Sri Lanka

Rapidly gaining international popularity as one of the most beautiful beach destinations in the world, the island nation of Sri Lanka offers a range of landscapes, from rainforests to endless miles of powdery, white-sand beach. The natural beauty is accented by a cultural history dating back thousands of years. Getting to Sri Lanka is also easier than ever, with direct flights from many European, Asian, and Arabian airline hubs. Advance planning is a must as the country has two monsoon seasons, affecting different areas of the island at different times.

1. Nilaveli

Nilaveli Beach is a broad, sandy beach, lined with palm trees and dotted with fishermen's boats. Located on the northeast part of Sri Lanka, it's a 30-minute drive from the city of Trincomalee. If the isolation of Nilaveli isn't enough, you can take a boat to Pigeon Island, about a half-mile off the coast. This tiny island has calm beaches with gentle surf due to its own small reef. Although the beach at Nilaveli is large, it is popular with both locals and tourists.

2. Kalkudah

This mile-long beach, on Pasikudah Bay, is perfect for swimming and wading. The surf is gentle, and the beach area is protected by a reef (many beaches in Sri Lanka have very rough surf). The water is also shallow, allowing you to walk out into the ocean for hundreds of yards. The sand is bright white and soft, with fine grains, and the beach is lined with coconut trees. This area is just starting to be discovered for luxury resort development.

3. Arugam Bay

Arugam Bay is dramatically beautiful, with bright white sand and deep blue water gradually becoming green the closer you get to the shore. With that beauty comes some of the best surf breaks in Sri Lanka, and the beach is known as an international surf destination. This reputation brings many visitors but also means the area has a good tourist infrastructure and is easy to access. The curving beach feels a bit like a Hawaiian beach - the area near the water slopes down, and there's a dry, sandy section, then rougher areas with shrubs and a tree line.

4. Mirissa

Mirissa is the largest fishing port on the south coast and sits right on the southern tip of the island. Its beauty and relative proximity to Colombo (the capital city) mean it's not hard to access. It's about a two-hour drive from the capital's airport. The small beach town and its large beach are beautiful, backed by a dense grove of palm trees. The town is on a little hill that rises up behind the beach. Mirissa Beach is arrow-shaped, with the arrow tip sticking out into the sea..

5. Unawatuna

Unawatuna and its beach are near the colonial town of Galle, which is a great city for sightseeing. Sri Lanka was formerly a colony of both Portugal and Holland (at different times), and this was the country's main city during that time. About five kilometers outside Galle, Unawatuna offers another little bit of beach paradise. The area, also a big destination for ecotourism, has a large coral reef offshore.

6. Adam's Peak

The mountain is located in the southern reaches of the Central Highlands in the Ratnapura District and Nuwara Eliya district of the Sabaragamuwa Province and Central Province —lying about 40 km northeast of the city of Ratnapura and 32 km southwest of the city of Hatton. The surrounding region is largely forested hills, with no mountain of comparable size nearby. The region along the mountain is a wildlife reserve, housing many species varying from elephants to leopards, and including many endemic species.

7. Ravana Palace

The island was situated on a plateau between three mountain peaks known as the Trikuta Mountains. The ancient city of Lankapura is thought to have been burnt down by Hanuman. After its king, Ravana, was killed by Rama with the help of Ravana's brother Vibhishana, the latter was crowned king of Lankapura.