Big Five – FeedSo they say, and in certain countries, it is a necessity due to a long period of turmoil or what seems to be a series of false starts. The fact is that countries that endure these periods don’t waver on the higher commitment to sustainable tourism which is a topic for a Master Class in itself. Countries that fit that bill include Egypt, Colombia, Uganda, and Rwanda; however, a country that defines enduring, but is often left out of the conversation, is Sri Lanka.
Interestingly enough, my colleague Colin, who happens to be a former guide in India and the sub-continent for many years, knew there was so much more to the country and began showcasing Sri Lanka as a Big Five destination as early as 2009 amid the global economic collapse. Colin had guided many times through India and Sri Lanka, and there was just something about the destination that drew him in. Is it the mythological story of Lord Hanuman leaping off the peaks or the resting lion’s head placed so perfectly at the turn of the era that it is almost perfectly aligned with the gateway to Asia? Or maybe it’s the ancient capital that draws so many similarities to the ancient kingdoms nearby. It also could be the history of ancient crowns with the vivid story of their ascent and well-documented collapse. No matter the topic, the era, or the historical context, there seems to be a direct and indirect correlation back to Sri Lanka that dates to the turn of the common era and before.
In recent history, Sri Lanka has not had an easy road. In the 15 years we’ve operated there, it’s had calamities from the well-documented civil conflict to the recent political unrest. While most countries were given the chance to recover post-pandemic, Sri Lanka did not have that opportunity until now. The future is bright and the times we have been patiently waiting for are here, with Sri Lanka a shining star in our trending destinations of 2024.
