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With over 7,000 meters of climbing, the heat and gradient make this mountain bike race incredibly challenging. The course begins in the lowlands聽and from there聽gains elevation quickly as riders head into the mountainous jungle.聽Rumble in the Jungle聽is brought you by聽, the same organization behind聽Yak Attack. These grueling聽聽are not for the faint of heart.聽Watch these 40 intrepid souls battle it out in the Sri Lankan jungle.

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Travelers began returning to Sri Lanka after the country's 25-year civil war ended in 2009, but most headed聽for the beach. Now British photographer Robert Drummond and his wife, Lara Baumann, are luring visitors a mile into the serene interior with , which sits on six lush acres on the north shore of Koggala, the country鈥檚 largest natural lake.

The property is a collection of eight sleekly designed stand-alone suites鈥攚ith plants growing on their rooftops鈥攁nd a main house with a 40-foot tower; every bedroom has a view of the water. At sunset guests head to the tower鈥檚 rooftop terrace to sip beetroot cocktails before tucking into a seven-course meal of local delicacies like lake oysters with papaya ceviche or cinnamon quail with pickled mung bean sprouts. In the morning, Baumann teaches yoga classes on a treetop platform floating above a nearby bamboo grove. She developed her own method, Quantum Yoga, and has clients with names you鈥檇 recognize.

Can鈥檛 touch your toes? Explore the lake by kayak or go fishing while balancing on a stilt like locals do. It鈥檚 tougher on your core than any asana.聽

Access

Cinnamon Air 颅operates seaplanes from Bandaranaike International鈥攖he country鈥檚 main airport, in Katayunake鈥攖hat land on Koggala Lake. Tri鈥檚 boat captain will scoop you up. , including meals.

Climate

Avoid monsoon season (May to July). December to April brings dry, sunny weather, with lows in the sixties and highs in the eighties.聽

Detour

Galle, a walled city聽(and Unesco site) fortified by the Dutch in the 17th century, is a 25-minute drive away.

尝辞肠补濒听贵濒补惫辞谤

Start the day with hoppers, a Sri Lankan breakfast staple鈥攑ancakes made from coconut milk and rice flour, then filled with eggs and local fish.聽

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Warning: unless you鈥檙e an annoyingly carefree bon vivant with a hefty trust fund, reading our annual Best of Travel awards may trigger a deep sense of dissatisfaction with the pathetic state of your mundane life. There are so many cool places to go, you鈥檒l think as you scroll through our 30 epic selections. And not enough time! Why am I stuck at this desk! Do not panic鈥攖his is a totally natural reaction. And that鈥檚 the beauty of our annual awards.

国产吃瓜黑料 has been covering the adventure-travel beat for nearly four decades, and our two veteran Best of Travel writers, Tim Neville and Stephanie Pearson, have spent months poring over the latest trip offerings and scouring the globe to uncover surprising new ideas. We know this beat, and now we鈥檝e narrowed your choices of hotels, destinations, and outfitters from approximately 10.6 million to 30. The final choice is still on you, but the task is at least manageable. Or maybe you鈥檒l get that trust fund. 鈥�Chris Keyes

1. Best Island: Bermuda

A subtropical archipelago of 181 volcanic islands, Bermuda won the bid to host the 2017 America鈥檚 Cup, thanks to near perfect North Atlantic sailing conditions. Beyond wind, the British Overseas Territory, just a two-hour flight from New York City, has 75 miles of pink-sand beaches interspersed with jagged limestone cliffs, many of which are perfect for deep-water soloing and hucking into the Atlantic from the top. Stay at , a 50-acre hideaway with a private stretch of sand on the southern shore (from $455).

2. Best Dive: Cuba

Already sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department as an educational tour, this 11-day live-aboard yacht excursion helps fund research 鈥╝nd conservation work by trip leader David Guggenheim, a marine scientist, underwater explorer, and founder of the Washington, D.C., nonprofit . The location: , an archipelago of 250 coral and mangrove islands, located 60 miles off Cuba鈥檚 southern coast, that Fidel Castro established as a marine protected area and a no-take fishing zone. Only 1,000 divers are allowed each year, so you鈥檒l be one of the few to see whale sharks, sperm whales, sea turtles, goliath groupers, and some of the most pristine coral reefs anywhere on the planet. The package includes a chartered flight from Miami and a night at the five-star in Havana. From $7,474.

3. Best Street Food: Austin, Texas

The scene here is so fast-paced that today鈥檚 sweet chile chicken lollipops at or kimchi fries at the Korean-Mexican fusion truck may be gone tomorrow. (Though we sure hope not.) Hit eight trucks in one location at the Barton Springs Picnic Park, and find more worth seeking out at and .

4. Best River Trip: Fiji

Lined with vertical cliffs and cascading waterfalls, the 18-mile-long Upper Navua River Gorge on Viti Levu is like a tropical Grand Canyon, which is why formed and worked with local landowners, villagers, a timber company, and the Native Land Trust Board to establish the 10.5-mile Upper Navua Conservation Area in 2000. Bask in the fruits of their labor by paddling this pristine Class II鈥揑II warm-water river lined with swaying palms. As long as you鈥檙e here, add a couple of days kayaking the Middle Navua, sea-kayaking and snorkeling among the coral gardens of Beqa Lagoon, and sprawling out on white-sand beaches. $2,899 for eight days.

5. Best of the Wild West: Montana

Since 2001, the nonprofit has been working to restore the northern great plains to the pristine condition Lewis and Clark found them in more than 200 years ago. The resulting reserve, in northeast Montana, is now 305,000 acres. The aim is to reach 3.5 million by 2030, creating a U.S. Serengeti and the largest wildlife park in the lower 48, where herds of elk, mule deer, and bison thrive. But don鈥檛 wait to go. You can sleep under the stars now at the 11-site ($10), four miles north of the , and take a DIY mountain-biking safari on old ranch roads, passing grazing bison and scanning the skies for American kestrels, Sprague鈥檚 pipits, and Swainson鈥檚 hawks. Or paddle the Missouri River past pioneer homesteads and historic tepees to , a set of five luxurious yurts, each with AC, a hot shower, and a veranda for sundowners (from $4,800 for six days).

6. Best Place to Tie One On: Portland, Maine

The other Portland may have the microbrewery rep, but it distributes its beers to half the country. Many of the best brews in Portland, Maine, can only be quaffed here. , a classic American farmhouse brewery, just opened a tasting room downtown where you can try local favorite Space Cowboy, a low-alcohol ale, and full-flavor European-style beers like the Continental. Then head to , one of the country鈥檚 best beer bars, with 33 rotating taps, including roughly ten Maine brews. Or join , which offers two-and-a-half-hour tours along the Old Port area, with stops at distilleries and breweries like and (from $59).

7. Best Splurge: Greenland

鈥� brand-new eco base camp, with high-thread-count linens, hot showers, and a gourmet chef, is as close to a luxurious safari-style camp as you can get in these parts. Set on Sermilik Fjord at the edge of the Greenland Ice Sheet, one of the least explored regions of the Arctic, the camp is within view of 5,000-foot peaks that plunge into the sea. Why pay top dollar to sleep in polar bear country in temperatures that barely hit the fifties in August? Because as Olaf Malver, the Danish camp founder who has spent 26 years exploring this coastline, says, 鈥淵ou will be dazzled by its dizzying beauty, strength, and simmering silence.鈥� Guests can take guided ten-mile hikes through tundras, kayak among humpback whales, and visit Inuit villagers who live by centuries-old traditions. From $8,995 for nine days.

8. Best Way to Get Strong Quads: San Juan Mountains, Colorado

Elevation, elevation, elevation. That鈥檚 what I recall about the through the San Juans, from Durango, Colorado, to Moab, Utah. Much as I want to write about the towering vistas and cascading ribbons of singletrack, you have to reach them first, and my memory of the 200-plus-mile ride is the 25,000 feet of elevation gain. The pain is worth it, with climbs ending at huts with glorious views. Note that these aren鈥檛 your gorgeous, timber-pegged cabins鈥攖hey鈥檙e two-by-four-and-particle-board huts, hauled up on trailer frames. But you鈥檙e not here for raclette and a hot-stone massage; you鈥檙e just happy that you don鈥檛 have to carry your own food, water, and shelter. The cabins are well stocked, including cold beer and a warm sleeping bag on a soft pad. A couple of suggestions: carry the hut system鈥檚 maps; where it says singletrack option, take it; and read the log books (some of the comments are hysterical). When you get to Geyser Pass Hut at the end of day six, start smiling, because you鈥檙e at the top of the La Sal Mountains, and a 7,400-foot descent, aptly named the Whole Enchilada, awaits. As do the Colorado River, Moab, and a Milt鈥檚 malted and cheeseburger.
鈥�Dave Cox

9. Best New Jaw-Dropping Hotel: Alila Jabal Akhdar, Oman

Oman is one of the most peaceful and stunning nations in the Middle East. Start your exploration of the vast Arabian Peninsula at amid date, peach, and pomegranate trees, perched at 6,500 feet on the edge of a deep gorge in the Hajar Mountains. Ffrom $325.

10. Best International 国产吃瓜黑料 Hub: Chile

Running 2,610 miles north to south, Chile is the longest country in the world, and 80 percent of it is covered by mountains. With vast wild spaces like 650,000-acre (which opened to the public this year), pristine rivers with big trout, classic old-school ski areas, and pisco sours and damn good wine, it鈥檚 hard to go wrong. Consider these dream itineraries: (1) Fly into the capital city of Santiago, then work your way south to 370,000-acre in Tierra del Fuego. The former cattle ranch opened in 2013, but very few people have been lucky enough to explore this swath of untouched glaciers and peaks. Be one of the first to take it all in on a 16-day boat-assisted hiking and sailing epic with ($8,000). (2) Mid-country, two hours south of Santiago in the Millahue Valley, stay at the brand-new , a 22-room retreat and wine spa in the middle of an 11,000-acre vineyard with stunning views of the Andes (from $1,200). Mountain-bike the 65 miles of vineyard roads, then laze by the infinity pool. (3) Eleven hundred miles north in the Atacama Desert, explore the lunar landscape on horseback, relax poolside at the luxurious (from $1,350 for two nights, all-inclusive), then set out after dark to to view the universe through the clearest sky on earth.

11. Best SUP Odyssey: Belize

With the 180-mile-long Belize Barrier Reef, this laid-back country has long been a heaven for divers and snorkelers. It just got better with the world鈥檚 first lodge-to-lodge paddleboarding trip. On this through Belize鈥檚 118,000-acre , you鈥檒l paddle four to eight miles per day through calm turquoise waters, jumping off to snorkel where spotted eagle rays and barracuda glide in reef areas too shallow for motorboats. You鈥檒l visit with researchers at Smithsonian鈥檚 to learn about reef biology, stop for a beachside fresh-catch lunch at a Garifuna fishing camp, night-snorkel at Southwater Cut (a deep channel where the coral blooms after dark), and sleep in rustic overwater bungalows on tiny Tobacco Caye and in the seclusion of private Southwater Caye, 12 acres ringed by white sand in the Belize Barrier Reef. $1,829 for six days.

12. Best Place to Get in the Car and Go: India

Mention driving in India to veteran travelers and they鈥檒l recount white-knuckle cab rides and six-hour traffic jams. But on a ten-day driving trip with , you and a caravan of like-minded adventurers gain access to crowd-free luxury lodging and villages far from the tourist hordes. You鈥檒l pilot a Mahindra Scorpio (an Indian four-wheel-drive SUV) up to 90 miles a day, charging through the dirt roads of the Himalayan foothills or over the sand dunes of Rajasthan. A mechanic will be right behind you for on-the-fly repairs. From $1,500 for ten days.

13. Best Beaches: South Carolina

The Palmetto State has over 200 miles of coastline and an ample supply of gorgeous beaches, with comfortable water temperatures from May through October. Start in Charleston and head 20 miles north to uninhabited Bulls Island, part of the stunning 66,000-acre Cape Romaine 鈥∟ational Wildlife Refuge, for a hiking or kayaking tour with (from $40). Farther north lies Pawleys Island and its laid-back beaches, and three miles north of there is our favorite stretch of the state: Litchfield Beach. The northern end is the protected . You won鈥檛 find any putt-putt here, just wide-open white sand for miles.

14. Best Small Cruise: Doubtful Sound, New Zealand

As my wife and I planned our South Island road trip, the big debate was: should we do an overnight cruise into Doubtful Sound on a 70-person, three-masted sailboat? We didn鈥檛 really think of ourselves as cruising types. Then we looked at pictures of Doubtful Sound, which seemed too stunning to be real: ridiculously lush forest clinging to sheer cliff walls, pods of dolphins, towering waterfalls. So we booked the trip with . While we did some unbelievably cool stuff while we were in New Zealand, including helicoptering into a swanky lodge in the Southern Alps, the defining moment came during a rainy afternoon on that boat. Temperatures were in the mid-forties, and we had just returned from a short sea-kayaking excursion, wet and cold. But when I saw a few of my fellow cruisers (who, it should be said, were mostly young and adventuresome) lining up to jump off the rear deck, I stripped down to my skivvies, climbed onto a platform, and launched into the scrotum-searingly cold water. And then I did it again. My wife looked at me like I鈥檇 lost my mind. And maybe I had, at least temporarily. From $310.鈥擲AM MOULTON
鈥�Sam Moulton

15. Best Comeback Country: Sri Lanka

The first decade of the new millennium was rough on Sri Lanka, with a devastating cyclone, the tsunami, and a 26-year civil war that ended in 2009. Today, this largely Buddhist island in the northern Indian Ocean, with 8,000-foot peaks and 830 miles of coastline, has bounced back big time鈥攆oreign travel grew 19 percent in 2014. There鈥檚 no shortage of fun to be had at these base camps: Book a deluxe safari-style tent at and Spa in the center of the country and hike to sacred rock Sigiriya (from $221). , a brand-new clifftop hotel on 12 lush acres, 30 minutes east of the port city of Galle, hovers 100 feet over the Indian Ocean, with mountain biking, diving, and paddleboarding nearby (from $767). On the east coast, the village of Arugam Bay, sandwiched between miles of beaches and an inland tropical jungle, has consistent right breaks. Rent a beach cabana at the (from $38). Twenty miles south is Yala National Park, with herds of elephants and solitary leopards.

16. Best Outfitted Trips: Anywhere with Wilderness Travel

This 37-year-old team in Berkeley, California, dreams up more than 30 unique trips across 75 countries every year and is known for pioneering adventures that other outfitters copy later鈥攌ayaking tours through remote stretches of Tierra del Fuego, the world鈥檚 highest trek (at 23,000 feet) across Tibet鈥攁nd doing it all with an eye toward supporting locals and minimizing environmental impact. But what makes truly exceptional are the company鈥檚 trip developers and guides. Take Barbara Banks, a polyglot who鈥檚 spent 23 years with the company traveling hundreds of thousands of miles setting up local connections. (Norwegian ferry captains know her so well, they鈥檒l make unscheduled stops to allow Wilderness Travel groups to disembark directly at their waterside hotel after a day of hiking fjords.) Some recent new trips: sea-kayaking and camping on isolated beaches in Palau, visiting little-seen pyramids in Sudan, and tracking desert lions in Namibia with Flip Stander, a Ph.D. who has spent decades living among the big cats.

17. Best Domestic 国产吃瓜黑料 Hub: North Carolina

Take California, make the mountains greener and the beaches and restaurants less crowded, and replace all the digital millionaires with hospitable southerners, and you get North Carolina. On the coast, you鈥檒l find some of the East鈥檚 best breaks on the Outer Banks, and stand-up paddleboarders cruise through the 160,000-acre , filled with salt estuaries and flooded pines. In the west, there鈥檚 world-class singletrack and road riding in the Blue Ridge mountains (pros like local Matthew Busche of Trek Factory Racing train for the Tour de France here), 96 miles of Appalachian Trail, and some of the country鈥檚 best whitewater at the . That鈥檚 to say nothing of cities like Asheville, Wilmington, and Chapel Hill, which are full of farm-to-table restaurants, local breweries, and great music venues. Where to start your trip? Get a room at the two-year-old in Asheville (from $159) and mountain-bike the Big Avery Loop, a challenging 13-mile romp through rhododendron tunnels and way-off-the-back rock steps. Or rent a house on the Outer Banks in the spring or fall and learn to surf with the folks at (from $100).

18. Best Base Camp: Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp, Namibia

Yes, getting to Namibia involves at least a full day of travel, but the payoff is worth it: no other landscape is like the surreal Skeleton Coast, which was carved out of lava rock 130 million years ago. One excellent way to see it is via , a fly-in oasis that opened last August on the banks of the Hoanib River in one of Africa鈥檚 most extraordinary wildlife-viewing regions. Desert-adapted rhinos, elephants, and other charismatic megafauna like springbok (a gazelle) linger near the camp鈥檚 spacious, fire-warmed common area and eight luxury safari tents (think pitched canvas roofs, big decks, and twin-bed interiors). A small plane can drop you off near the shipwrecks and seal colonies at Mowe Bay. From $500.

19. Best Road Biking: California

The Golden State has 800 miles of coastline and half a dozen mountain ranges鈥攁nd you can ride practically all of it year-round. From coastal tours like the supported eight-day, 525-mile from San Francisco to Los Angeles, to foodie-friendly tours along the back roads of Sonoma (visit for routes, rentals, and outfitters), to epic climbs like the five passes and 15,000 feet of elevation gain through the Sierra Nevada during the annual ($135), California has greater variety than just about anywhere. Get route maps online at the , or sign up with an outfitter like . Its supported, self-directed six-day tours from Yosemite to San Francisco or through Death Valley National Park let you decide where to ride, sleep, and eat, but a leader in a van sets up snack stops and water refills and hauls your gear. It鈥檚 like an egoless, six-cylinder domestique ($1,495 for six days).

20. Best Place for a Meal in Ski Boots: Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico

After a morning spent charging Taos鈥檚 famously steep West Basin chutes, there鈥檚 no better place to refuel than the 鈥檚 festive outdoor deck. With its waitstaff in dirndls and lederhosen, German fare, and view of Kachina Peak, this ski-in, ski-out chalet is about as close to the Alps as you can get in the southern Rockies. I start with the soft-doughed pretzels and house-made sweet grain mustard. They鈥檙e the perfect warm-up for the goulash, bratwurst, or spaetzle (a German version of mac and cheese) and an Asam Bock, a beer on tap from Germany鈥檚 . On powder days, I often don鈥檛 end up at the Bavarian until dinner, which is served inside the log-built lodge, where you can still dunk bread in cheese on fondue Tuesdays during the winter. If I鈥檓 sleeping in one of the Bavarian鈥檚 four luxe suites, waking up to easy access to Taos鈥檚 new Kachina lift, which expands the mountain鈥檚 lift-served advanced terrain by 50 percent, is heaven. During summer, trails to Williams Lake and New Mexico鈥檚 highest peak鈥�13,159-foot Wheeler鈥攁re right out your door.鈥�Mary Turner

21. Best Urban Upgrade: Philadelphia

It may be better known for its cheesesteak, hoagies, and underdog sports teams, but lately the City of Brotherly Love has been gaining ground as an outdoor town. This year it鈥檚 launching a bike-share program and adding three miles of multi-use trails to its 220-mile citywide system. In 2014, it transformed 20,571 square feet of cemented wasteland into . You can even do paddleboard yoga along the Delaware River with (from $45).

22. Best Outfitted Trips for Families: Anywhere with Bicycle 国产吃瓜黑料s

Roughly 10 percent of 鈥� trips are now geared specifically toward families with preteens in tow. This year the Washington-based company launched three multi-day rides in Oregon, Idaho, and South Dakota that follow car-free bike paths and pass through kid-captivating areas like Mount Rushmore and Idaho鈥檚 Trail of the Hiawatha, with stops for ice cream, rafting, and swimming holes. Have younger kids? They鈥檒l pedal tag-alongs hitched to adult bikes, and toddlers and infants can ride in provided trailers. From $2,295.

23. Best Place to Eat and Drink Yourself Silly: Scotland

A decade ago, when restaurants like Noma ushered in a Scandinavian culinary renaissance, a bunch of Scots headed north and took jobs in those kitchens. Now they鈥檝e returned to make use of their homeland鈥檚 nearly 6,800 miles of coastline, abundant mushroom and strawberry harvests, and massive beef industry. Which is part of the reason the country named 2015 the . Just about every town has at least one restaurant with a creative menu. To experience the best of it, go to the , on the edge of Loch Dunvegan. Chef Michael Smith serves Sconser king scallops, Skye blackface lamb, and lobster from practically right out the door. And don鈥檛 forget to take in a Scotch distillery tour.

24. Best Places to Stretch Your Budget: Japan, Europe, and Brazil

With the economy bouncing back, the dollar is getting stronger鈥攅specially in these three destinations, where the exchange rate has steadily improved over the past 12 months.

Japan

Three nights at the ski-centric

• February 2014: $260
• February 2015: $220

Europe

One-week tour with

• February 2014: $4,000
• February 2015: $3,395

Brazil

Three nights in the Amazon at

• February 2014: $850
• February 2015: $750

25. Best Deal: Kolarbyn Hostel

These , located about 80 miles west of Stockholm, are made from wood and earth (you can pick blueberries off the roof) and set you up in the middle of a spruce forest straight out of Endor. Spend your days napping, hiking, or paddling nearby waterways, and end them with a visit to the floating sauna on Sk盲rsj枚n lake. $120.

26. Best Effort to Mitigate That Carbon Footprint: Indianapolis International Airport

Air travel is tough on the environment. So it鈥檚 nice when there are initiatives like the . Last year, workers more than doubled the number of solar panels at Indianapolis International Airport to 76,000鈥攅nough to power 3,210 homes for an entire year.

27. Best Safari: Kenya

国产吃瓜黑料 GO鈥檚 11-day was put together by owners Sandy and Chip Cunningham, who lived in Kenya for five years, in response to a simple truth: Africa鈥檚 most worthwhile destinations are often some of its most vulnerable. You鈥檒l visit three remarkable locations on the cutting edge of both conservation and accommodation in the wildest sections of East Africa. Take Campi Ya Kanzi, nestled in the shadow of Kilimanjaro, which has exclusive access to 300,000 acres of wilderness with lions, elephants, zebras, and giraffes, and not a single tourist in sight. You鈥檒l be hosted by local Masai and sleep in a lavish tent without the humming generators that mar other properties鈥攖he camp gets 24-hour power from solar. The trip culminates in a visit to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust鈥檚 elephant orphanage, where young pachyderms that have lost their parents to poaching are fostered. You鈥檒l get a once-in-a-lifetime, up-close look. From $9,585.

28. Best Viral-Video Opportunity: Bay of Fundy

Go with on a sea kayak with pods of humpback whales in the Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick. From $85.聽

29. Best Airbnb Property: Mary May鈥檚

A morning spent at outside Bozeman, Montana, presents a dilemma. Do you fire up the professional range, swing open the French doors, and have a leisurely breakfast? Do you head out and explore the property鈥檚 100 acres of trails and trout waters? Or do you hop in the car for a quick trip to Yellowstone? There鈥檚 no easy answer, but few places let you experience as much for so little. $125.

30. Best Surf Trip: Baja, Mexico

There are lots of ways to enjoy Mexico. But I鈥檝e found that the very best is to cross the border in a 4×4 truck with surfboards, a few extra tanks of gasoline, and a couple of bottles of mezcal. If you don鈥檛 count the border cities of Tijuana and Mexicali鈥攁nd, frankly, you shouldn鈥檛鈥攖he Baja peninsula has a population of just over two million spread across 55,000 square miles. That鈥檚 fewer people than Houston. The region鈥檚 2,000 miles of wild and desolate Pacific coastline are littered with fantastic, almost always empty surf. Many of the most famous breaks鈥擰uatros Casas, Scorpion Bay鈥攏ow have hostels and other amenities on the bluffs, but the rule of thumb is that the farther you get from San Diego, the more challenging and rewarding it becomes. You get to work for your dinner: spear-caught fish for ceviche and a lobster as big as a small dog. Lodging options that far south are limited鈥攚e slept in tents or our truck bed鈥攕o if you go, remember that when the wind starts whipping and the night gets cold, dead yuccas burn hotter than tumbleweeds.
鈥�Matt Skenazy

More of 国产吃瓜黑料's 2015 Best of Travel

• Gear: The 5 Best Pieces of Gear for the Road
• Guides: 5 Travel Guides You Need to Know
• Coming Soon: The Best of Travel Runner-Ups

The post The 30 Best Trips of 2015 appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

At first, I couldn鈥檛 see anything to distinguish Weligama Bay. A mile-wide bite out of the Sri Lankan coast not far from the country鈥檚 southernmost tip, its arc of ochre sand and lilting palms appeared much the same as the miles of coastline I鈥檇 seen rushing past the windows on the three-hour train-ride from the capital Colombo.

Here and there, rows of bright-painted outrigger catamarans lay beached in the sun. Nearby, a huddle of dark-skinned fishermen sat in a half-circle repairing a shock of bright orange netting. The odd tourist ambled by, guests of the few low-slung lodges here that, until recently, marked the shores of Weligama Bay as one of the quieter stretches of Sri Lanka鈥檚 south coast.

All it took was a brief glance to the east to see how things are changing. Right at the bay鈥檚 apex the scenery was in the process of a dramatic transformation. Rising up over an acre of churned up earth, the 11-story exoskeleton of the Weligama Bay Marriott Resort & Spa, due to open in mid-2016, now dominated the skyline for miles.聽

A decade ago, it would have been fanciful to imagine a major international hotel chain taking a punt on this stretch of sand. But that was before May 2009, when government forces routed the LTTE, or Tamil Tigers, bringing a decisive end to the violent separatist insurgency that had blighted the island鈥檚 reputation for 26 years.聽

As news of the Tigers鈥� ultimate defeat spread, it was inevitable that tourists, formerly deterred by the intermittent bloodshed, would turn to the teardrop island like never before. Just two months after the defeat of LTTE,聽tourism arrivals聽had soared by 28 percent. Six years on, growth has averaged around 30 percent a year.

Rimmed in numberless beaches and surprisingly easy to get around, Sri Lanka squeezes a lot into an area barely larger than West Virginia. In the interior, the mountainous south offers alluring adventures for hikers. The northern flatlands, though less spectacular, are dotted with the ruins of ancient Buddhist monuments. Opportunities for wildlife-watching abound.聽

[quote]If realized, the $4 billion project鈥檚 sprawl of hotels, casinos and entertainment complexes would turn this sleepy backwater into a gaudy Gomorrah, out of keeping with its traditional culture.[/quote]

During my recent trip to Sri Lanka, the sense that the island has arrived at a critical juncture in the evolution of its travel industry formed an ever-present backdrop to the miles of tropical beaches, tranquil temples, and rippling tea-covered hills.

The government has been quick to throw the door wide open. Promotional campaigns have been launched in emerging markets like China and the eastern bloc. A deluge of foreign investment has seen the high-end, resort-style developments normally associated with west coast beaches like Bentota begin to spread outwards. Even the north, the war-scarred LTTE heartland around Jaffna, with its vivid Hindu heritage, is opening up to outsiders.

But all this growth comes with issues. With the government planning to , concerns are growing that the rush to cash-in risks fulfilling Paul Theroux鈥檚 cynical prophecy that 鈥渁s soon as a place gets a reputation for being paradise it goes to hell.鈥�

Nowhere is the conversation over development more pertinent than on the Kalpitiya Peninsula, a narrow isthmus snaking out of the country鈥檚 west coast. A peaceful haven, overlooked for most of the conflict, travellers have discovered the peninsula in recent years. In the south, sit unobtrusively alongside the fishing settlements on Alankuda Beach. In the north, , here to exploit year-round westerlies, have sprung up along the shore.

However, a brasher tourism is breaking-ground. An archipelago of 14 islands splintering off the peninsula鈥檚 northern tip鈥攔anging from small sand-spits to 700 hectare Mutwal鈥攈as been designated a 鈥楾ourism Development Zone鈥�. If realized, the $4 billion project鈥檚 sprawl of hotels, casinos and entertainment complexes would turn this sleepy backwater into a gaudy Gomorrah, out of keeping with its traditional culture.聽

鈥淟ocal communities are apprehensive about the big projects,鈥� warns Dilsiri Welikala, a young Colombo-born entrepreneur whose Robinson Crusoe style surf camp, , opened on the peninsula鈥檚 northwest edge in 2012. 鈥淲e think small ventures that employ locally and respect the traditional fishing economy are much better for Kalpitiya than what the government has planned.鈥澛�

As ever, there are environmental implications too. Once a target for LTTE terrorists, the famous Yala National Park, 378 square miles of monsoon forest in the island鈥檚 south-east corner, is seeing visitor numbers soar. Aided by the 2013 inauguration of the country鈥檚 second international airport at nearby Mattala, which receives daily flights from the Middle East, it鈥檚 a welcome shot-in-the-arm for the local economy. Meanwhile, the question of what the increasing jeep-traffic, and the accompanying noise pollution might mean for the park鈥檚 animals, the world鈥檚 highest concentration of leopards among them, has been relegated from view.

Mirissa, just down-coast from Weligama, is basking in its new-found reputation as one of the best places on earth to glimpse another superlative creature鈥�blue whales. They feed in the abundant waters off Dondra Head, and are fast becoming one of Sri Lanka鈥檚 un-missable sights. Yet there have been widespread complaints that some of the less-experienced operators following in the wake of pioneers like risk distressing the whales by sailing too fast, and too close.聽

鈥淲hen I drove into Mirissa last month it seemed that every ten meters there was an advertisement for whale-watching,鈥� says , a leading Sri Lankan wildlife expert, who helped spread the word about the region鈥檚 blue whales in 2008. 鈥淕ood practices are spreading, but it鈥檚 a struggle to keep up with a rapidly growing tourist industry.鈥�

It鈥檚 hard to divine where tourism in Sri Lanka will be another decade from now. Only last week, , the country鈥檚 uncompromising leader for over a decade, was ousted from office in presidential elections. The development strategy of the new incumbent, Maithripala Sirisena, remains to be seen.聽

One thing is certain: as your whale-watching boat chugs back into the Mirissa dock, Weligama鈥檚 mile-wide beach hazy at the port-bow, the auguries looming ever larger on the horizon are not for everyone.
鈥淭he beginning of the end,鈥� one cynical ex-pat says to me later at the dockyard, nodding in the direction of that Marriott鈥檚 silhouette towering in the west. Time will tell.聽

Get there: Flights to Colombo鈥檚 Bandaranayake Airport are available from several U.S. cities, including New York and Houston via stopovers in Europe and the Middle East. From the capital, an extensive bus and rail network provides relatively straightforward access to all corners of the .

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Emerging from a 27-year civil war, Sri Lanka鈥檚 jungle terrain and white-sand beaches remain largely undiscovered. But the conflict ended in 2009, meaning there are empty (and safe) waves to be found. Head to the island nation鈥檚 southernmost tip, near the village of Gandara, where 24-year-old British surfer Jack Phillips recently opened his 颅. Guests stay at the Talalla Retreat, a boutique resort just steps from the Indian Ocean, and pile into a surf jeep each day to explore the consistent peaks along the coast. Leave some time post-camp to explore the country鈥檚 abundant wildlife.聽From $2,000 per week, all-inclusive.

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MOST PEOPLE HAVE a fuzzy notion of Sri Lanka as an exotic island nation with beautiful beaches that had the bad luck to be in the tsunami zone. But with the January completion of the Ceylon Tea Trails, a collection of four swanked-out colonial-style bungalows on working tea estates in the country’s verdant south-central region, would-be travelers are now looking past the sand.

After two decades of fighting, the long-awaited ceasefire in 2002 between Tamil rebels and the Sri Lankan government triggered a cautious wave of tourism to the southern part of the island, particularly to the coast. There are still periodic flare-ups of rebel-government conflicts in the northeast, so, as with any country experiencing political turmoil, you should check the U.S. State Department’s Web site () before making plans. But the Tea Trails area is considered safe for travelers, and since the 2004 tsunami it’s become Sri Lanka’s next hot adventure ground. “More than 20 years of civil war have kept the backcountry pristine,” says Peter Stewart, founder of Colombo-based 国产吃瓜黑料 Asia. “It’s almost like a time warp compared with other Asian countries.”

The Tea Trails bungalows, former residences of British tea-estate managers in the vicinity of 1,198-acre Castlereagh Reservoir, sit at an elevation of 4,000 feet near miles of hiking trails. Complete with teak floors and private gardens, each abode—Summerville, Castlereagh, Tientsin, and Norwood—has been thoughtfully renovated to include amenities like heated towel racks, beds with mosquito nets, fireplaces, personal butlers, and gourmet chefs. When not being pampered like royalty, you can witness the tea-making process from leaf to cup and sample various brews picked less than 14 hours earlier. When it’s time to amp it up, jump on a mountain bike to grind ribbons of singletrack, sea-kayak the reservoir, or hike through undulating emerald hills where local women handpick the prized “two leafs and bud.” Or rally for daylong outings like a trek through Horton Plains National Park, rafting the Class III Kelani River, where director David Lean filmed The Bridge on the River Kwai, or a sunrise climb of 7,360-foot Sri Pada (also known as Adam’s Peak), the country’s second-highest mountain. Back at your bungalow, cap it all off with evening sundowners, fresh-roasted cashews, and dishes like basil-pumpkin soup, New Zealand lamb loin, and a slew of Sri Lankan curries.

While the bungalows are open year-round, it’s best to avoid the summer monsoon months. To get to the Tea Trails, located near the mosquito-size town of Hatton, three hours east of Colombo, you can hire a car and driver through the resort. But we suggest you ride in style. SriLankan Airlines plans to begin seaplane charters from Colombo to Castlereagh Reservoir, transforming that scenic drive into a 30-minute puddle jump. Tea has never been sweeter.

Access & Resources
The Ceylon Tea Trails (011-94-11-230-3888, ) offers 20 rooms within the four bungalows. Doubles start at $165 per night, including meals and drinks. 国产吃瓜黑料 Asia (011-94-11-536-8468, ) handles all active outings for the Ceylon Tea Trails and specializes in custom itineraries throughout the country. Seaplane operator SriLankan Airlines plans to charge $150 for one-way flights from Colombo to Castlereagh Reservoir (011-94-19-733-5555, ).

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When author Nathan Borchelt, traveled to Sri Lanka for three weeks in October, 2005 to write “The Sweet Life,” about the Ceylon Tea Trails, for the April issue of 国产吃瓜黑料 (now on stands) he didn’t know what to expect. Less than a year had passed since the 2004 tsunami had devastated three-quarters of the country’s coastline, dealing a harsh blow to the island nation’s tourist infrastructure, which had been on the rise before the disaster.

“Sri Lankans are tenacious,” said Borchelt. “They endured a decades-long civil war between the Tamil Tigers and the Sinhala-dominate Sri Lankan government, where over 60,000 people died. And they dealt with the effects of the tsunami with the same unshakable resolve. They’re also some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. Inviting, welcoming, appreciative of your interest in their culture.”

While the effects of the tsunami were apparent along fringes of the tear-shaped country—gutted houses, displaced families, the skeletal frames of once-grand beachfront hotels—further inland, the country remains pristine and ripe for exploration.

“There’s just so much geographical diversity in Sri Lanka,” Borchelt explained. “You can drive east from the congestion and humidity of Colombo to dense rainforest to the high-elevation climes of Kandy to the manicured landscape of the tea country in a matter of hours. The running joke among locals and expats is if you don’t like where you are, just drive for four hours in any direction and everything changes.”

But one place that stands out among his many memories is, undeniably, the Ceylone Tea Trails. “That place is really what travel is all about. Gorgeous landscapes, guest rooms without TVs, amazing curry meals, great conversation,” he said. “You can hike or cycle or just read. You interact with the locals in a truly genuine way. You witness the inner workings of one of the island’s primary industries. And if you want to head out to the UNESCO World Heritage sites or to the island’s national parks, it’s all within striking distance.”

With centuries-old ruins of ancient cities, untapped backcountry, bustling urban centers, some of the world’s best tea, and a diverse culture composed of a variety of different religions Borchelt says he would go back in a heartbeat—oh, and the beaches ain’t bad, either.

to take a virtual tour of photographs across Sri Lanka, from elephant safaris to Buddhist temples to World Heritage cities. PLUS: .

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IN 2004, PARADISE WAS PUMMELED. Late December’s tsunami in the Indian Ocean, caused by a 9.15-magnitude underwater earthquake west of Sumatra, destroyed beach resorts in Thailand, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. More than 230,000 people perished—thousands of travelers among them—and hotels, restaurants, and other businesses were ruined along with the beaches. Earlier, in August and September of that year, four major hurricanes crushed the Caribbean community, racking up more than $6 billion in damages across the region. In both Southeast Asia and the Caribbean, many of the affected towns and provinces depend on tourism for their livelihood, so once the survivors were accounted for and the dead were buried, reconstruction and rebooking quickly became the top priority. But just how do resort areas bounce back from such devastation? To answer this question, we checked in on two disaster-struck islands: Phuket, off the western coast of Thailand, and Grenada, one of the southernmost islands in the Caribbean.

Before the tsunami, Phuket was one of the most popular beach destinations in Southeast Asia, generating more than two billion tourist dollars in 2004. On the day of the disaster, December 26, 2004, three giant waves slammed into Phuket’s beaches, flooding hotels, uprooting trees and debris, and killing almost 300 people—with more than twice that number still unaccounted for. While the disaster was horrific, the lingering perceptions of the devastation have also proven detrimental: Due to extensive media coverage of the most severely hit areas in the Indian Ocean region, most people assume that the entire 30-mile-long island was leveled; in fact, only 12 percent of Phuket’s rooms were damaged by the disaster. Still, tourism in Phuket has dropped 65 percent, and in the first half of 2005 the island lost more than $1 billion in tourism revenue.

In the Caribbean, no island suffered more than Grenada, traditionally considered south of the hurricane belt. Ivan, the first major hurricane in recorded history to have formed below ten degrees latitude in the Atlantic Basin, struck on the afternoon of September 7, 2004, with winds of at least 111 miles per hour. Its eye passed just south of the red-roofed harbor town of St. George’s, ripping apart nearly everything in its path. Thirty-nine people were killed, and 90 percent of the island’s houses were damaged. The tourism industry, still recovering after lean post-9/11 years, was upended. Total damage came to nearly $1 billion, more than 200 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.

After both tragic events, aid poured in from around the globe. The United States, England, China, India, Trinidad and Tobago, and Cuba donated $58 million to Grenada. While the Thai government has refused monetary aid, more than $27 million has entered the country through post-disaster relief efforts. Now the two islands, victims of very different catastrophes, are gearing up for the high season facing equally different situations: Grenada, despite being slapped by Hurricane Emily this past July, has recovered further than anyone would have expected and anticipates a good winter season; Phuket, on the other hand, has been open for business for months, but no one’s biting. Take a look at how these islands are faring and remember this: The best way you can help is to book a plane ticket and go.

Case Study: Phuket, Thailand

Ready and Waiting

HARDEST HIT IN PHUKET was Kamala, a beachfront village on the west side of the island. By the time the third wave struck the enclave, many residents had escaped up the hill behind the village. After the chaos and shock of the first few weeks, survivors displayed characteristic Thai fortitude and began to rebuild from the rubble, anticipating the return of the tourists. One store owner handpainted a sign and hung it in front of his store: even tsunami cannot beat us. we make the best homemade pizza. But nobody came to eat.

More than 95 percent of Phuket is up and running again. Not only have the beaches been cleared of debris, but many are wider—by as much as 30 feet in some spots. Restaurants and bars have been cleaned and remodeled, and shops have been restocked with everything from sarongs to sequined handbags. The only thing missing now is the tourists. One day last April at the Terrace, a popular seaside restaurant, three musicians played the pan flute, xylophone, and lute, but there was only one couple dining in a room that seats 60. 国产吃瓜黑料, there were no bumper-to-bumper backups of cars, motorbikes, or bright-red minivan taxis headed to the beaches, because the seasides were deserted. As of August, hotel occupancy was down 65 percent from last year.

Phuket’s tourism board has responded by working with local businesses to woo visitors with two-for-one deals, extra meals included in the price of a hotel room, and lower airfares. In addition, the Thai government has teamed with Thai Airways International and others to promote its “Best Offer”—three days and two nights at any of 11 different resorts for as little as $80. The Trisara, a brand-new five-star resort on the Andaman Sea, is offering villas—complete with a 30-foot infinity pool, 37-inch plasma TV, and a yacht available for charter—for nearly 20 percent off. Meanwhile, Amanpuri Phuket and Mom Tri’s Villa Royale hotels have cut their prices by 50 percent.

Still, the island is like a ghost town—literally. Much of the 60 percent decline in visitors from other Asian nations is a result of Chinese and other nationalities’ cultural and religious beliefs that the spirits of the missing are still roaming the beaches. (More than 3,000 people remain unaccounted for across the region.) To win these tourists back, a highly publicized series of events is planned, culminating on December 26, 2005, the first anniversary of the tsunami. Monks and priests of all religions will “free” the departed souls and give permission for visitors to return to southern Thailand.

Tourists are also concerned about safety, should another tsunami occur. The Tourism Authority of Thailand is developing what it calls the “Safer Beach” concept, a plan that includes the construction of a “Memorial Gateways” wall in a heavily touristed area of Phuket, to serve as a permanent memorial to those who lost their lives while, in concept, slowing down any advancing floodwaters. The Thai government also developed a Tsunami Early Warning System, which has been operational since late May and is monitored 24 hours a day. (It was successfully put to the test in July, when it detected a 7.3-magnitude quake more than 400 miles from the island.)

Holidaygoers and merrymakers may not have returned en masse to Phuket yet, but judging by the locals’ speed in rebuilding after the disaster and the government’s concerted effort to shore up the tourism industry, not even the tsunami will keep the Thais down. A T-shirt that has cropped up in markets across the island underscores that resilience. On the back is a list of trials the region has faced in recent years: a post-9/11 bomb alert, worldwide panic over SARS, mass bird-flu hysteria, and now the tsunami devastation; the front of the shirt reads still alive.

Beyond Phuket

Across the Indian Ocean region, communities are still recovering from the 2004 tsunami

DESPITE THE TRAGEDY IN PHUKET, the island fared better than other Indian Ocean destinations鈥攑laces like the nearby Thai island of Koh Phi Phi; the Maldives; and Galle, Matara, and Yala, in Sri Lanka. “When I arrived in Galle in April,” says Alexander Souri, owner of Massachusetts-based outfitter Relief Riders International, “beachfront resorts were still rubble, just plaster and brick on the ground.” Images like that, coupled with fear of another tsunami, have sent tourist numbers plummeting across the region.

Koh Phi Phi suffered extensive hotel damage, including the loss of 1,400 rooms, and is projected to give up $90 million in tourist revenue in 2005. In the Maldives, the tsunami flooded the heavily touristed atolls of Mulaku and North and South Male, destroying hotels and restaurants. By mid-August 2005, the country was estimated to have lost $250 million tourist dollars since the disaster. Sri Lanka’s burgeoning coastal tourism industry suffered as well, losing $42 million through the first half of 2005.

Thanks to locals’ perseverance and foreign aid (the U.S. government has pledged nearly $1 billion in support, with private donations topping $1.2 billion), many of the nations that were underwater just nine months ago are speeding forward with the reconstruction process. The damaged hotels gracing the southern beaches of Sri Lanka are 67 percent up and running, and those in the Maldives are 87 percent in service. And though Koh Phi Phi is still in the early stages of rebuilding, American outfitter Big Five 国产吃瓜黑料 Travel is offering day trips to explore the island’s limestone cliffs by boat.

The governments of the affected areas are gearing up, too. Last spring, the Maldives’ Tourism Promotion Board began spreading the word about the archipelago to travel agents and tour operators across Asia. They also sent delegations to parts of Europe in hopes of regenerating foreign interest in the islands. Thailand has aggressively pursued the airlines, setting up deals with Thai Airways International, Bangkok Airways, and Orient Thai Airlines to reduce fares and bundle flights with discounted stays at resorts. And in September, Sri Lanka launched a $4 million advertising campaign to lure European travelers back to its beaches and highlands for the upcoming high season.

“The attitude should not be 鈥楲ook how terrible it was.’ The attitude should be 鈥楲ook how far the area has come to recover,’ ” says Ashish Sanghrajka, Big Five’s VP of sales and partner relations. “There’s still lots of great things to see and do there.”

Case Study: St. George’s, Grenada

Full Speed Ahead

NEW GROWTH: St. George’s is flourishing, thanks to a resolve to “build back better”

HURRICANE IVAN gave an unfathomable shock to a nation whose unofficial motto is “God is a Grenadian.” It had been just shy of half a century since the last serious hurricane struck Grenada, and even as Ivan was bearing down, few residents sensed real danger. “We were so naive,” says Lawrence Lambert, managing director of the Flamboyant Hotel, which sits on a hill above the southern end of Grand Anse, Grenada’s celebrated two-mile stretch of white-sand beach. “I thought maybe some doors might blow in.”

In fact, the Flamboyant, like so many other buildings, was pounded, losing its main restaurant and all of its roofs. Ivan was so good at dismantling roofs, locals started referring to the storm as Hurricane Roofus. Very few buildings were erected with hurricane survival in mind; analysts now say that $4 metal hurricane straps, which help keep a roof fastened to the top of an exterior wall, would have greatly reduced the islandwide structural damage.

Now—despite all this destruction and despair—Grenada is bouncing back, at a pace no one could have imagined in those initial grim post-hurricane days. After the first dazed month, insurance claims began getting settled; construction materials made their way to the island; teams of workers put in countless hours of hard, hot labor; red tape was cut through; and the government mandate to “build back better” began to seem possible. By the end of this year, 94 percent of the island’s nearly 1,600 hotel rooms will be available to guests. Among them, the rebuilt Spice Island Beach Resort, on Grand Anse, will reopen as a five-star hotel. A few hotels never closed: the candy-colored cottages of Bel Air Plantation, which were built to Florida hurricane standards by American owners in 2003, and down-but-not-out True Blue Bay Resort, which provided lodging and meals to an endless procession of insurance adjusters and embassy personnel in the months following the storm. The last major hotel to reopen, LaSource, will welcome guests beginning sometime in 2006.

Of course, the island still bears Ivan’s scars. Some are obvious, like the many houses—especially the more rural ones—sheltered by blue tarps. Some are less obvious, like the thatched umbrellas at the understatedly chic Laluna resort, put up on the beach to replace shade trees lost to the storm. Tourism is rebounding: In August, the island was expecting around 15,000 visitors, a return to almost 90 percent of last year’s pre-Ivan numbers. Meanwhile, the future of the nutmeg industry—which accounted for about half of Grenada’s agricultural-export earnings and supplied a third of all nutmeg worldwide—remains uncertain, as almost all of the island’s nutmeg trees were destroyed.

Challenges notwithstanding, visitors to Grenada this winter will find a heartfelt welcome from a nation that knows how crucial the return of tourists is to its economy—and its battered psyche. They’ll also find beaches that are clean and inviting. The reefs and wrecks off Point Salines are still great dive spots. The Morne Fendue Plantation House, high in the hills of Saint Patrick’s Parish, is still serving its astonishing soursop ice cream. And the nutmeg-dusted rum punches at True Blue Bay Resort’s rebuilt waterfront bar are as sweet—and as potent—as ever.

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