Sigiriya
A palace on top of a rock, 1,200 steps and the frescoes on the way up. Everyone photographs it; almost nobody regrets the climb.
Climb it at 6:30am
What we can do
Destinations
An island you can cross in a day, and still not finish in a month.
Nine places that end up in most trips. Every package mixes them differently, and I will tell you which ones to skip if your days are short.
Ella
Cool air, tea slopes, waterfalls and the train ride people book the whole trip around.
Two nights, minimum
What we can do
Yala
Leopards, elephants, sloth bears. I book the jeep with a tracker I trust and we go before the crowd.
Dawn jeep, no exceptions
What we can do
Galle Fort
Dutch ramparts, coffee shops and a lighthouse. Best explored on foot after five, when the heat drops.
Walk the walls at sunset
What we can do
Kandy
The lake, the Temple of the Tooth and the drumming at pooja time. The city where the hills begin.
Evening temple ceremony
What we can do
Mirissa
Blue whales offshore in season, palm-fringed sand the rest of the year, and grilled fish at the end of a long drive.
Whales Nov–Apr
What we can do
Nuwara Eliya
Colonial cottages, strawberry farms and tea factories at 1,900m. Cold enough to want a fire in the evening.
Bring a jumper
What we can do
Anuradhapura
A 2,000-year-old capital spread across paddy and jungle. Quieter than Sigiriya and, to me, more moving.
Cycle between the ruins
What we can do
Arugam Bay
The east swings on the opposite monsoon. Point break, lagoons, and a village that shuts down when the swell drops.
Surf May–Sep
What we can do
Dambulla
Five cave shrines cut into a rock face, filled with Buddha statues and painted ceiling to floor. A short stop that pairs naturally with Sigiriya.
Morning, before the coach groups
What we can do
Polonnaruwa
Sri Lanka's medieval capital, spread out and mostly shaded — royal palace ruins, temples and the Gal Vihara's rock-cut Buddhas.
Cycle it in the cooler morning hours
What we can do
Sinharaja
Sri Lanka's last stretch of untouched lowland rainforest — a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with a local guide required and worth it for the endemic birds alone.
A full day, in the wetter months for birdlife
What we can do
Horton Plains
A high, cool plateau above Nuwara Eliya, walked for World's End — a sheer drop with views clear to the south coast on a good day.
Early morning, before the mist rolls in
What we can do
Pasikuda
A long, shallow, calm bay on the east coast — good swimming rather than surf, and a quieter alternative to the south coast beaches.
Apr–Sep, for calm water
What we can do
Wilpattu
Sri Lanka's largest national park, built around a string of natural lakes — leopards, sloth bears and fewer jeeps than Yala.
Dawn or late-afternoon safari
What we can do
Minneriya
A reservoir ringed by grassland where wild elephants gather by the hundred in the dry season — one of Asia's great wildlife sights.
Jul–Sep, for the Gathering
What we can do
Want two of these and nothing else?
Slow trips beat checklists. Pick your favourites and I will build the route around them.