DAY 01 - 05: SRI LANKA

Imagine the lushest, most idyllic island possible and chances are it won’t be as wonderful as Sri Lanka, lying off the southern tip of India. The Beautiful beaches are a magnet, but you must explore some of the islands seven world heritage sites, including ancient cities and virgin rainforest. Get active river –rafting or mountain biking the national park trails, and relax with soothing Ayurevedic spa treatments.

There’s a wealth of wildlife on the island. Meet the elephants in the national parks and at the elephant sanctuary, and go bird watching in the rainforest of Sinharaja. To cool down, head for the atmospheric old hill stations. During Jul/Aug, the 10 day Kandy Perahera Pageant provides a scintillating and colourful spectacle of acrobats, performers and decorated elephants.

It’s a romantic island, beloved of honeymooners, where you can get married with the unique backdrop of an ancient city’s atmospheric ruins. When you’ve consumed the sight, leave some room for the food. Delicious cuisine includes typical Sri Lankan curry made with chilli, coconut and cinnamon. Indian, Chinese, Malay and western food is readily available. The tea is top quality, arrack, made from fermented palm tree sap, is a potent local brew.

DAY 05 - 10: MALDIVES

The Maldives is a nation of islands in the Indian Ocean, that spans across the equator. The country is comprised of 1192 islands that stretch along a length of 871 kilometres. While the country covers an area of approximately 90,000 square kilometres, only 298 square kilometres of that is dry land. The islands are grouped into a double chain of 26 atolls.

The country’s unique geography mesmerizes the visitor. Reefs that offer bands of colour, tiny jewel-like islands rimmed with the whitest of soft sand surrounded by the clearest shallow waters that one can imagine. Only 200 of the islands are inhabited, and a select few on each of the atolls are resorts and some of the islands are used for industry and agriculture.

The beauty of the Maldives is not only above the water. The Maldives is home to about five percent of the planet’s reefs that comes with an explosion of colour contributed by soft and hard corals that form them. The reefs are home to a thousand species of fish. Lured by the rich nutrients that flow in with the currents, large pelagic fishes such as manta rays and whale sharks also make the Maldives their home.

The Maldives has everything to make it the perfect tropical holiday destination. Here you will find one of the world’s true island paradises with a tranquil setting, stunning sandy beaches and a climate that is near perfect for most of the year.