This week we are talking with Malik Fernando, one of the cofounders of Resplendent Ceylon, Sri Lanka’s first Relais & Chateaux properties. Malik always knew that he would be helping his father with the family tea business. When he was offered an internship at McKinsey & Company after graduating from university in Boston, he declined and moved back to Sri Lanka. Malik then began working and overseeing the tea making process for Dilmah tea, a company his father started in the 1950s. Dilmah tea is found worldwide on airlines like Emirates & Qatar and at the world’s finest hotels. Malik speaks about Sri Lanka’s beauty, of the gorgeous waterfalls, landscapes and green rolling hills. He also shares about nature and the biodiversity of the small island. He couldn’t find any luxury accommodations with an all inclusive, personalized level of service while still feeling like home and that’s when he began to build the additional properties now a part of Resplendent Ceylon. The unmatched diversity on this small island, about the size of West Virginia, allows travelers to see both unique animals and experience jungles and pristine beaches. Malik also shares an interesting fact about cinnamon and how most cinnamon around the world is actually cassia, a cousin of cinnamon produced in places like Vietnam and China. 93% of the pure cinnamon in the world is produced in Sri Lanka. It is the kind of place you need to experience to really understand the magic it holds. Today on The Intrepid Traveler:Meet Malik Fernando, cofounder of Resplendent Ceylon and learn how he found his way to the tourism industry after taking over his fathers tea businessHear about the first property built, Ceylon Tea Trails, also the first Relais & Chateaux property in Sri LankaMalik shares his passion for Sri Lanka and tells us about all the natural beauty of this small islandWe learn a bit about some products from Sri Lanka like Ceylon Tea and pure cinnamon Malik gives us an overview of some of the regions in the country and share about the UNESCO World Heritage sites. He also shares about what your typical trip to Sri Lanka would look like and how easy it is to add the country to many popular destinations like the Maldives and Dubai.We get a quick review of the history of Sri Lanka like the 2000 year old civilization and the different religions found in the countryYou can see leopards, bears, elephants, the resident blue whales and many other species. He shares about all of the adventure acThanks for joining us on today’s episode of The Intrepid Traveler podcast! If you enjoyed today’s episode, please rate and review our show to help us reach even more aspiring travelers. Don’t forget to check out our website, visit us on Facebook, Instagram or follow us on LinkedIn to stay up-to-date on our latest epic travel adventures! Use the following links when planning your own travel!TRAVEL INSURED INTERNATIONALMEDJETVIRTUOSOPROJECT EXPEDITION