If you are looking for your next holiday destination and want something a bit different from your usual, look no further. I spent a month in Sri Lanka at the beginning of the year, and it quickly became my favourite place I have ever visited. The Asian country really has it all, from vast beaches, delicious cuisine, a mountain backdrop and super friendly locals.
I began my trip with two nights in Negombo, near the country's main international airport, to ease myself into this new culture and recover from jetlag. Sri Lanka is roughly 4.5 hours ahead of the UK and about a 13-hour journey away.
After this, we headed to the south coast in search of the perfect beach town. I visited five different ones as they were all very close together, but you can easily park up at one for your holiday duration, and never get bored.
The south coast is known for its surf culture and chill atmosphere, so if, like me, you are new to surfing, Sri Lanka is the perfect place to learn, but if not, there are endless stunning beaches for you to relax on. I spent time in Mirissa, Weligama, Hiriketiya, Tangalle and Ahangama - all had their own charm, but Silent Beach in Tangalle was the real showstopper.
HMRC confirms new VAT rates for drivers with older cars from May 1
The little UK seaside village so perfect everyone has to pay £10.90 to get inside
About halfway into the trip, we headed to Yala National Park for a day of safari (yes, they have this too!). It was a dreamy experience, we saw leopards, elephants, crocodiles and various other animals.
Then we drove further north into the hill country, to Ella, a town that can only be described as a real-life fairytale. Surrounded by mountains, there were many waterfalls to visit and gorgeous hikes to choose from. We did Little Adam's Peak at sunrise, and it was one of the highlights of our time in Sri Lanka.
Throughout the trip, we enjoyed the Sri Lankan food to no end, most nights rice and curry were consumed and Kottu, a popular street food dish made up of chopped roti, eggs and vegetables, was a personal favourite.
It is a magical place, and with temperatures up as high as 33C, May is as perfect a time as any to visit Sri Lanka - I strongly urge you to.
-
Police responding to medical emergency pelted with bottles by rowdy Celtic fans
-
Indian diaspora is a living bridge of India-Netherlands partnership: PM Modi
-
Rory McIlroy makes dramatic PGA Championship U-turn and plans to 'forget about things'
-
Vernon Kay's dad breaks silence on cheating rumours after Tess Daly split
-
Armed police guarding King Charles 'fall asleep on the job'
