101 Km Southeast of Colombo, Ratnapura is also the gateway to the hill country from the Southern plains. The scenic route takes you passing paddy fields, rubber plantations and tea estates.Throughout history, Sri Lanka has been known as a land of gems. King Solomon was said to have procured a great ruby for the queen of Sheba from Serendip (Sri Lanka’s former name).

Explore the well-preserved ruins of an ancient Sri Lankan civilization and its former capital at Anuradhapura, a World Heritage Site and erstwhile center of Theravada Buddhism set amidst peaceful green parks. While most sightseeing in Anuradhapura concerns archeological sites and exquisite stonemasonry, you can also combine the history trip with exploration of new town's shops and major department store.

The Sri Lankan city of Galle was founded by Portuguese explorers in the sixteenth century. In 1640, the Dutch moved in and began fortifying the town by constructing an 89-acre (36-hectare) fort on the town’s promontory, surrounded on three sides by the Bay of Galle. Today, the old town of Galle and its fort, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1988, ranks among the best preserved European-built fortified cities in Southeast Asia.