Burning bright in Sri Lanka

I’m in Kandy, a mountain city in the beautiful beating heart of exotic Sri Lanka. After decades of war, peace is opening up this wondrous isle. According to travel experts, it will be the destination of 2013 – and during this trip it wasn’t difficult to see why.

We’d arrived in the capital Columbo two days earlier on the brand new British Airways route from Gatwick.

Columbo’s an odd city, where invading Western culture and the old ways sit awkwardly side by side, but it’s vibrant and friendly and certainly worth a good look around. Away from the bland avenues the real city comes to life – bustling markets where sharp-eyed traders sell strange jungle vegetables, and dark corners where careful merchants measure out their tea.

That first night, we visit the Casa Colombo hotel, a fine old colonial outpost long swallowed up by the spread of the busy city. Below the beautifully restored rooms, a huge mango tree sprouts over the swimming pool. When the fruits are ripe, the manager says, they plop gently down into the pool for the swimmers to eat – lovely.

Next morning we set off for Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage, around 55 miles inland from Columbo. Along the way we pass through colourful thriving villages, each vying for the attention of passing drivers with cashew nuts, bamboo winding, glistening coconuts and more. Everything is busy here, nothing is still.

The orphanage was founded in 1975 to house abandoned and wounded elephants, and we’re lucky enough to arrive at bathing time. All 65 elephants have been herded into the nearby river, where we watch excitedly from a few yards away as they splash about having the time of their lives.

Further inland is Sri Lanka’s most visited historic site – magical Sigiriya, the exotic “Fortress In the Sky”. More than 1,500 years ago, playboy King Kasyapa decided to build a pleasure palace on top of a giant rock, which is still perhaps the most fantastic single wonder of this island. You can spot it from miles away, jutting 600ft straight upwards through the jungle with steps winding steeply around its sides. Monkeys chatter in the trees as we walk towards the base through beautiful old river gardens, and when our guide tosses a piece of bread into the water, it is torn apart within seconds by a fizzing pulse of piranhas.

The slog all the way up Sigiriya is probably not for the faint or weak-hearted, but a must for anyone able to take it on. Clamped to the sheer rock face, one of the steep stairways leads up to 21 ancient frescoes of topless damsels who were clearly close friends of His Majesty. A giant stone paw halfway up is all that remains of a huge lion who once stood guarding the entrance. And at the very top, as the misty jungle opens out with distant blue peaks poking through the clouds, you can’t help thinking how marvellous it must have been for that old king to look out knowing he ruled everything in sight.

We stay at the beautiful Amaya Lake Hotel that night, in grand chalets spread out by a shimmering expanse of water. At night the trees explode with life and sound, and bright-burning fireflies flit noiselessly through the gloom.

The next morning we visit a secret garden hidden deep in the jungle, where we are shown how to grow cloves, pepper and other spices I had always taken for granted. Other places to visit in the area include the caves of Dambulla – a vast, isolated rock mass 500ft high with hundreds of hidden Buddhist statues and frescoes showing the history of the Sinhalese people.

Then it’s onwards through winding roads cut into steep mountainsides to Kandy, the ancient hill capital of Sri Lanka. Kandy is a holy and sacred place, in many ways as sweet as its name suggests. However it’s also a proper city with a criss-cross of narrowish streets thronged with friendly traders hawking everything from door knockers to dried fish. Hidden in darkened bars on every street, welcoming locals lean on sideboards drinking “arak”, a knockout local drink and well worth a glass. A must-see on the tourist trail is the Temple Of The Sacred Tooth Relic, home to Sri Lanka’s most prized possession – the Buddha’s tooth.

That night I face my first fire walk at Kandy’s famous Cultural Show, after foolishly taking up a challenge from our tour guide. The monks had managed to walk the fire without a grimace, but I’m terrified as I place my feet gingerly on the sizzling coals. Afterwards the monks and tourists shake my hand and I’m even dubbed an “honorary Sri Lankan”, but an hour later my left foot began to tingle and the blisters soon sprung up. I wouldn’t put fire walking down on the “things to do” list if I were you.

On our final full day, we visit a tea plantation, where smiling workers show us how the glossy leaves are dried, powdered and made ready for teacups thousands of miles away. Then we travel back to the west coast, where we check in at the glorious hotel Vivanta. Right on the beach, washed over by warm breezes from the Indian Ocean, the hotel is the perfect place to rest weary (and blistered) feet.

And the next morning, it’s time to go home – but none of us want to leave so soon. Sri Lanka is a gorgeous, intoxicating place with so much to offer, even during a short trip. I may have left with a bandaged foot, but I also took away golden memories I will treasure for years to come.

• British Airways offers a nine-night Taste Of Ceylon package including a six-night tour plus a three-night B&B stay at the five-star Vivanta by Taj, Bentota in Sri Lanka from £1,769 per person in September (includes return flights from Gatwick and half-board accommodation on the tour). Visit ba.com/srilanka or call 0844 4930758
• British Airways has partnered with boutique hotel specialists Mr & Mrs Smith Hotels to offer holiday packages exclusively on ba.com and offers seven nights at the five-star Casa Colombo from £1,099 per person in September (includes return flights from Gatwick and accommodation with breakfast. For reservations visit ba.com/mrandmrssmith or call 0844 4930758