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Zinara Rathnayake

Zinara Rathnayake

Zinara Rathnayake is an independent journalist based in Asia. She writes about travel, food and culture. Her work has appeared on the BBC and CNN, in The Guardian, Atlas Obscura and elsewhere.

Staged as part of Sri Lanka’s Galle Literary Festival, the historic town’s Art Trail offers exhibitions, open houses and artists’ tours to provide an ‘alternative experience’ for visitors.

The food of Laos has often been confused with Thai food, but it is different, with less use of spice and more fresh, local herbs, as a visit to tourist hotspot Luang Prabang, with its plethora of food choices, illustrates.

Sri Lanka is rebounding after the pandemic and political upheaval, and people in the tourist industry are optimistic about the future and ready to welcome tourists again.

Goa is known for beaches, cheap drinks and parties, but local entrepreneurs are running tours that highlight the state’s culture, cuisine, laid-back attitudes and multicultural identity.

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An initiative being run in the Indian Himalayas is attracting workers from across the country for extended stays where they can focus on their work, away from their normal environment.

Born in London and raised in Sri Lanka, designer Amesh Wijesekera’s collections are bright, flowery and romantic – and deliberately not gender-specific because he believes fashion should be inclusive.