the best national parks in Sri Lanka for game spotting.

Berg med gröna teplantage och sköna vandringar. Stränder med vit sand och slingrande kokospalmer och kolonialstäder med historisk atmosfär. Vagabonds Per J Andersson har rest till ett otal gånger sedan tidigt åttiotal. Här är hans bästa tips.

A bastion of Hindu tradition, art and creative culture, Jaffna welcomes visitors warmly. It’s intriguing, unimposing, slightly off the beaten path and a thoroughly rewarding place to learn about Sri Lankan Tamil culture.

Much less visited than nearby Yala National Park, Bundala National Park is an excellent choice for birders, and you've a good chance of spotting crocs, wild boar, mongooses, monitor lizards, monkeys and elephants. Most people visit on jeep tours from Tissamaharama. Bundala is open year-round, allowing wildlife junkies to get a wet-season fix.

Perched at the southern edge of the Hill Country, the largely Tamil town of Haputale clings to a long, narrow mountain ridge with the land falling away steeply on both sides. On a clear day you can view the south coast from this ridge, and at night the Hambantota lighthouse pulses in the distance. On a not-so-clear day, great swaths of mist cling magnetically to the hillsides. Either way, it’s a spectacular part of the country.

This small town isn't a destination in itself, but it serves as a good base for Sigiriya and safaris to Minneriya and Kaudulla National Parks.