The tear drop shaped island of Sri Lanka lies in the Indian Ocean just off the southern tip of India. With its golden sandy beaches, azure blue waters and warm tropical climate, Sri Lanka is a year-round destination for holidaymakers seeking sun, sand and sea. The island has a rich cultural heritage that dates back over 2,000 years which is linked to the origins of Buddhism in the country with magnificently constructed stupas and the ruins of ancient kingdoms. Controlled from the 16th century onwards by the Portuguese, Dutch and finally the British prior to gaining full independence in 1948, the influences of colonial powers remain visible in architecture and a number of forts across the country. Sri Lanka is recognised as a global biodiversity hotspot with a rich variety of endemic flora and fauna, and incredibly for a small island, can boast of large iconic animals such as the Asian Elephant, Leopard and the largest animal to have inhabited our planet, the Blue Whale. From palm fringed beaches to scrub jungles and numerous man-made lakes in the lowlands to tropical rainforests, cloud forests and highlands laden with waterfalls at its centre, this resplendent isle is abundant in natural beauty.