Sri Lanka, the name meaning "Resplendent Island", is a beautiful island which hangs as a teardrop under India. Once colonized by the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British – who all left their traces -, this land of tea, spices and precious stones not only has impressive Buddhist ruins at Polonnaruwa, an amazing rockpalace at Sigiriya and the famed Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, but splendid beaches, spectacular festivals and an abundance of wildlife as well.