Find places in Sri Lanka

Must-Haves

• Gangaramaya Temple (Beira Lake)
  A joyful mix of Buddhist, Hindu and Chinese styles packed with curious gifts from devotees.
• Colombo National Museum (Cinnamon Gardens)
  The island's royal story, from ancient bronzes to the throne of the last Kandyan king.
• Jami Ul Alfar Mosque (Pettah)
  A red and white candy striped mosque that is the most photographed building in old Colombo.

Off the Beaten Path

• Seema Malakaya (Beira Lake)
  A calm meditation hall floating on the lake, designed by Geoffrey Bawa.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Pettah Market (Pettah)
  Streets of spices, fabrics and hardware where you see Colombo trade at full speed.

Must-Haves

• Barefoot (Galle Road, Colombo 3)
  Bright handwoven textiles, toys and books from a much loved Sri Lankan brand.

Fun for Everyone

• Odel (Alexandra Place)
  The city's best known department store for clothes, tea and souvenirs.

Fun for Everyone

• Galle Face Green (Galle Face)
  A seafront lawn of kites, food carts and families gathering for sunset.

Off the Beaten Path

• Beddagana Wetland Park (Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte)
  Boardwalks and bird hides in the marshes of the official capital.

Must-Haves

• Ministry of Crab (Dutch Hospital, Fort)
  Giant lagoon crabs in garlic chilli sauce in a restored colonial hospital.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Hotel De Pilawoos (Galle Road, Kollupitiya)
  A late night favourite for cheese kottu and fresh roti.

Great for Date Night

• The Gallery Café (Paradise Road, Colombo 3)
  Dinner in Geoffrey Bawa's former office, all courtyards and lamplight.

Fun for Everyone

• Upali's by Nawaloka (Colombo 7)
  A lively family restaurant serving Sri Lankan classics from every region.

Must-Haves

• Barefoot Garden Café (Galle Road, Colombo 3)
  A leafy courtyard café behind the famous handloom shop, with Sunday jazz.

Great for Date Night

• Galle Face Hotel Verandah (Galle Face)
  A sundowner on the veranda of the grand old hotel facing the ocean.

Fun for Everyone

• Dutch Hospital Shopping Precinct (Fort)
  Colonial courtyards filled with bars and restaurants that buzz after work.

Off the Beaten Path

• Old Parliament and Fort walk (Fort)
  Colonial landmarks, the clock tower lighthouse and the presidential secretariat on foot.

Fun for Everyone

• Mount Lavinia Beach (Mount Lavinia)
  A city beach with seafood shacks and a colonial hotel on the headland.

Must-Haves

• Galle Face Hotel (Galle Face)
  A grand colonial seafront hotel that has hosted travellers since the 1860s.

Must-Haves

• Navam Perahera (Gangaramaya Temple)
  A February full moon procession of elephants, dancers and drummers through the city.

Must-Haves

• Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Kandy Lake)
  The island's holiest Buddhist shrine, best seen during the drumming of the evening puja.

Fun for Everyone

• Kandyan Cultural Centre (Kandy Lake)
  An evening show of drummers, dancers in silver headdresses and fire walking.

Off the Beaten Path

• Embekke Devalaya (Embekke)
  A village shrine famous for its intricately carved wooden pillars.
• Lankathilaka Vihara (Hiyarapitiya)
  A fourteenth century temple on a rock with sweeping views of the countryside.
• Gadaladeniya Temple (Pilimathalawa)
  A stone temple with South Indian influences, part of the quiet three temples loop.

Fun for Everyone

• Kandy Lake (Town centre)
  An easy lakeside loop with monitor lizards, birds and temple views.

Must-Haves

• Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya (Peradeniya)
  Orchids, royal palm avenues and giant fig trees on a bend of the Mahaweli river.

Off the Beaten Path

• Udawattakele Forest Reserve (Behind the Temple of the Tooth)
  Quiet trails and birdlife in the old royal forest right next to town.

Fun for Everyone

• Bahirawakanda Vihara Buddha Statue (Bahirawakanda)
  A giant white Buddha on a hilltop overlooking the whole city.

Off the Beaten Path

• Hanthana Mountain Range hike (Hanthana)
  Ridge walks through tea and grassland just above the city.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Kandy Municipal Central Market (Town centre)
  Spices, fruit, batik and wooden masks under one roof.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Balaji Dosai (Peradeniya Road)
  Crisp dosai and South Indian vegetarian plates loved by locals.

Great for Date Night

• The Empire Café (Temple Street)
  A colonial building near the temple serving rice and curry and Western comfort food.

Fun for Everyone

• Kandy Muslim Hotel (Dalada Veediya)
  A busy old eatery for roti, biryani and sweet milk tea.

Must-Haves

• Queen's Hotel (Dalada Veediya)
  A colonial hotel facing the temple and the lake, right on the perahera route.

Great for Date Night

• Helga's Folly (Mahamaya Mawatha)
  An eccentric, art filled hilltop hotel unlike anywhere else on the island.

Must-Haves

• Kandy Esala Perahera (Town centre)
  Ten nights of elephants, drummers and fire dancers, one of Asia's great festivals.

Must-Haves

• Sigiriya Rock Fortress (Sigiriya)
  A fifth century palace on a giant rock, with painted maidens and lion paw gateway.
• Dambulla Royal Cave Temple (Dambulla)
  Five caves full of Buddha statues and painted ceilings over two thousand years old.
• Polonnaruwa Ancient City (Polonnaruwa)
  A compact medieval capital of palaces and shrines best seen by bicycle.
• Gal Vihara (Polonnaruwa)
  Four serene Buddha figures carved from a single granite face.
• Sri Maha Bodhi (Anuradhapura)
  A sacred fig tree said to be grown from a cutting of the Buddha's own tree.

Must-Haves

• Pidurangala Rock (Pidurangala)
  A scramble past a reclining Buddha to the classic sunrise view of Sigiriya.
• Minneriya National Park (Minneriya)
  The dry season gathering of elephants on the reservoir shore.

Fun for Everyone

• Kaudulla National Park (Kaudulla)
  Herds of elephants and birdlife around an ancient tank.

Off the Beaten Path

• Hurulu Eco Park (Habarana)
  A quieter forest reserve for elephant drives when the bigger parks are busy.

Great for Date Night

• Jetwing Vil Uyana (Sigiriya)
  Thatched dwellings set among paddy fields and wetlands near the rock.

Must-Haves

• Heritance Kandalama (Dambulla)
  Geoffrey Bawa's jungle draped hotel built into a cliff above a lake.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Dambulla Dedicated Economic Centre (Dambulla)
  The island's biggest wholesale vegetable market, a riot of colour at dawn.

Must-Haves

• Nine Arch Bridge (Demodara)
  A colonial viaduct over the jungle where you can watch the blue train cross.
• Kandy to Ella train (Ella Railway Station)
  One of the world's most scenic train rides through tea estates and tunnels.

Off the Beaten Path

• Uva Halpewatte Tea Factory (Ella)
  A working tea factory where you can see how leaf becomes Ceylon tea.

Must-Haves

• Little Adam's Peak (Ella)
  An easy walk through tea to a ridge with sunrise views.
• Horton Plains National Park (Nuwara Eliya)
  Highland grassland and cloud forest leading to the sheer drop of World's End.

Fun for Everyone

• Ella Rock (Ella)
  A longer hike to a cliff top looking down the Ella Gap.
• Ravana Falls (Ella Wellawaya Road)
  A tall waterfall right by the road, at its best after rain.

Off the Beaten Path

• Lipton's Seat (Haputale)
  The viewpoint where Thomas Lipton surveyed his estate, best before the clouds roll in.

Off the Beaten Path

• Dowa Rock Temple (Bandarawela)
  A quiet cave temple with an unfinished Buddha carved into the rock.
• Adisham Bungalow (Haputale)
  An English country house turned monastery, with gardens and homemade jams.

Fun for Everyone

• Cafe Chill (Main Street, Ella)
  The village's lively hub for rice and curry, cocktails and music.

Great for Date Night

• 98 Acres Resort and Spa (Ella)
  Chalets on a tea estate with views of Little Adam's Peak.

Off the Beaten Path

• Living Heritage Koslanda (Koslanda)
  A secluded eco retreat near Diyaluma in a private forest.

Must-Haves

• Grand Hotel Nuwara Eliya (Nuwara Eliya)
  A Tudor style hotel from the British era, ideal for high tea.

Must-Haves

• Galle Fort (Galle)
  A living UNESCO fort town of ramparts, lanes and colonial houses.

Fun for Everyone

• Dutch Reformed Church (Church Street, Galle Fort)
  An eighteenth century church floored with old Dutch gravestones.

Off the Beaten Path

• National Maritime Museum (Galle Fort)
  Shipwreck finds and fishing history in an old Dutch warehouse.
• Japanese Peace Pagoda (Rumassala)
  A white stupa on the hill with views over the bay.
• Mulkirigala Rock Temple (Mulkirigala)
  A quiet cliffside cave temple reached by long stairways.

Must-Haves

• Galle Fort Lighthouse (Galle Fort)
  The fort's white lighthouse, best visited before sunset on the ramparts.
• Mirissa whale watching (Mirissa Harbour)
  Boat trips to see blue whales and dolphins from December to April.

Fun for Everyone

• Weligama surf lessons (Weligama Bay)
  A long sandy bay with gentle waves ideal for first time surfers.

Off the Beaten Path

• Koggala Lake boat trip (Koggala)
  A boat ride to island temples and a cinnamon farm.

Must-Haves

• Unawatuna Beach (Unawatuna)
  A sheltered bay that is usually calm for swimming in season.

Fun for Everyone

• Jungle Beach (Rumassala)
  A small cove for snorkelling, reached on a short jungle walk.
• Coconut Tree Hill (Mirissa)
  A palm topped headland that has become the coast's favourite photo spot.

Off the Beaten Path

• Rekawa Turtle Watch (Rekawa)
  Community guided night walks to see turtles nesting on the beach.
• Hiriketiya Beach (Dikwella)
  A horseshoe bay with surf, cafés and a relaxed crowd.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Lucky Fort Restaurant (Galle Fort)
  A family kitchen serving many small curries with rice.

Fun for Everyone

• Pedlar's Inn Café (Pedlar Street, Galle Fort)
  A classic fort café for coffee and cake in an old colonial building.

Great for Date Night

• Amangalla Verandah (Galle Fort)
  An elegant old hotel veranda for an evening drink inside the fort walls.

Must-Haves

• Barefoot Galle (Pedlar Street, Galle Fort)
  Colourful handwoven cloth and gifts from the Colombo design brand.

Great for Date Night

• Jetwing Lighthouse (Galle)
  A Bawa designed hotel on the rocks just outside the fort.

Must-Haves

• Yala National Park (Yala)
  Leopards, sloth bears, elephants and crocodiles in the island's best known park.
• Udawalawe National Park (Udawalawe)
  Reliable sightings of elephant herds on open grassland.

Off the Beaten Path

• Kumana National Park (Kumana)
  A remote bird rich park on the east side of Yala with far fewer jeeps.
• Bundala National Park (Bundala)
  Lagoons with flamingos and huge flocks of waterbirds.

Fun for Everyone

• Elephant Transit Home (Udawalawe)
  See orphaned baby elephants being fed before they return to the wild.

Must-Haves

• Kataragama Temple (Kataragama)
  A sacred site for Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims, magical at evening puja.

Off the Beaten Path

• Sithulpawwa Rock Temple (Yala)
  An ancient monastery on a rock inside the park area.

Fun for Everyone

• Kirinda Beach and Temple (Kirinda)
  A temple on boulders above a wild, windswept beach.

Great for Date Night

• Cinnamon Wild Yala (Yala)
  A lodge on the park boundary where animals wander past the cabins.

Must-Haves

• Jetwing Yala (Yala)
  A beachside hotel next to the park for early safari starts.

Must-Haves

• Kataragama Festival (Kataragama)
  A July and August festival of processions and devotion drawing pilgrims across faiths.