The Last Tear of the Indian Ocean: Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, known as "the last tear of the Indian Ocean," is a South Asian country with an area of only 65,000 square kilometers. Despite its small size, it boasts 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and 6 Intangible Cultural Heritage elements. In 2019, it was ranked as the "Top 10 Best Countries to Travel in the World" by Lonely Planet. Colonial rule has also left many profound and diverse marks in Sri Lanka. The Galle Fort, located on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka, is a colonial architectural legacy. Surrounded by the sea on three sides, the fort features tall and sturdy walls with a perimeter of 3 kilometers, along with 14 bastions, drawbridges, and other defensive facilities. It is a typical example of European defensive fortress architecture in South and Southeast Asia. The Galle Fort was first built by the earliest colonizers, the Portuguese, in 1588, then expanded by the second colonizers, the Dutch, in 1625, and finally ruled and reinforced by the British in 1796. It has fully experienced the colonial rule of three generations of colonizers, with every weathered wall carrying heavy historical information. In 1988, it was listed as a World Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO. Horton Plains National Park is like a dazzling highland pearl, where grasslands, morning mist, and seas of clouds blend together to create a dreamlike and stunning landscape. Every morning, when the first ray of sunlight shines on the grasslands, the golden light intertwines with the white morning mist, as if the entire park is shrouded in a thin veil. Horton Plains is the only national park in Sri Lanka where visitors are allowed to hike, and it was designated a World Natural Heritage site in 2010. Come to Sri Lanka and start an unforgettable New Year's journey to experience the unique charm of this "Land of Smiles"!