Only a short hop across the water from India, our Southern neighbour is a compelling destination for so many reasons. This island nation has only just achieved peace after a brutal 30-year civil war (it ended in 2009), but it is settling into a post-war mood that is impressive and inspiring in equal measure. Three decades of unrest have had, one would be forgiven for thinking, little impact on the sunny dispositions of the people of Sri Lanka. But perhaps it takes knowledge of the dark to bring true appreciation for the sunshine.