Anuradhapura, one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, is famous for its well-preserved ruins of centuries-old Sinhala Buddhist civilization. Tucked away in the country’s north central province, this glorious seat of kingdom remained the greatest monastic city of the ancient world from the mid 5th century B.C. until the 11th century A.D. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this tranquil destination – where kings once strode – stands amidst towering ancient stupas (dagobas) with stupendous domes, ruins of royal palaces, Buddhist monasteries and temples, rock carvings of monumental richness and remarkable grace, colossal stone pillars, magnificent stone cut swimming pools and reservoirs of sophisticated hydrology. The modern world marvels at these amazing ancient civil engineering feats accomplished without sophisticated technology. Anuradhapura, known as the “cradle of Sinhala Buddhist civilization”, is a key center of pilgrimage for Sri Lankan Buddhists, who make the journey to venerate the sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi, a branch from the historical Sri Maha Bodhi at Buddha Gaya in India, under which Lord Buddha attained Enlightenment.

With its fantastic waves, Arugam Bay is a surfers’ dream come true! No wonder, this amazing seafront location on Sri Lanka’s eastern coast attracts surfers from across the world. The most favored season for surfing is from April to October when the average height of the waves reaches 1.5 to 2.5 meters. Apart from surfing, Arugam Bay is also hugely popular for scuba diving and snorkeling. With an elephant corridor in the locality, wildlife enthusiasts will have plenty to do watching jumbos stroll, wild boar and deer snooping around and crocodiles waiting for their prey. For bird watchers, the best season to visit is in November and December when flocks of colorful birds migrate to the area.

The resort town of Bentota on Sri Lanka’s southwest coast offers a bonanza to ardent lovers of ‘sun and sand’. The long beach stretches north, where it transforms into a sandy strip known as ‘Paradise Island’, parallel to Bentota Lagoon. A popular destination for windsurfing and kitesurfing, this charming location also offer opportunities for diving, with the coral-rich Canoe Rock among the many options.

Dambulla is home to the biggest and best-preserved cave temple complex. This iconic historical site has become an image emblematic of Sri Lanka’s rich history and civilization. Visitors to the area will be amazed by the largest rose quartz mountain range in South Asia. A trek to the Ironwood forest, a wonderful natural reserve, should also not be missed out!

Visitors to the Gal Oya National Park can experience a boat safari on the Senanayake Reservoir. Famous for its rich variety of flora, terrestrial mammals, including the Sri Lankan leopard, water buffalo, sambar deer and more than 100 species of birds have been sighted in this sanctuary.

Galle is a unique city, which reflects the ancient architecture of the Portuguese, Dutch and the British – the three European powers, which conquered Sri Lanka during different time periods from 1505 to 1948. The Galle Fort, the fortified old city built by Portuguese colonists in the 16th century, was subsequently declared a World Heritage Site. The giant complex stands out as the biggest remaining fortress in Asia built by European invaders. With the 18th-century Dutch Reformed Church, and the lighthouse standing on the Fort’s southeast tip, Galle remains a captivating southern city, which continue to enthrall visitors with its collection of centuries-old structures.

Jaffna offers an inspiring combination of historical, cultural and geographical experiences across Sri Lanka’s northern peninsula. Many are the sites worth undertaking a journey along palmyrah-lined, winding roads to visit in this bastion of Hindu tradition, art and culture. The Dutch Fort is a landmark in this northern city and the restored Jaffna Public Library offers a treasure trove of knowledge. Tourists do have a wide choice of places of importance to visit and they should not miss out on any of them as it will prove to be a life-long experience!

During the months of November to March, Jaffna becomes a bird’s paradise. As the grip of winter close over the northern hemisphere, thousands of birds migrate to the warm coastal waters of Sri Lanka.

The small fishing town of Kalpitiya in Sri Lanka’s north western province is hugely famous for whale and dolphin watching. Visitors make a bee-line to the peninsula between the November and March/April season when weather conditions are ideal to snatch a glimpse of diverse sea mammals. With 14 islands, Kalpitiya is a marine sanctuary replete with a diversity of habitats ranging from bar reefs, flat coastal plains, saltpans, mangrove swamps, salt marshes and expansive sand dune beaches.

The sacred city of Kandy sits on a plateau surrounded by mighty mountains in the central highlands, 115km off Colombo. The last capital of Sinhala Kings whose reign saw the country’s indigenous Sinhala culture flourish for more than 2,500 years, Kandy is home to the world famous Temple of the Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa) celebrated with the grand Esala Perahera procession in August annually. The heart of this historic ancient city is the scenic Kandy Lake, while the lush tea plantations and bio-diverse rainforest in the hinterland offer a fascinating experience to the discerning traveler. While touring the picturesque hilly destination — the last capital of ancient kings of Sri Lanka – a visit to the Royal Botanical Gardens, situated just outside Kandy, should not be missed out. It is Sri Lanka’s largest landscaped gardens, spanning over 60 hectares, with a history dating back to the 14th century. However, it was the British, who formally established the sprawling pleasure park in 1843 after they took control of the Kandyan Kingdom. When talking of being close to nature in its pristine beauty, the 104- hectare Udawatta Kele, a historic forest reserve on a hill-ridge in the city of Kandy, should definitely find a place in the itinerary of visitors.

Celebrated as a birder’s paradise, Kumana National Park has an abundant population of wild avifauna. As it is in close proximity to the Yala National Park, elephants and wild leopards can be found roaming within its terrain.

Apart from its elephant habitat, which is one of the key attraction, Maduru Oya National Park is also a hotspot for spotted deer, sloth bears, sambur, porcupines, wild boar, toque macaques and Indian pangolins.

Cutting across Sri Lanka’s dry zone, the journey by road to Mannar is relatively long, but it’s what the northern town has in store for visitors that makes the difference! With its swaying palm trees, the landscape largely varies from wooded jungles to paddy fields. The region is divided into the mainland and Mannar island – a tongue shaped peninsula linked by a causeway over the shallow waters. Talaimannar, the westernmost tip of the island, is almost connected to Dhanuskodi, the easternmost tip of the peninsula of Southern India by a reef of corals.

Minneriya National Park is No. 1 in terms of the elephant population. It is celebrated as the top most location to spot wild elephant herds and to observe their behavior. Termed ‘The Gathering’, the location within the park, is the biggest seasonally recurring gathering of elephants not seen anywhere in the world.

Talk of whale and dolphin watching on Sri Lanka’s palm-fringed southern coast, and what promptly comes to mind is the small fishing village of Mirissa, tucked away amidst the rhythm of rolling waves. The beautiful beach and vibrant nightlife have made Mirissa a popular tourist destination. The number of visitors surge from November to April as the ocean is calm and the whale season gets off the ground.

Aptly described as ‘Little Rome’ because of its considerable Catholic population and the plethora of churches and shrines, Negombo is a modest beach town north of Colombo. The British-era neoclassical St. Mary’s Church, with its ceiling decorated with vivid religious paintings, stands out as a landmark edifice. The 17th century Dutch Fort and the Dutch-era Hamilton Canal in this waterfront tourist destination are legacies left behind by Dutch invaders who captured most coastal areas from the Portuguese in then Ceylon. The placid Negombo Lagoon is famous among fun-seekers for boating and pleasure rides.

With its incredibly captivating landscape and temperate climate, perched atop the chilly, mist splashed mountains is Nuwara Eliya, described as ‘Little England’ in resplendent Sri Lanka. Sitting at an altitude of 1,868 m (6,128 ft), the colonial-era bungalows with their sloping roofs, Tudor-style hotels, well-kept hedgerows and beautiful gardens give visitors the British country-village ‘feel’. The surrounding green canopy of lush tea plantations add to the magical scenic beauty of the awesome hill country destination. During British domination, Nuwara Eliya was the favored cool-climate escape for the hard-working, booze-guzzling English Scottish pioneers of Sri Lanka’s tea industry. Popular among holiday-makers eager to paint the town red, the salubrious climes of the mountainous rendezvous invariably offer the ideal location for a well-deserved vacation away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Nuwara Eliya, which means “City of Light” in the native Sinhala language, is overshadowed by Pidurutalagala, the tallest mountain in Sri Lanka. Visitors to this amazing destination up in the misty hills can enjoy a boat ride on the British-built Lake Gregory, take a stroll on Victoria Park, visit the naturally landscaped, sprawling Hakgala Botanical Gardens or the nearby Seetha Amman Temple, a colorful Hindu shrine decorated with deities. Another viable option is the densely forested Galway’s Land National Park, a sanctuary for endemic and migratory bird species. Seasonal events, which unfold in Nuwara Eliya during February to April, attract thousands of foreign and local tourists as golf tournaments, horse racing, motor cross, clay pigeon shooting and a mega carnival form part of the major festivities.

Imagine being able to walk into the warm, welcoming turquoise-blue sea for quite a distance and still find the water only up to knee level. Unbelievable, but true! That’s Pasikudha, one of Sri Lanka’s most beautiful beaches famous for its shallow seafront framed by natural coral reefs, which simply makes “walking into the sea” a reality. Apart from soaking some rays, there’s also scuba diving and snorkeling for the more adventurous to discover marine life in its diversity beneath the azure waves.

Inhabiting Pigeon Island National Park are hundreds of Blue Rock Pigeons, an endangered species nesting and breeding amongst the rocks. Situated one kilometer off the coast of Nilaveli, a stretch of beach known as the most beautiful in Sri Lanka, it is a unique natural phenomenon made up of two Islands called the Large and Small Pigeon Islands. The island’s name derives from the rock pigeon which has colonized it. The 471.429-hectare natural habitat was designated a Marine Sanctuary in 1963 and was later declared a National Park. The Small Pigeon Island is a favorable feeding and breeding ground for over 300 species of coral reef fish. Those interested in scuba diving, snorkeling and surfing should definitely include Pigeon Island in their itinerary.

It was from the historic city of Polonnaruwa that kings ruled the central plains of Sri Lanka 800 years ago, when it was a vibrant commercial and religious hub. Visitors, who marvel at the ancient wonders of Anuradhapura, do make a bee-line to the twin city of Polonnaruwa as well to view the archaeological treasures of a glorious era dating back to eight centuries. Nestling gracefully in Sri Lanka’s rustic north central province, the tranquil ancient kingdom’s archaeological park offers a delightful opportunity to travelers to explore the myriad of ancient structures and archaeological monuments ranging from tombs and temples to statues and stupas in a compact layout. Visiting The Quadrangle alone will prove to be an experience of a lifetime. Polonnaruwa, the country’s capital from the 11th–13th century, is considered one of the best preserved historic cities in the world. Akin to a ‘Tale of Two Cities’, it is phenomenal to discover that Polonnaruwa has a ‘new town’ about 6km away from its ‘old town’, which is a treasure trove of archaeological value. Many visitors opt to cycle in an exploratory journey across the city. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its abundance of historic remains, the magnificence and rich natural beauty of this fascinating age-old city is indeed too difficult for any traveler to resist.

As one of the most visited key archaeological sites in Sri Lanka, Sigiriya offers some of the finest ancient architectures in the world. Described by locals as the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’, this historic fortress complex encompasses ruins of a magnificent royal palace surrounded by an extensive network of fortifications, sprawling gardens, ponds, canals, alleys and fountains. Perched on a rocky plateau 370 meters above the sea level, Sigiriya is a World Heritage Site.

The Sinharaja Rainforest is home to more than 50% of Sri Lanka’s endemic species of mammals and butterflies, as well as many kinds of insects, reptiles and rare amphibians. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this tropical lowland natural reserve spans an area of 18,900 acres bounded by rivers on three sides. To the east of Sinharaja is an ancient footpath near Beverley Tea Estate and by the Denuwa Kanda (mountain).

Trincomalee is a dream come true for water-based adventure sports enthusiasts, who can enjoy the thrills of diving, snorkeling or swimming as the amazing city is home to the fine beaches of Nilaveli, Uppuveli and the offshore Pigeon Island. With one of the best natural deep-water harbors in the world, this eastern city has also emerged as a popular whale watching destination. The incredible seven hot springs at Kanniya, 8km from the town, should not be missed.

Famous for its resident elephant population is the Udawalawe National Park, one of Sri Lanka’s oldest wildlife parks. The conservation of elephants got off the ground in this wildlife reserve with the setting up of an Elephant Transit Home. It is also an important sanctuary for water birds.

Famed for its diversity of flora and fauna; the Wasgamuwa National Park is home to 23 different species of mammals. Situated in Wasgamuwa, it is a haven of sloth bears, an endangered species. The sanctuary is also an Important Bird Area.

Famous for its leopard population earlier is the Wilpattu National Park, the oldest and biggest wildlife sanctuary. Though the park has within its fold many endangered species, including the sloth bear, the leopard density is now more at Yala.

Topping the list of wildlife reserves is Yala, Sri Lanka’s most visited and the second biggest National Park, known for its leopard density.

Designated a wildlife sanctuary in 1990, the park encompasses 979 square kilometers with 25 species of mammal including elephants, water buffaloes and sloth bears roaming free in the wilderness. The Park has also been designated an Important Bird Area.