Where to find the world’s fantastic beasts

Sri Lanka

The national parks of Sri Lanka were made for safari trips. Covering an area of 130,000 hectares, Yala National Park is teeming with buffalo, sloth bears and monkeys. It’s also home to the elusive Sri Lankan leopard. Sightings of this big cat are about as rare as Professor Snape’s smile, but keep your eyes peeled and you might get lucky. And, of course, there’s the star of the show – the elephant. These gentle giants tend to hang out by their watering hole, but if you want to get up close and personal, visit Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. Established to look after orphaned wild elephants, the sanctuary allows visitors to bottle-feed babies and watch them bathe and play in the river.

Florida

Away from the bright lights of Orlando, the warm springs of western Florida are home to a very special animal indeed – the manatee. In fact, Crystal River has more wild manatees than anywhere else in the world. A strange cross between a sea lion, a cow and a hippo, manatees are very large but also completely harmless. They’re so gentle that you can even snorkel with them in the wild, or go to the underwater observatory to watch them swimming.

If, like Hagrid, you prefer your beasts to have more teeth, the alligators of the Everglades should fit the bill. Dragons, sadly, do not exist – but Universal Orlando® Resort’s The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ does have a dragon-themed rollercoaster. Take your seat aboard the Chinese Fireball or the Hungarian Horntail, hold on tight, and zoom across the sky. Who needs broomsticks?

Iceland

When it comes to fairy tale scenery, Iceland is hard to beat. Famous for its Northern Lights, hot springs and explosive geysers, this island serves up some spectacular sights. But, if you’re looking for magical beasts, you’ll need to venture out to sea. There aren’t any mermaids here, but whales and dolphins are often spotted in the ocean. A boat trip is the best way to see them. Departing from Reykjavik Harbour, you’ll sail out to sea in search of white-beaked dolphins, harbour porpoises and minke whales. You might even be treated to the sight of a humpback whale lifting its huge tail out of the water.

Costa Rica

If you spent your childhood dreaming about adventures in the Forbidden Forest, head to Costa Rica to experience the next best thing. The rainforest here isn’t off-limits, but it’s certainly packed with magical creatures. Howler monkeys swing across the canopy, while sleepy sloths hang from towering trees. When you take a closer look, you might even see red-eyed tree frogs, rainbow-coloured macaws and tiny hummingbirds. The lagoons and islands of Tortugero, meanwhile, are home to green turtles, which lay their eggs here between July and September.

Sardinia

You don’t have to travel to the other side of the world to see exotic wildlife, you know. The Mediterranean island of Sardinia is famous for its spotless beaches and celebrity visitors, but it has another, more feathery surprise up its sleeve. Molentargius Saline Park, aka ‘the salt lake of Cagliari’, is home to a resident flock of flamingos. These brightly-coloured birds have taken quite a liking to the saltwater lagoon, and have lived here permanently since 1993. The park is completely free to enter, too, so you can spend your spare galleons on pizza and wine instead. Perfect.

Accio adventure!

Book your escape to find your own fantastic beasts. Also check out our holidays to Sri Lanka, Florida, Iceland, Costa Rica and Sardinia.

Author: Sarah Reeves