Sri Lanka

Classic routes

• 🏯Sri Lanka's Cultural Triangle8 days · Anuradhapura → Sigiriya & Dambulla → Polonnaruwa → Kandy → Colombo
• 🍃Hill Country & the South Coast11 days · Kandy → Nuwara Eliya → Ella → Yala National Park → Mirissa → Galle

🪔 Jaffna & the North-West

The Tamil north round Jaffna, with its Hindu temples, islands and food, reached by train up the A9 or by IndiGo's flight from Chennai; and Kalpitiya's lagoon on the north-west coast, for kitesurfing in the windy months and dolphins in the calm ones, near Wilpattu National Park.

• 🪔JaffnaTamil Temples, Islands and Food of the North2 days · best January – September
• KalpitiyaKitesurfing Lagoon and Dolphin Pods2 days · best May – October

🦁 The Cultural Triangle

The dry-zone plain of ancient capitals and UNESCO sites: the Sigiriya rock fortress and the Dambulla cave temples, medieval Polonnaruwa, and Anuradhapura with the sacred Bo tree from Bodh Gaya. Elephants gather at Minneriya and Kaudulla from about June to October.

• Sigiriya & DambullaLion Rock Fortress and the Painted Cave Temples2 days · best January – September
• PolonnaruwaMedieval Royal City of Stone Buddhas1 day · best January – September
• AnuradhapuraSacred Bo Tree and the Great Stupas of the First Capital1 day · best January – September

🏄 The East Coast

Arugam Bay's surf, Pasikudah's calm shallow bay, and Trincomalee's harbour, Koneswaram temple and white beaches at Nilaveli. The east has its season when the south-west is wet: April/May to September. The north-east monsoon brings rain from November to February.

• Arugam BaySurf Point and Lagoons on the East Coast3 days · best May – September
• Trincomalee & NilaveliNatural Harbour, Koneswaram Temple and White Beaches2 days · best May – September
• 🏖️PasikudahShallow Lagoon Bay for Calm Swimming2 days · best May – September

🍃 Kandy & the Hill Country

The green highlands: Kandy and the Temple of the Tooth, tea estates and cool nights at Nuwara Eliya, the walks and Nine Arches Bridge at Ella on the famous hill-country railway, and the night pilgrimage up Adam's Peak (Sri Pada) from December to May. Driest January to April.

• KandyLast Royal Capital and the Temple of the Tooth2 days · best January – April
• Nuwara EliyaTea Estates and Cool Air in "Little England"2 days · best January – April
• EllaNine Arches, Little Adam's Peak and the Hill-Country Train2 days · best January – April
• Adam's Peak (Sri Pada)Night Pilgrimage to the Sacred Footprint at Sunrise1 day · best January – April

🐆 Yala & Udawalawe

The dry south-east's national parks, seen by jeep: Yala for leopards, sloth bears and elephants (Block 1 shuts from about September to mid-October), and Udawalawe, where elephant herds are seen on almost every drive. Between the south coast and Ella.

• Yala National ParkLeopards, Elephants and Sloth Bears by Jeep2 days · best February – July
• UdawalaweElephant Herds on the Grasslands1 day · best All year

🏝️ The South Coast

The beaches from Bentota round to Tangalle: Galle's walled Dutch fort, Hikkaduwa's turtles and surf, sheltered Unawatuna, Mirissa's blue whales, and quiet coves at Tangalle. Calm and sunny from December to April; the south-west monsoon makes the sea rough from May to September.

• GalleWalled Dutch Fort Town on the Sea2 days · best December – April
• UnawatunaSheltered Bay Next to Galle2 days · best December – April
• MirissaBlue Whales, Coconut Tree Hill and a Lively Beach2 days · best December – April
• HikkaduwaSurf, Turtles and Coral on the South-West Coast2 days · best December – April
• BentotaResort Beach, River Safaris and Water Sports2 days · best December – April
• TangalleQuiet Bays and Turtle Nights in the Far South2 days · best December – April

🏙️ Colombo & the West Coast

Colombo, the capital by the sea, and Negombo's fishing town and beach by Bandaranaike, the airport almost every flight from India lands at. A night or two here starts and ends most trips.

• ColomboSea-Front Capital of Temples, Markets and Colonial Streets2 days · best December – March
• NegomboFishing Town and Beach Ten Minutes from the Airport1 day · best December – April