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Grounded in Island Serenity.

Sri Lanka's commercial capital: colonial Dutch/British architecture, Galle Face Green, Gangaramaya Temple, Pettah market and the country's best restaurant scene.

Beach town 10 minutes from the airport, popular first/last-night base. Fishing harbour (Lellama market), Dutch canal, St. Mary's Church.

Colombo's closest beach suburb, historic Mount Lavinia Hotel, sunset seafood dinners on the sand.

Quiet resort strip between Colombo and Bentota with calmer beaches and Ayurveda resorts.

Peninsula famous for kitesurfing (May-Oct) and dolphin/whale watching from the lagoon side.

Quiet coastal town known for the Munneswaram Hindu temple complex and lagoon prawn farms, a stop en route to Kalpitiya/Anuradhapura.

Palm-lined beach resort strip at the Bentota river mouth; watersports, river safaris, turtle hatcheries, Geoffrey Bawa architecture.

Quieter neighbour of Bentota, known for its sea-turtle nesting beaches and hatcheries.

Surf and party beach town with a coral sanctuary, glass-bottom boat trips and a lively strip of bars.

Sheltered crescent bay near Galle, popular with backpackers and families; snorkelling and Jungle Beach nearby.

UNESCO-listed Dutch fort city: ramparts, lighthouse, boutique hotels, cafes and museums inside the old walls.

Beach with a lagoon known for stilt fishermen and cinnamon-island boat tours.

Laid-back surf town with a growing cafe scene, next to the famous stilt-fishermen spot.

Wide sandy bay that's Sri Lanka's top beginner-surf destination; also the jump-off point for whale watching.

Crescent beach famous worldwide for blue-whale and sperm-whale watching boat trips and Coconut Tree Hill.

Hiriketiya's horseshoe bay is a boutique surf/yoga hideaway; Dikwella has the Wewurukannala Buddha and Hoo-maniya blowhole.

Quieter, wilder beaches south of Mirissa with turtle nesting, lagoons and boutique villas.

Southern-coast city with a Dutch star fort, and the jump-off point for Yala/Udawalawe safaris.

Sri Lanka's southernmost point; historic lighthouse and Vishnu Devalaya temple.

Small fishing village with a clifftop Buddhist rock temple, commonly used as a Yala safari base.

Last royal capital, home to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Kandy Lake and the Royal Botanical Gardens Peradeniya.

'Little England' hill station at 1,868m: tea estates, Victoria Park, Gregory Lake, colonial bungalows and golf course.

Backpacker-favourite hill town: Nine Arches Bridge, Little Adam's Peak, Ella Rock and tea-estate views.

Misty escarpment town with Lipton's Seat viewpoint and working tea factories, quieter than Ella.

Quiet hill-country market town used as a base for tea-country walks; cooler and less touristy than Ella.

High-altitude plateau reserve; the 'World's End' escarpment and Baker's Falls hike must start by ~6am for clear views.

Sacred mountain climbed overnight by pilgrims of all faiths to see sunrise from the summit shrine.

Forested valley on the hill-country boundary, popular for river bathing and hiking, less commercial than Ella.

Tea-estate town and the usual base for climbing Adam's Peak via Dalhousie; scenic train stop.

Rainforest-edge village famous for white-water rafting on the Kelani River (Bridge on the River Kwai filming site).

5th-century rock fortress with frescoes and water gardens, one of Sri Lanka's 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Golden Cave Temple complex with 5 caves of Buddhist murals and statues dating back 2,000+ years.

First ancient capital (377 BCE); sacred Bodhi tree, giant dagobas (stupas) and monastery ruins.

Second ancient capital; compact, bike-friendly ruins including the Gal Vihara rock-cut Buddha statues.

Central hub town for Sigiriya/Dambulla/Minneriya, with a railway junction and elephant-safari lodges.

Where Buddhism was introduced to Sri Lanka in 247 BCE; a long stairway climbs to hilltop stupas.

Reservoir area beside Sigiriya known for the Geoffrey Bawa-designed Heritance Kandalama hotel.

Short-lived 13th-century rock fortress capital with a dramatic ornamental staircase.

Spice-garden town between Kandy and Dambulla with the Aluvihare rock cave temple (first Pali scripture site).

Remote jungle-covered monastic ruins on a mountain, far quieter than Sigiriya/Polonnaruwa.

Natural deep-water harbour city; Nilaveli/Uppuveli beaches, Koneswaram temple on Swami Rock, diving and whale watching.

Long white-sand beach north of Trincomalee, gateway to Pigeon Island National Park snorkelling.

Shallow, calm bay lined with resort hotels, popular for families and swimming.

Laid-back lagoon city on the east coast, known for its 'singing fish' folklore and Dutch fort.

Sri Lanka's premier surf town, ranked among the world's top right-hand point breaks.

Sheltered, shallow bay next to Pasikudah, quieter and less developed.

Cultural capital of Sri Lanka's Tamil north: Nallur Kandaswamy temple, Jaffna Fort, distinct Tamil cuisine.

Sri Lanka's northernmost town, quiet beaches and a lighthouse, day trip from Jaffna.

Remote island off Jaffna with wild ponies, coral-rubble walls and a Dutch fort ruin, reached by ferry.

Causeway-linked island town famous for baobab trees, birdlife and Adam's Bridge views.

Small island off Jaffna with a revered Buddhist stupa and Hindu temple side by side, reached by ferry.

Sri Lanka's most visited park; highest leopard density in the world, plus elephants and crocodiles.

Open grassland park with near-guaranteed wild elephant sightings; calmer than Yala.

Sri Lanka's largest national park, known for natural lakes ('villus') and leopards, far less crowded than Yala.

Famous for 'The Gathering' - up to 300+ wild elephants congregating at the reservoir in the dry season.

Quieter alternative to Minneriya for elephant safaris, same 'Gathering' herd moves between the two.

Sri Lanka's last major primary rainforest, UNESCO Biosphere Reserve with endemic birds and biodiversity walks.

Wetland/lagoon park and Ramsar site, best for birdwatching (migratory flamingos) rather than big mammals.

Off-the-beaten-path park between the hill country and cultural triangle, good elephant herds, few crowds.

Home of the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage - rescued/captive-bred elephants bathe in the Maha Oya river twice daily.