Forbes ranks Sri Lanka among top 23 Best Places to Travel this year, chosen by experts

 Juliana Broste Broste, 12x Heartland Emmy Award-winning travel filmmaker and host in Sri Lanka

• This year’s list published is based on women travel experts and influencers to find out their choices for best international places to travel in 2023
• 12-time Heartland Emmy Award-winning travel filmmaker and host Juliana Broste describes her experience in SL
• Shares tips for travellers planning to visit Sri Lanka 
• Analysts opine continuous global limelight on Sri Lanka for positive and deserving reasons was major boost to showcase attractiveness of destination

Sri Lanka continues to gain in the global limelight for its unique tourism offerings in 2023 and this time as the top 23 Best Places to Travel during the year.

Sri Lanka has been listed among the top 23 Best Places to Travel this year, by the prestigious Forbes magazine under the Europe/Asia category.

This year’s list published on 30 March by Senior Contributor Laura Begley Bloom has tapped into leading women travel experts and influencers to find out their choices for the best international places to travel in 2023 in honour of the women’s history month of March.

“This year, the picks for where to go in 2023 span the gamut from European capitals to exotic beach escapes to sustainable rainforest retreats. But keep in mind: with travel demand soaring and 31% of travellers saying they intend to spend more on international travel this year, costs on the rise and the airlines encountering record demand, don’t delay. Now is the time to book that bucket list trip of a lifetime,” Bloom added.

Sri Lanka has been chosen by Juliana Broste, a 12-time Heartland Emmy Award-winning travel filmmaker and host, showcasing adventures and fun things to do around the world. 

“It’s no secret, Sri Lanka has had a hard time.

“Even with inflation, visitors will find Sri Lanka a spectacular, affordable destination worth the long haul. Loop around the island and you’ll see why this land will keep you guessing – from the hustle and bustle of capital city Colombo to beautiful beaches, rice fields, waterfalls, plains, and mountains,” Juliana Broste described Sri Lanka.

There’s a lot to see in a relatively short distance, so have your camera at the ready. “Spotting the wildlife in Sri Lanka is really special,” added Broste, who explored the country on a photo tour. 

“You can go on safari to an Elephant Sanctuary, go whale watching on the Indian Ocean and spy on birds, lizards, jellyfish and monkeys in a mangrove.” 

On Broste’s bucket list for next time; spotting leopards at Yala National Park.

Sri Lanka has plenty of interesting cultural attractions to explore, including the ancient cities of Anuradhapura and Kandy. 

“Be sure to pack an all-white outfit that covers your shoulders and legs when visiting religious sites. “Catching a traditional Kandyan dance performance is a highlight, seeing men and women in a traditional dress telling stories through dance,” Broste said.

Tucked away in the hill country, Nuwara Eliya, known as “Little England,” is a cool climate escape where a famous Sri Lankan export, Ceylon tea, is produced. 

“Winding roads reveal rows and rows of tea bushes on the hillside—be sure to stop in for a cup of tea on your visit to a tea factory and plantation,” she added. 

“Equally as fun; sampling a king coconut on the side of the road along your adventure.”

For an incredible view of Colombo, head to the top of the shimmering pink Lotus Tower for a bird’s eye view of the city. “It’s a symbol of the city and just a touch taller than the Eiffel Tower.

“Another famous viewpoint worth the hike is the ancient city of Sigiriya known as Lion’s Rock, with the ruins of an ancient stronghold located atop a dramatic rock outcrop. It’s wild to think how an entire civilisation lived here centuries ago,” Broste described Sri Lanka.

From the beginning of this year, Sri Lanka continually gained attention for its unique tourism offerings and its scenic beauty.

In February Forbes magazine recognised Sri Lanka as a ‘Top Wildlife Safaris Outside of Africa’. In addition, the country was ranked ninth in a list of the 50 most Instagrammable places in the world in 2023, based on Big 7 Travel social media data, whilst the destination was also ranked among the top 24 countries to travel in 2023 by TravelTriangle, a leading online holiday marketplace.

Analysts pointed out that the continuous global limelight on Sri Lanka for positive and deserving reasons has been a major boost to showcase the attractiveness of the destination.