Sri Lanka is home to a colourful and extraordinary collection of characters, and each time we travel to this mesmerising island we uncover another. We thought it was time to share some of our favourite people with you and so we are thrilled to present five new, private and exclusive experiences with some of Sri Lanka’s most extraordinary characters.

Because a picture tells a thousand words, we’ve been busy pinning to our hearts content to create some beautiful pinboards that bring our journeys to life. From a collection of our most incredible travel experiences to our favourite pools in exotic locations, share in the Seven Skies experience by following us on Pinterest.

The prestigious New York Times list of 46 Places to Go in 2013 is hot off the press, with Seven Skies favourite Bhutan coming in at number 5. The New York Times was enamoured with the luxury outposts, exquisite monasteries and lush national parks. We couldn’t agree more. Here is our list of the top 5 Bhutan experiences that keep us coming back for more.

Bhutan lingers long in your memory after you have gone. And one of the experiences that lingers longest is finding yourself at a tsechu festival. You’ll likely be one of only a handful of tourists among families of local Bhutanese dressed in their finest traditional dress watching monks in colourful costumes performing time-honoured dances. One of the most atmospheric and authentic experiences on offer. Plan your Bhutan journey to coincide with a festival, like the upcoming Punakha Tsechu Festival in February.