It is an incredibly resilient nation too, and as you circumnavigate this enigmatic Indian Ocean island, meeting kind-hearted locals genuinely interested in making your acquaintance, it’s easy to forget everything the island has gone through in the recent past.
Confidence in Sri Lanka as a destination is reflected in the ever-increasing visitor numbers – 2024 saw more than two million arrivals, a little shy of 2018’s 2.3 million peak, yet up a hefty 38 per cent on 2023.
The island is best explored circuitously to take in each diverse region. You can fly between some destinations on domestic carrier Cinnamon Air, but you will absorb much more when travelling by road.
The scenery changes often: rippling emerald paddy fields, ornate temples and Buddha statues turn to manicured tea gardens, steamy rainforests, cinnamon plantations, colonial-era fortresses and nature reserves quivering with leopards, elephants and acrobatic monkeys.
And then there’s the country’s idyllic 830-mile coastline with its rocky coves and soft-sand beaches – playgrounds for the flourishing south and east coast surfing communities – while blue whales, dolphins and turtles inhabit the warm, turquoise sea.
The easiest way to tour this itinerary is to hire a driver or chauffeur guide (ask your tour operator to help with arrangements), though if you’re staying longer in one place, you can rely on taxis or three-wheeled metered tuk-tuks. It would take a month or more to cover the whole island, so if you’re coming for two weeks or less, resist the urge to rush. Instead, pick out three to four main destinations and explore them slowly – our 14-day itinerary introduces you to the island’s best-loved sights.
Day 1
Kotugoda
A sublime start
Direct flights to Colombo from London on Sri Lankan Airlines arrive at lunchtime, so catch your post-flight breath by staying close to Colombo’s Bandaranaike Airport for your first night. Wallawwa is just a 15-minute drive away, and this 19th-century, 18-bedroom revamped manor house with spacious garden suites, a serene spa and a foliage-fringed pool was once a refuge for the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.
Day 2
Thirippane
Check into Ulagalla
It takes four hours to drive to Uga Ulagalla, located in the northernmost tip of Sri Lanka’s “Cultural Triangle”, a repository of treasured cultural relics including four World Heritage Sites. This idyllic boutique hotel carved out of a former manor house has 20 free-standing pool villas facing tangled woodland and rice fields. There are bicycles and self-guided trails, kayaks for exploring the lake, Sri Lankan cookery classes, horses to ride, and you can even help with the rice harvest (in March).
After settling in, hop into the hotel’s jeep for a late afternoon drive to Nachchaduwa. This journey through the remote rural countryside takes you along bumpy earthen roads slicing through oceans of paddy fields and diminutive villages to a hidden-away reservoir, where you are served drinks and snacks as the sun dips out of view. You may see elephants, but just sitting and absorbing this tranquillity is enough.
Day 3
Anuradhapura
Cultural cities
Ask your driver to take you to Anuradhapura, the oldest of Sri Lanka’s two ancient capitals, which is 45 minutes away from Ulagalla. This 2,500-year-old archaeological repository of colossal dagobas, ruined temples and monasteries, and an ancient bo tree (possibly the world’s oldest historically documented living tree) is staggering. Sites are spread out, so consider taking a guided bicycle tour.
Afterwards, move on to Mihintale (30 minutes drive) where Sinhalese King Devanampiya Tissa is believed to have converted to Buddhism (and in turn, established Sri Lankan Buddhism) in 247 BC. Hike up the 1,840 or so steps to the two ruined dagobas at Mihintale’s summit, pausing to view Brahmi rock inscriptions and grass-tufted Kantaka Chetiya’s ornate statues. Return to Ulagalla for dinner at lamp-lit Kamatha, a rustic restaurant amid paddy fields, for an awesome multi-curry feast cooked over open fire.
Day 4
Sigiriya
Lion Rock
From Ulagalla, it’s just over an hour’s drive to Sigiriya, a towering, flat-topped rock with near-vertical sides that’s another World Heritage Site – get there early to avoid the heat (and crowds). Despite being a short-lived royal capital (from AD 477 to 495), it’s impressively indulgent.
