Sri Lanka, place by place

Explore Sri Lanka, place by place

• ColomboThe capital: a seafront green, a colonial fort, a city that eats well10 stays · 11 things to do
• NegomboThe fishing town beside the airport, for a first or last night8 stays · 12 things to do
• BentotaRiver, beach and the Bawa gardens, an easy 2 hours from the airport12 stays · 12 things to do
• GalleThe Dutch fort on the south-west tip, a World Heritage Site since 198812 stays · 14 things to do
• WeligamaA wide, gentle bay: the beginner's surf, the stilt fishermen, an island villa7 stays · 16 things to do
• MirissaThe whale-watching harbour of the south, blue whales November to April6 stays · 14 things to do
• TangalleThe quiet coves of the deep south, and the turtle beach at Rekawa10 stays · 16 things to do
• YalaThe leopard park: 979 sq km of the dry south-east, a sanctuary since 190011 stays · 10 things to do
• Arugam BayThe east coast's surf point, in season from April to October3 stays · 11 things to do
• TrincomaleeThe great natural harbour of the east, with the long beaches north of it8 stays · 11 things to do
• JaffnaThe Tamil north: a fort, a great kovil, a library rebuilt, palmyra country3 stays · 11 things to do
• KandyThe last royal capital, the Temple of the Tooth, a World Heritage Site16 stays · 11 things to do
• SigiriyaThe 5th-century rock fortress, 180 m above the plain9 stays · 12 things to do
• DambullaThe cave temple with 153 Buddhas, at the hub of the Cultural Triangle4 stays · 11 things to do
• AnuradhapuraThe first capital, 1,400 years of it, and the oldest planted tree on earth1 stay · 10 things to do
• PolonnaruwaThe second capital: Gal Vihara's Buddhas beside the great reservoir3 stays · 8 things to do
• WilpattuThe largest park, the quietest: leopards among 106 lakes5 stays · 9 things to do
• EllaThe hill village at 1,041 m, the Gap, the bridge and the train7 stays · 12 things to do
• HaputaleThe ridge town at 1,431 m, Lipton's Seat and the view over the plains4 stays · 12 things to do
• Nuwara EliyaThe highest town, at 1,868 m: Little England, and the heart of tea9 stays · 12 things to do
• HattonTea-estate country, the bungalows of Dickoya, and the road to Adam's Peak4 stays · 10 things to do

Some place photographs are from Wikimedia Commons, each credited on its place's page.