11 Best Countries For Americans To Hit By The End Of 2016
Sri Lanka
Why you should go: Traveling to Sri Lanka today is like stumbling into the Thailand of 20 years ago, with gloriously untrammeled beaches, lush jungle, and beautiful ancient landmarks. It’s been only seven years since Sri Lanka’s 26-year civil war ended, but it’s now perfectly safe to travel here. The years of conflict kept Sri Lanka from keeping up with other rapid Asian development, and today it’s one of the region’s last countries to straddle that balance of tourism infrastructure – just enough to have a smooth holiday while still feeling off the beaten track and away from all the selfie sticks.
Why you should go right now: As one of Asia’s last big beachy secrets, Sri Lanka could soon go the way of Bali and Southern Thailand – over-touristed, with precious natural scenery getting stamped out. With major luxury hotel chains like Hyatt and Shangri-La ready to set up in the capital, Colombo, over the next year or so, there’s no denying that Sri Lanka is definitely about to change. Splurge on a ticket now, because if history is any indication, the change shan’t be for the better.