I went to the exotic island named the most beautiful in the world – and it's about to be even easier to visit
ISLE GO I went to the exotic island named the most beautiful in the world – and it's about to be even easier to visit
THE world's most beautiful islands have been revealed - and the top spot is about to be easier to travel to from the UK.
Big 7 Travel announced their annual top 50 best islands in the world, with Sri Lanka coming in no.1.
Advertisement
6
The most beautiful island in the world has been revealed
Credit: Alamy
6
I visited back in 2023 - and was shocked by the variety of activities
They explained: "This teardrop-shaped island off the southern coast of India has it all, from golden beaches to terraced tea plantations.
"Whiling away blissful days beach-hopping along the 833-mile coastline is part of the charm, but Sri Lanka offers much more beyond the shore.
"Itineraries fill up quickly here, between the timeworn temples, colonial towns, misty mountains, and wildlife safaris in Yala National Park, home to tigers and elephants."
I was lucky enough to visit back in 2023, and realised quickly how the island really does have everything despite it's size.
Advertisement
Being slightly smaller than the size of Ireland, I explored more than half of the island in just a week, travelling from the west to the south.
One of the main draws of Sri Lanka are the 6,000 elephants on the island, many of which are free-roaming.
I was left in awe during a private safari tour when we stumbled across a huge herd of them, relaxing in the fields.
Don't worry about forgoing your morning cuppa - popular on the island is tea with huge plantations scattered throughout.
Advertisement
A word of warning for foodies - the spice levels are up a notch from the standard UK Sri Lankan curries.
But the delicious food is worth the steam coming out of your ears, as I gorged on rice and poppadoms and freshly cooked dishes.
The exotic holiday island with beautiful beaches and elephant safaris
You'll easily be able to catch a cricket game as well, remaining as a huge part of the culture following the British colonization of the island.
Brits can even drive on the left side of the road, so getting around the island by car is easy.
Advertisement
Not only that, but the island also has award-winning hotels, Cape Weligama which is often named one of the best hotels in the world.
I sadly only stayed for one night, so was sad to miss the many activities from whale-watching trips to free-cocktail happy hours.
I instead spent my evening in the beautiful crescent moon-shaped pool overlooking the ocean.
I also stayed at Jetwing Vil Uyana, named one of the best eco-hotels in the world with its own infinity pool and Slender Loris book private tours.
Advertisement
6
I squeezed in amazing food, beautiful beaches, award-winning hotels and stunning nature
6
Wild elephants also roam the island
Credit: Alamy
6
Brits soon won't have to pay for a visa to visit Sri Lanka either
Credit: Alamy
And of course the island has award-winning beaches including Unawatuna Beach - said to be the best on the island - or Hiriketiya for surfers.
Advertisement
If all of this has persuaded you to book a holiday, its about to be even easier to visit from the UK.
Sri Lanka has confirmed plans to scrap visa fees for 33 countries, which includes the UK.
This means Brits could save £37.50 each - meaning more than £100 for families.
Tourists will instead have be able to apply for a much faster, and free, electronic travel authorisation.
Advertisement
An official start date is yet to be confirmed.
The cheapest direct flights operate from London Heathrow to Colombo from £627 with Sri Lankan Airlines, taking around 11 hours.
Or you can book week-long TUI holiday packages from £912 each.
6
Flights take around 11 hours
Credit: Getty
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
3 hours ago
- Metro
Man picks 'dirt from under his partner's toenails' during easyJet flight
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A holidaymaker saw a fellow passenger 'pick dirt from under his partner's toenails' during an EasyJet flight. Erin Butcher, 27, had been enjoying a seven-day family holiday in Tenerife, Spain, when her return journey home took a nasty twist. When looking around in the packed plane, she saw a woman's bare feet splayed out on a tray table. The fashion merchandiser from Southwark, London, said she felt 'disgusted' when noticing a man then appeared to be giving her a makeshift pedicure. Footage shows how he used his bare hands to flick bits of dirt off her manicured toenails. The couple continued the bizarre grooming activity for around 20 minutes, Erin claimed, and were unfazed by other passengers' confused reactions. The holidaymaker said the toenail incident was a 'depressing' way to end her week-long holiday. She said: 'I felt so disgusted and I couldn't believe it. 'The partner was sprawled across the seats with her feet on the tray table, which was shocking enough. 'Her partner then started picking at her toenails and flicking little bits [of dirt] everywhere. It was disgusting. 'I was absolutely horrified. I was with my family and none of us could actually believe what was happening.' Erin described the activity as 'questionable' but felt relieved she was not sat next to them on the over the four-hour trip home. She continued: 'Even to do that in the privacy of your own home is questionable but to put them on a tray table where people are eating off all day. 'I was relieved I wasn't sitting next to them. I had the perfect view from my aisle seat which is horrifying. I couldn't really take my eyes off even though I wanted to.' She labelled the couple's toenail session as 'unhygenic' and said most passengers laughed at the pair, while others seemed horrified. Erin said: 'As if things aren't depressing enough when your week in the sun has just ended and you're faced with toe picking the whole way home.' When the Londoner shared the video on TikTok, many users expressed their disgust in the comments. More Trending One user simply wrote, 'totally gross', while another said, 'save it for later'. Another commenter suggested toenail picking should not be tolerated in any situation, adding: 'That's disgusting anywhere'. A different user simply asked the question: 'Why on earth?' Metro has approached EasyJet for a comment. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: British holidaymakers terrified after plane tyre explodes on take-off MORE: Billionaire hotel tycoon reveals £25,000,000,000 Heathrow expansion plan MORE: Ryanair axes all flights to three European destinations — including a winter break hotspot
Daily Mirror
4 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Holiday hotspots where vapes can get you fines and 10-year prison sentences
Many holiday destinations have serious laws on vaping where travellers could be fined or worse jailed on holiday, warnings have been issued to travellers to ensure they know the rules before they fly These are the holiday hotspots where vapes can land you in serious trouble. Travellers may be fined, detained or even jailed for taking or using their vapes in these countries. The UK have cracked down on their own vaping laws and these popular holiday destinations also have their own that must be taken seriously. Experts at Vape Ease UK have warned British travellers to check laws before flying as there are many destinations where travellers could be in for a shock and serious action has been taken on vaping. From Thailand and India's jail time to Mexico and Singapore bans, tourists have been issued serious warnings. It comes after a flight attendant urges tourists to always leave a shoe in their hotel room safe. Turkey More than 4.4 million Brits visited Turkey in the last year and due to its popularity it's necessary to know the vaping laws. The country bans the sale of vapes, whilst using them is allowed only in certain areas like smoking zones. Travellers can only bring one device, spare pods or refill bottles that are no greater than 30ml in volume or up to 10 disposable vapes per person. You must also be 19 years old to vape in Turkey. According to e-cigarettes and e-liquids are also classed as tobacco products so all the restrictions applied to smoking also apply to vaping. India Vaping in India has been banned since 2019 when they introduced the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA) which banned everything to do with electronic nicotine products - production, sales, imports, exports, transport, storage and advertisement. E-cigarettes cover all types: refillable vapes, disposable vapes, heat-not-burn (HnB) products, and E-hookahs. Travellers can face fines, imprisonment or both if caught doing any of the above. First time offenders who violate the ban could face up to one year in prison, or a fine of £1000 or both. For subsequent offences, this would increase to 5 years imprisonment and a fine of £5000. Denmark Whilst vaping in Denmark is legal there are certain rules and restrictions that apply: such as the age limit of 18 years old where you can purchase and use vapes. Flavoured E-liquids are banned which came into effect in April 2021, only tobacco-flavoured ones are allowed. Vaping is allowed in public places but not in all areas such as on public transport, schools and childcare facilities, and certain indoor spaces like bars and restaurants may have their own policies so you must check. UAE (Dubai and Abu Dhabi) Vaping is legal in the UAE but must meet the standards set by the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (ESMA). Like most countries you must be at least 18 to purchase a vape in the UAE. There are designated areas where people can vape. If these rules are not followed then penalties can include a minimum imprisonment of one year for serious offences and a fine ranging from £20 000 to £200 000. Australia Australia's approach to vaping is a medical one as of July 2024, all vaping products can only be sold in a pharmacy for the purpose of assisting those that are trying to quit smoking or manage their nicotine. From March 2024, travellers entering the country can only bring a small quantity of vapes with them. The vapes must only be for the traveller's treatment or someone they are caring for. The maximum allowed is 2 vapes in total, 20 vape accessories and 200ml of vape substance liquid. Mexico The sale of vapes in Mexico is generally banned, and there are certain public places where a vape is not allowed in: Indoor public spaces (bars, restaurants, shops and government buildings), workplaces and public transport. When travelling they advise, to pack it in your checked luggage, carry a small amount of e-liquid and if questioned by customs officials to answer any questions about your vape and its intended use. Thailand Thailand have some of the strictest rules overall as e-cigarettes are illegal since 2014. Anyone found breaking this law could be arrested and face jail time of up to 10 years or fined up to £700. Travellers are advised not to bring any e-cigarettes with them or any item associated with them. Travellers should be aware of the ban beforehand as tourists in the past have been arrested before having not known. Hong Kong Hong Kong state imports, manufacture, and sale of vapes have been banned since 2022 but not the use of it, however laws are set to change by early to mid 2026. Breaking these laws will result in heavy fines of up to £200 000. Japan Japan vaping laws are heavily regulated, nicotine e-liquids are classified as medicinal products and travellers can only bring up to 120ml of e-liquid. Non -nicotine vapes are allowed and do not face restrictions. Vaping in public spaces is strictly banned unless in a designated smoking zone. They have strict penalties in place for those who break these rules with heavy fines or imprisonment. Singapore Singapore have a zero-tolerance policy with vaping that includes importing, selling or using e-cigarettes as illegal. You can face fines of up to £2300, legal trouble and confiscations at customs if seen with a vape. A spokesperson from Vape Ease UK warned travellers that the "last thing anyone wants is to be detained or fined on holiday. In places like Thailand and Hong Kong, the laws are shockingly strict. When in doubt - leave your vape behind." It is not worth the risk bringing your vape on holiday. Help us improve our content by completing the survey below. We'd love to hear from you!
Scottish Sun
7 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
The ancient seaside town featuring in a new ITV drama – and you can stay for £26
THE new ITV drama Karen Pirie has viewers gripped, and they can't help but check out the backdrop of Scotland too. One of the filming locations included in the second series is Kinghorn in Fife, which has a beautiful coastline and a holiday park along the bay that offers stays from just £26. 5 ITV series Karen Pirie filmed in various places around Scotland Credit: Rex 5 One of those was Kinghorn in Fife Credit: Alamy Kinghorn is a coastal town and popular seaside resort in Fife. It's got rich history too dating back to the Mesolithic era, it's also known as "Kingdom of Fife" and was once the home of many Scottish monarchs. Nowadays it is well-known for its two sandy beaches, Kinghorn Harbour beach and Pettycur Bay beach, which are what is listed as the best thing to do on Tripadvisor. One visitor to Pettycur Bay wrote: "Just love this little gem! When the tide is out there's a ridiculously huge expansive beach that goes for miles. "It's never mobbed there I can't understand why because it's an awesome place. On a clear day, there are good views of the Forth bridges." Anyone who wants to head to Kinghorn on a break can stay at the Pettycur Bay Holiday Park. The park is found on a hill overlooking the Firth of Forth, so you will almost always have the best views around. As for facilities, the Pettycur Bay Holiday Park has an indoor swimming pool, amusement arcade, and children's play areas both indoors and outdoors. There's also a restaurant, a lounge bar and live entertainment like quizzes, magic shows and singers. As for where to stay, you can choose from five different types of caravans which vary in style, quality, and features. New Center Parcs to open in Scotland with 700 lodges 5 The holiday park looks over Pettycur Bay Credit: Alamy 5 Facilities include a swimming pool and gaming arcade Credit: Pettycur The caravan's range from two stars, like Raith, to Balbirnie which is the executive five stars caravan. Guests can also stay on the Pettycur Bay campsite with pitches from £26 per night. When one writer visited Pettycur Bay Holiday Park, he said that it felt like he was in a "different world." He continued to add that supplies could be picked up at the small shop in the Bay Hotel, less than a five-minute walk away. And with a swimming pool, bar and restaurant there was actually no need to venture outside the park. The holiday park is also one hour away from the popular cities of St Andrews and Edinburgh. Currently, Kinghorn in Fife is starring in the ITV detective drama, Karen Pirie. Other filming locations include Loch Locmond, Glasgow, Glenrothes, and the historic Caiplie Caves. Plus, the Center Parcs boss reveals what to expect from brand new holiday park in Scotland – and future village locations. And the popular seaside town dubbed a 'must-visit' set for HUGE £16million retail and restaurant development.
