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       Most Striking Landscape

    by Robin Esrock

    Striking. Defined in the Merriam Webster Dictionary as:  attracting
    attention or notice through unusual or conspicuous qualities. Also, a
    place of beauty,  noticeable.  There’s no shortage of striking
    landscapes on our planet, and I’m sure you can come up with plenty
    on your own  Here are a few that lodged in my memory (and my
    memory card) among my travels.




        
                  
        
     

     










    Sri Lanka - Central Highlands

    It has beautiful surfing beaches and plenty of colourful temples, but
    my personal highlight of Sri Lanka lay in the misty tea-lined hills of
    the Central Highlands. This is mythical Ceylon, the home of tea, with
    hand-plucked waist-high bushes carpeting the hills in green as far as
    the eye can see. Sprinkled amongst the emerald leaves are the
    bright-coloured saris of the tea pluckers – tiny women with lightning-
    fast fingers. The atmosphere defines tranquillity, and in a country
    recovering from a tragic civil war, I found it particularly inspiring to
    taste peace in the air (and my tea cup). (credit: Robin Esrock)





























    Sri Lanka

    For a quarter century, Sri Lanka seems to have been plagued by misfortune, including
    a brutal civil war between the Sinhalese-dominated government and a separatist Tamil
    group. But the conflict finally ended last May, ushering in a more peaceful era for this
    teardrop-shaped island off India’s coast, rich in natural beauty and cultural splendors.




    Keith Bedford for The New York Times
    Guests by the pool at the Galle Fort Hotel in Galle, Sri Lanka.



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    The island, with a population of just 20 million, feels like one big tropical zoo: elephants
    roam freely, water buffaloes idle in paddy fields and monkeys swing from trees. And
    then there’s the pristine coastline. The miles of sugary white sand flanked by bamboo
    groves that were off-limits to most visitors until recently are a happy, if unintended
    byproduct of the war.

    Among the most scenic, if difficult stretches to reach, is Nilaveli Beach in the Tamil
    north. While a few military checkpoints remain, vacationers can lounge on poolside
    hammocks under palm trees or snorkel in its crystal-clear waters. Or they can order
    cocktails at the Nilaveli Beach Hotel (www.tangerinehotels.com/nilavelibeach), a
    collection of recently renovated bungalows with private terraces.

    An international airport in Matara, on the island’s southern shore, is under construction,
    which will make the gorgeous beaches near the seaside village of Galle easier to get
    to. Decimated by the tsunami in 2004, the surrounding coastline is now teeming with
    stylish guesthouses and boutique hotels.

    Unawatuna, a crescent-shaped beach a few miles south of Galle, may be furthest
    along. Higher-end hotels there include Thambapanni Retreat (www.thambapanni.biz),
    which features four-poster beds, yoga and an ayurvedic spa. The Sun House (www.
    thesunhouse.com), in Galle, looks like a place where the Queen of England might
    stay, with its mango courtyard and colonial décor. One stylish place tucked within Galle’
    s city walls is the Galle Fort Hotel (www.galleforthotel.com), a refurbished gem
    merchant’s house run by a couple of Aussies. — Lionel Beehner
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