{"id":700,"date":"2018-11-28T11:47:43","date_gmt":"2018-11-28T11:47:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.broadwaytravel.com\/blog\/?p=700"},"modified":"2019-11-13T09:34:05","modified_gmt":"2019-11-13T09:34:05","slug":"why-sri-lanka-is-the-top-travel-destination-for-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.broadwaytravel.com\/blog\/why-sri-lanka-is-the-top-travel-destination-for-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Sri Lanka is the Top Travel Destination for 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lonely Planet has announced that its top destination for 2019 is Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n

This small island off the south coast of India has been growing in popularity over the last couple of years. In 2017, it welcomed 2.1 million tourists – its highest number ever and a huge increase from the 447,890 that visited ten years ago.<\/p>\n

Asia has long been a popular holiday destination – with Thailand, in particular, attracting thousands each year. But, with one of its most popular tourist spots, Maya Bay, temporarily closing to recover from the sheer amount of visitors and the desire to step away from the well-trodden path, holidaymakers are now looking to new destinations.<\/p>\n

This hidden gem, once avoided due to its ongoing civil war, is now being uncovered. Friendly locals, stunning natural beauty and incredible wildlife is just the start. Lonely Planet lists better transport links and the growing number of hotels among the reasons this country earned the top spot.<\/p>\n

Would you like to go and see this number one destination<\/a> for yourself? Here’s what you can expect while you’re there:<\/p>\n

Spot wonderful wildlife<\/h2>\n

Leopards, elephants, blue whales and turtles are just some of the animals that call this country home and you can see them all in their natural habitat.<\/p>\n

Elephants: Elephant rides are commonplace in Sri Lanka but among the orphanages that claim to have elephant welfare at their heart, you’ll find The Elephant Freedom Project –\u00a0a sanctuary supported by Responsible Travel<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Why not spend a day volunteering? This is a fantastic opportunity to work with these intelligent creatures, where days consist of walking, feeding and washing the elephants as well as various other activities including a cooking lesson and visiting a local school.<\/p>\n

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We helped to walk, wash and feed Seetha today … ? #bestdayever #elephantfreedomproject #elephants #srilanka #seetha #asianelephant #travelling #travel #rescueelephant #elephantsofinstagram #elephantsofasia<\/a><\/p>\n

A post shared by ellieroddy<\/a> (@ellieroddy) on