LIKE a well-brewed cup of tea, Sri Lanka is golden says DUNCAN WRIGHT

Few places combine beautiful beaches with fascinating wildlife and thousands of years of history to explore.

But Sri Lanka does - and without a price tag running way into four figures.

This is a country combining golden sands and the warm waters of the Indian Ocean with treks into the jungle, where you can roam with elephants, see leopards and spend hours watching native monkeys at play.

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Then there's the evidence of the country's complex history - 2,000-year-old ruins, ornate temples and tea plantations. Holidaymakers have been put off by the civil war in the north. But that fighting ended 18 months ago, full democratic elections have been held and the old divisions have been healed.

We felt totally safe. The locals were so friendly and the food is unbelievably tasty - and cheap.

Of course, flying to Sri Lanka will cost more than to Europe, but the cost of living is so low you end up saving during the trip.

One option is to take in a few days on one of the west coast beaches before flying off to the Maldives. The paradise islands are an hour's flight from Sri Lanka's capital Colombo.

But if I were you, I'd stay put and experience everything Sri Lanka has to offer before the secret is out and everyone flocks there.

Motorways are currently being built, which will halve journey times. But it's still possible to travel around the best bits.

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An ideal combo is a few days in the country's Cultural Triangle before moving on to the relaxing beach resorts. Through many tour companies you can travel around with other tourists on a minibus, or get your own driver to guide you.

Having touched down in Colombo after an 11½-hour flight, we were met by our driver for a three-hour journey into the heart of the jungle.

A highlight was a stop at the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage, home to about 60 elephants, many of which were babies abandoned in the wild.

They are being cared for, fed and trained by the wildlife authorities and you can walk among them.

The best time to visit is during feeding when you can see the babies being bottle-fed and then follow them down to the river to watch them have a bath.

Then we headed to Sigiriya and its ancient city, a World Heritage Site.

Using the Hotel Sigiriya as a base, we spent two days exploring Sigiriya Rock - a 600ft monument springing from the ruins of King Kasyapa's fortress complex.

It's a tough climb up 1,100 steps but at the top you are rewarded with more ruins of the King's palace, well preserved frescoes and views across the jungle.

You can also the visit the lost city of Polonnaruwa, which, at almost 1,000 years old, is one of the ancient capital cities. It has imposing buildings, ornate parks and a huge lake bordering the jungle - if you're lucky you might see elephants taking a dip.

Buddhism is the national religion, so on day three we moved on to the cave temples of Dambulla - where Buddhist monks and local followers make a daily pilgrimage. Carved into the rock, these caves provided refuge to King Valagamba for 14 years when he was exiled in the 1st Century BC.

The intricate paintings and carved statues are beautifully preserved.

After a night in the Mahaweli Reach resort, used by the England cricket team, we visited the historical capital of Kandy.

This bustling city gives a taste of the "real" Sri Lanka. While there we visited the Royal Palace and Temple of the Tooth, one of the biggest places of pilgrimage for Buddhists.

Sri Lanka is most famous for its tea, so try to visit one of the plantations that rise 2,000 metres above sea level.
You'll see women clambering up and down the mountains plucking the leaves for £3 a day and then get the chance to sample and buy some of the finest, freshest tea you've tasted.

High up in the mountains we stumbled across Nuwara Eliya, known as Little England for its colonial-style buildings and houses dating back to the days of British rule.

The quaint décor of the St Andrew's Hotel takes you back to the 1800s. You can take tea on the terrace and play billiards or snooker on a 115-year-old table.

After a few days clambering up mountains, over rocks and through jungles, we were ready to relax. The five-star beach resort Bentota was perfect.

Set on a peninsula with the Indian Ocean on one side and a freshwater lake on the other, you can wind down in luxury by the pool.

If you do feel energetic, try water-skiing, deep-sea fishing or scuba diving.

The food at Bentota is a choice of western and local dishes.

Back in Colombo, you can get delicious food for a couple of quid.

One thing Sri Lanka does lack is nightlife. There isn't much going on, especially in the capital. But then, nobody's perfect.

FACT FILE
DUNCAN stayed at Hotel Sigiriya, which costs from £18 a night.

He also stayed at Mahaweli Reach, from £27, Jetwing St Andrew's, from £22, and Bentota Beach Hotel, from £29.
All rates are per person per night, including breakfast, and can be booked through sensesholidays.co.uk Return flights with Sri Lankan Airlines cost from £543 return, including taxes. Visit srilankan.lk or call 0208 538 2001 to book.

For further information on Sri Lanka see the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau's website srilanka.travel or call 0845 880 6333 (ext 201).