After the terror: UAE residents still see Sri Lanka as a treasured isle

The nation was left reeling following the Easter Sunday bombings but visitors from the Emirates see themselves returning to a place close to their hearts

Steve Luckings, British: It’s not often I get to the end of a family holiday where I’m not desperate to return home to creature comforts. However, by day 10 of our recent trip to Sri Lanka, the kicking and screaming (myself included) was because none of us wanted to leave. After a night in Colombo we took a train ride to the hilltop region of Kandy. We booked the observation deck and were treated to breathtaking landscape and the lushest greens. We then headed south to Galle to see the famous fort and watch aspiring cricketers knock the ball to all corners of the picturesque cricket stadium. Next stop was a little further along the coast to Mirissa where the “guarantee to see dolphins and whales” tour guide signs were as good as their words. For residents of the UAE with a young family, Sri Lanka is the ideal holiday destination: Four hours or less flying to Colombo, the most impossibly polite and friendly people and, more importantly, it’s cheap.

Ian Oxborrow

May 01, 2019

Just a four-hour flight away, it was hard for UAE residents to ignore Sri Lanka as an ideal destination to relax and unwind.

Secluded beaches, value for money and sunshine (with a rainy season if that's what you crave), made the island nation a No 1 choice for thousands from the Emirates.

Whether in the latter stages of life and seeking some historical discovery, or a youngster chasing surf and nights out, the country was appealing for all.

Sri Lankans pray in the street near St Anthony's Shrine a week after the attacks that killed over 250 people. Getty Images

Sri Lanka bans face veils following Easter Sunday bombings

My Kind of Place: Tangalle, Sri Lanka

Then came the tragedy of the Easter Sunday bombings, which killed nearly 300 people at three churches and four hotels, most of which were in the capital Colombo.

As a result, Sri Lanka is forecasting a 25 per cent drop in visitor numbers compared to last year, but is hopeful of a rebound by the end of 2019 as security is stepped up.

For those living in the UAE who have already visited the country, their experiences shine brightly in the memory bank.

You can read the accounts of some of those who have visited in recent years in the slideshow at the top of the page.