‘Dear me, it is beautiful! And most sumptuously tropical, as to character of foliage and opulence of it'.

Mark Twain, Following the Equator (Hartford, Connecticut: 1897).

Perhaps the most beautiful country in South Asia, Sri Lanka has an appeal which has drawn visitors over the centuries, first for its rich spice and gem markets, and more recently for its pristine beaches and magnificent hill country. It's also a cultural treasure-trove, with historic sites stretching back over two thousand years. Over the millennia, Sri Lanka has been known under a plethora of names. In the ancient Hindu epic Ramayana, the island is referred to as Lanka or Sri Lanka. The meaning of Lanka is doubtful; it may translate as ‘shining' or ‘resplendent'. Sri is a common prefix to names or titles and means ‘noble'. Thus, Sri Lanka means ‘Noble and Resplendent'. The first Sinhalese on the island called it Tabbapanni, or ‘Copper Coloured', a name corrupted by the Greeks and Romans to Taprobane...

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