New year, new you? How about New Year, new books? Make the most of the winter months in 2018 by stocking up on travel reads that nourish your inner explorer and establish literary bliss.

From pictorial pleasures and global culinary creations, to an enlightening look at India’s ravishing heritage, it’s time to clear out your bookshelf and make room for these five captivating finds.

From ancient cave temples to buzzing local markets fragrant with spices, spectacular beaches to verdant hilltop tea plantations, there are plenty of reasons to visit Sri Lanka, with its natural beauty and vibrant culture. Small in size, it offers an impressive variety of experiences to suit every traveler, whether you’re looking to spot a leopard in the wild, enjoy fantastic cuisine, catch some world-class waves or soak up the culture at one of several UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Here are six reasons why you should visit Sri Lanka this year.

The Tea Plantations

Sri Lanka is world famous for its Ceylon tea, and visitors can learn about how this popular brew is made with a trip to the hill country. The British introduced tea plantations to Sri Lanka in the mid 1800s, in attempt to rival Chinese tea production. Today, tea is still very much a booming business and one of the country’s largest exports. Visit Nuwara Eliya, where you can try your hand at traditional tea leaf picking, meet local tea pluckers and, of course, sample a cup of extraordinarily fresh tea for yourself.

Look between the Okanagan Valley’s mountainous peaks, fruit orchards and breathtaking lake and you’re sure to find world-class wineries, known internationally for producing excellent fruit and hybrid wines.

Today, the Okanagan Valley is British Columbia’s foremost winemaking region, and is home to over 172 wineries and counting. Spanning over 2,400 hectares, this winemaking area is spilt into sub regions that each have their own distinctive climates and soil varieties, allowing a greater range of wines to be produced here.

The Okanagan Valley has been used for winemaking since the 19th century; the first winery opened here in the mid 1800s, producing only communion wine. However, the Prohibition of the early 20th century put a stop to any development of wine production in the area until the 1930s. By the 1970s, the Okanagan Valley’s winemakers had started production in earnest and today the region is home to over 60 grape varieties, from rich Merlot to aromatic Riesling.