20 Photos to Inspire You to Visit Sri Lanka • The Blonde Abroad

Wonder why they call Sri Lanka “The Pearl of the Indian Ocean?” Well I found out.

Going into my first trip to the island destination, I didn’t know what to expect. I was blown away by the stunning landscapes of the Sri Lankan countrysides. There’s definitely no shortage of natural beauty between the tropical, green mountains, overgrown forests, sparkling coastlines and lush rivers!

One of my most memorable moments was climbing Sigiriya, an ancient rock fortress, and discovering an incredible 360-degree view. And then while I thought climbing Sigiriya had the most incredible view I could get, I shortly discovered that the view of it from atop Pidurangala Rock at sunset looking back at Sigiriya might take the cake.

During my 10 days there, I got to embark on my first ever safari- 2 in fact- in both Minneriya National Park and Udawalawe National Park.

We saw so many elephants and wildlife in a short amount if time… it was an amazing experience!

Other highlights were visiting the local community of Hiriwadunna for a traditional Sri Lankan cooking class, touring a Virgin White Tea plantation in southern Sri Lanka, exploring the historical town of Galle, and a ride up the magical Madu River.

I’ll definitely be back to visit Sri Lanka in the near future!

READ NEXT: A Guide to North Central Sri Lanka

The Best Time to Travel to Sri Lanka

A Guide to Southern Sri Lanka

The Ultimate Guide to Solo Female Travel

6 Fears You Face as a Solo Female Traveler

Ten Mistakes Made by Solo Female Travelers

How to Avoid Overpacking for a Trip

The Ultimate Travel Gear Packing Guide

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Just a girl who wants both… luxury AND adventure. 🏔️✨

And Gardena Grödnerhof in Ortisei might be one of my favorite examples of exactly that!
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
We spent our days exploring some of the most iconic sights in the Dolomites, then came back to the comforts of an incredible five-star hotel. Even traveling with a four-year-old, getting out and exploring felt surprisingly effortless.

A few things that made our stay so special:

📍 THE LOCATION: Right in the heart of Ortisei, a charming, walkable mountain town with easy access to Seceda, Alpe di Siusi, and some of the Dolomites’ most beautiful scenery.

🛏️ THE ROOMS: We stayed in the Chalet Seceda Suite, complete with a huge balcony, mountain views, a fireplace, and even our own private sauna!

🧸 FOR THE KIDS: A fantastic kids club, kid-sized robes and slippers, play areas, and thoughtful little details that make traveling as a family so much easier.

🧖🏼‍♀️ THE WELLNESS: A beautiful spa with an indoor pool, outdoor whirlpool, saunas, and plenty of ways to relax after a day in the mountains.

🍝 THE FOOD: Two restaurants, including Michelin-starred Anna Stuben, and an incredible breakfast spread (complete with a juicing room).

What made this hotel so special was how accessible the adventure felt. We could have these huge days exploring the mountains and come back to somewhere so comfortable, with incredible food, a beautiful spa, and everything we needed to relax.

It was the perfect way to end our time in the Dolomites!
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Save this one for your next trip to the Italian Alps! 🇮🇹

@gardenagroednerhof #gardenagrödnerhof @kiwicollection #carewhereyoustay #Dolomites #Ortisei

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Open post by theblondeabroad with ID 18116831827799474

Just a girl who wants both… luxury AND adventure. 🏔️✨

And Gardena Grödnerhof in Ortisei might be one of my favorite examples of exactly that!
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
We spent our days exploring some of the most iconic sights in the Dolomites, then came back to the comforts of an incredible five-star hotel. Even traveling with a four-year-old, getting out and exploring felt surprisingly effortless.

A few things that made our stay so special:

📍 THE LOCATION: Right in the heart of Ortisei, a charming, walkable mountain town with easy access to Seceda, Alpe di Siusi, and some of the Dolomites’ most beautiful scenery.

🛏️ THE ROOMS: We stayed in the Chalet Seceda Suite, complete with a huge balcony, mountain views, a fireplace, and even our own private sauna!

🧸 FOR THE KIDS: A fantastic kids club, kid-sized robes and slippers, play areas, and thoughtful little details that make traveling as a family so much easier.

🧖🏼‍♀️ THE WELLNESS: A beautiful spa with an indoor pool, outdoor whirlpool, saunas, and plenty of ways to relax after a day in the mountains.

🍝 THE FOOD: Two restaurants, including Michelin-starred Anna Stuben, and an incredible breakfast spread (complete with a juicing room).

What made this hotel so special was how accessible the adventure felt. We could have these huge days exploring the mountains and come back to somewhere so comfortable, with incredible food, a beautiful spa, and everything we needed to relax.

It was the perfect way to end our time in the Dolomites!
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Save this one for your next trip to the Italian Alps! 🇮🇹

@gardenagroednerhof #gardenagrödnerhof @kiwicollection #carewhereyoustay #Dolomites #Ortisei

Our @tbaescapes Maldives trip is back for its third year — April 10–17, 2027! 🐠🌴
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There aren’t many trips I’d happily do over and over again, but this is definitely one of them.

We spend seven nights on our own private yacht with an incredible group of women, diving and snorkeling some of the most beautiful reefs in the Maldives, eating way too much good food, doing yoga, getting massages and basically living on (and in) the water for a week.

And you do NOT have to be a scuba diver to join us!

That’s one of my favorite things about this trip. You can pick whichever package sounds most like your ideal week:

🤿 Scuba: 12 dives + 2 spa treatments
🤿💆‍♀️ Scuba + Spa: 6 dives + 4 spa treatments
💆‍♀️ Spa: 8 spa treatments + no diving

Want more of either? You can add extra dives or spa treatments during the trip too.

***

📍 Maldives
🗓 April 10–17, 2027
👯‍♀️ Private, all-female yacht charter
🐠 Incredible snorkeling
💆‍♀️ 300m² spa spread across two decks
🧘‍♀️ Daily yoga
🍽 All-inclusive dining
🌅 Sandbank sunsets + a moonlit beach BBQ
🛥 Just 20 women

***

Some cabin categories are already SOLD OUT, and we don’t currently have another departure scheduled.

So if you’ve always wanted to go to the Maldives but the whole honeymoon-resort thing isn’t exactly your vibe… this is YOUR Maldives trip. 💙
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
👇 Click the link below for the full itinerary, available cabins + pricing, or comment MALDIVES and I’ll send you all the details!

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Open post by theblondeabroad with ID 17951570499276180

Our @tbaescapes Maldives trip is back for its third year — April 10–17, 2027! 🐠🌴
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
There aren’t many trips I’d happily do over and over again, but this is definitely one of them.

We spend seven nights on our own private yacht with an incredible group of women, diving and snorkeling some of the most beautiful reefs in the Maldives, eating way too much good food, doing yoga, getting massages and basically living on (and in) the water for a week.

And you do NOT have to be a scuba diver to join us!

That’s one of my favorite things about this trip. You can pick whichever package sounds most like your ideal week:

🤿 Scuba: 12 dives + 2 spa treatments
🤿💆‍♀️ Scuba + Spa: 6 dives + 4 spa treatments
💆‍♀️ Spa: 8 spa treatments + no diving

Want more of either? You can add extra dives or spa treatments during the trip too.

***

📍 Maldives
🗓 April 10–17, 2027
👯‍♀️ Private, all-female yacht charter
🐠 Incredible snorkeling
💆‍♀️ 300m² spa spread across two decks
🧘‍♀️ Daily yoga
🍽 All-inclusive dining
🌅 Sandbank sunsets + a moonlit beach BBQ
🛥 Just 20 women

***

Some cabin categories are already SOLD OUT, and we don’t currently have another departure scheduled.

So if you’ve always wanted to go to the Maldives but the whole honeymoon-resort thing isn’t exactly your vibe… this is YOUR Maldives trip. 💙
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
👇 Click the link below for the full itinerary, available cabins + pricing, or comment MALDIVES and I’ll send you all the details!

Turns out you can fit a lot of life into one year. 🤍
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Moving abroad with a four-year-old while running multiple businesses from the road has been equal parts incredible, chaotic, exhausting and unforgettable.

For the past six months, my AMD Ryzen AI-powered laptop has come along for all of it… from Cape Town to Europe and everywhere in between.

It’s lightweight enough to travel with me, powerful enough to keep up with my million open tabs, and the battery life has genuinely exceeded my expectations.

There are definitely easier ways to live 😂 But I wouldn’t trade this adventure for anything.

Here’s to building a life that makes sense to you!
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
@AMD #ad #AMDPartner #AMDRyzenAIPower

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Open post by theblondeabroad with ID 18105147383615878

Turns out you can fit a lot of life into one year. 🤍
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Moving abroad with a four-year-old while running multiple businesses from the road has been equal parts incredible, chaotic, exhausting and unforgettable.

For the past six months, my AMD Ryzen AI-powered laptop has come along for all of it… from Cape Town to Europe and everywhere in between.

It’s lightweight enough to travel with me, powerful enough to keep up with my million open tabs, and the battery life has genuinely exceeded my expectations.

There are definitely easier ways to live 😂 But I wouldn’t trade this adventure for anything.

Here’s to building a life that makes sense to you!
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
@AMD #ad #AMDPartner #AMDRyzenAIPower

We call them “cow wind chimes” 🐄🔔⛰️
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
No trending audio could ever compete with this.

Just me and my little guy wandering around Lake Trübsee, surrounded by the happiest cows making their little mountain music.

Sound on for this one! 🤍
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
📍 Lake Trübsee, Mt. Titlis, Switzerland

#LakeTrübsee #Engelberg #SwissAlps #SwitzerlandTravel #VisitSwitzerland

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Open post by theblondeabroad with ID 18138260548617510

We call them “cow wind chimes” 🐄🔔⛰️
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
No trending audio could ever compete with this.

Just me and my little guy wandering around Lake Trübsee, surrounded by the happiest cows making their little mountain music.

Sound on for this one! 🤍
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
📍 Lake Trübsee, Mt. Titlis, Switzerland

#LakeTrübsee #Engelberg #SwissAlps #SwitzerlandTravel #VisitSwitzerland

Could I pack lighter? Yes.
Will I? The evidence suggests otherwise. 😮‍💨
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Overpacking is genuinely one of my biggest travel shortcomings.

I simply cannot travel anywhere with a carry-on only. Weekend getaway? Beach vacation? Summer in Europe?

Doesn’t matter where or for how long… I will absolutely be arriving with 1–2 checked bags and *so many* regrets as I drag them across cobblestone streets.

I love travel style so much that my wardrobe is essentially costumes. I have the perfect outfit for a small fishing village in the south of France but “nothing to wear” at home.

Beach Kiki, boat Kiki, Paris Kiki, Cotswolds Liki, hiking Kiki, fancy dinner Kiki… they’re all coming and they each packed separately.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Anyways, if this speaks to you, I’ve linked my most-asked-about outfits from our summer in Europe on my LTK!

Comment “LTK” for a link or tap the link below ❤️

1242 192

Open post by theblondeabroad with ID 18629738554049110

Could I pack lighter? Yes.
Will I? The evidence suggests otherwise. 😮‍💨
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Overpacking is genuinely one of my biggest travel shortcomings.

I simply cannot travel anywhere with a carry-on only. Weekend getaway? Beach vacation? Summer in Europe?

Doesn’t matter where or for how long… I will absolutely be arriving with 1–2 checked bags and *so many* regrets as I drag them across cobblestone streets.

I love travel style so much that my wardrobe is essentially costumes. I have the perfect outfit for a small fishing village in the south of France but “nothing to wear” at home.

Beach Kiki, boat Kiki, Paris Kiki, Cotswolds Liki, hiking Kiki, fancy dinner Kiki… they’re all coming and they each packed separately.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Anyways, if this speaks to you, I’ve linked my most-asked-about outfits from our summer in Europe on my LTK!

Comment “LTK” for a link or tap the link below ❤️

Cancel reply

Tshewang Penjor

Hi,
Nice blog and awesome pictures of Sri Lanka. Shots taken of Elephant was really brilliant. Visit Bhutan also- Only carbon negative country in the World

Cheers
Tshewang

August 28, 2019 at 8:09 pm · Reply

The Blonde Abroad

It’s definitely on my list, thank you for sharing!

August 29, 2019 at 7:33 pm · Reply

Ryan

Hi,
Its very interesting to read & then eye-catching images…The great effort

September 19, 2019 at 10:10 pm · Reply

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Wonder why they call Sri Lanka “The Pearl of the Indian Ocean?” Well I found out.

We saw so many elephants and wildlife in a short amount if time… it was an amazing experience!

I’ll definitely be back to visit Sri Lanka in the near future!

READ NEXT: A Guide to North Central Sri Lanka

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