the globe says
Sri Lanka
Fly to Colombo, then the rebuilt northern railway line — six hours through the Vanni to the Tamil capital.
A colonial-era guesthouse near the fort, ceiling fans and crow calls.
A proud Tamil Hindu world the rest of Sri Lanka's tourism never touches: towering temple gopurams, Palmyra toddy, island causeways, crab curry that ruins all other crab.
Eat Jaffna crab curry at a family restaurant, then take the causeway and ferry out to Nainativu island temple.
February to September
Vanakkam — the Tamil greeting, hands together.
A Passage North by Anuk Arudpragasam — the war's long shadow, in Booker-shortlisted prose.
Delft island's wild ponies and coral-wall ruins, two ferries away.
The war ended in 2009 but its weight is present everywhere — travel with historical awareness and tact.