Sri Lanka: What You Absolutely Must See

10 best places to visit in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka may be a small island in the Indian Ocean, but the island boasts an area of 65,000 km2 and 22 million people. The country, formerly known as Ceylon, boasts an ancient civilisation, golden-sand beaches with their swaying coconut palms, mountains and rubber and tea plantations. While visiting the island, you will see colonial architecture from the times when the Portuguese, Dutch and English ruled. You will see plenty of elephants, some of which take part in local festivals, and, if you're lucky, maybe a leopard or two in a wildlife sanctuary. An overview of the best places to visit in Sri Lanka:

10Bentota

With coconut palms swaying in the breeze, Bentota is a tourist town with plenty of activities on the southern coast of Sri Lanka. One of the most famous beaches in Sri Lanka, Bentota is the premier seaside resort on the Indian Ocean where water activities abound, such as surfing, sailing and snorkelling. When it's time for a change of pace, you can visit a sea turtle hatchery and a conservation centre that monitors five of the world's seven species of sea turtles. You can also admire a 17th-century fortress, lush gardens and an ancient Buddhist temple dating back to the Middle Ages.

9Nuwara Eliya

Sri Lanka is famous for its tea. What better place to learn more about tea than at the source itself: Nuwara Eliya. With a temperate climate and an altitude of 1,900 metres, Nuwara Eliya is the country's tea-producing capital. You can visit a tea plantation and see how tea is produced. Founded in the 19th century, this country town soon became a refuge for British settlers, earning it the nickname Little England. April is a good time to visit, when visitors flock here to see the flowers and celebrate Sri Lanka's new year. Other attractions include Lake Gregory and Laxapana, Sri Lanka's most famous waterfalls.

8Anuradhapura

Anuradhapura is an ancient sacred city that was founded around a cutting from the Buddha's fig tree. Dating back to the third century BC, Anuradhapura was founded by the founder of an order of Buddhist nuns. This magnificent city of palaces, temples and monuments flourished for 1,300 years but was abandoned after being invaded at the end of the 10th century. Just like Peru's Machu Picchu, the locals were aware of it, but not many others until it was "discovered" by Europeans many centuries later. These fantastic ruins have been excavated and are accessible to the public.

7Colombo

Colombo was the commercial capital of Sri Lanka for over two thousand years, when its large natural harbour made it popular with ancient trade from Italy to China. It is often referred to as the country's capital, although the legislative capital is in a nearby city. Dominated by the early Portuguese and then British settlers, Colombo is a popular tourist destination. One of the most popular attractions is Galle Face Green, a strip park along the Indian Ocean. Also not to be missed is the Gangaramaya Temple, known for its mix of ethnic architectural styles.

6Yala National Park

Animals dominate the perch, the ground and the sky in Yala National Park, a wildlife sanctuary about 240 km from Colombo. Yala offers a myriad of things to do. Your visit begins with a safari to see animals including elephants, buffalo and leopards, which are found here in higher density than anywhere else in the world. Note: the park closes for the leopard breeding season in September. The park is also home to 215 species of birds, seven of which are native to the park. The main attractions, besides the wildlife, are Sithulpauwwa, an ancient rock temple that once housed 12,000 monks, and Magul Maha Viharaya, once the setting of a royal wedding.

5Mirissa

If you're looking for a holiday in a tropical paradise, Mirissa might be the answer to your dreams: coconut palms, splendid golden-sand beaches, days spent swinging in a hammock. This crescent-shaped piece of paradise is famous for having the most beautiful sunsets and sunrises in Sri Lanka. There are no luxury resorts to spoil the landscape, so it's just you, the beach and quiet during the day. The pace picks up at night. Mirissa is the largest fishing port on the south coast and is a good place to go for dolphin and whale watching.

4Polonnaruwa

The terms "beauty" and "beast" usually go well together, except in Polonnaruwa where beauty goes better with "ruins". Sri Lanka's second oldest kingdom, Polonnaruwa is known for the ruins of this ancient garden city. The 12th-century ruins are among the best preserved in the country. Polonnaruwa was a place where traders of exotic goods mingled with worshippers in the many temples. Start your tour of Polonnaruwa at the Archaeological Museum, then proceed to the massive Royal Palace (50 buildings) with its well-preserved audience hall. The beautifully decorated sacred quadrangle is another must-see here.

3Kandy

Kandy, Sri Lanka's second largest city, is the gateway to the Central Highlands and its tropical plantations that grow tea and rubber. If you're driving from Colombo, you'll pass rubber plantations on a road considered one of the most scenic in the country. The last capital of the ancient kingdoms, Kandy is home to the Temple of the Tooth, one of the most sacred Buddhist temples in the world. An important and colourful festival involves carrying the tooth relic around the city. Film buffs might be interested to know that Kandy was the main location in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

2Galle

Galle's most famous attraction is the 17th-century fortress built by the Dutch settlers. Sitting on a promontory overlooking the Indian Ocean, the fort is known for its architectural style. Galle is considered an excellent example of a fortified city. The fortress is not just another pretty place; today the fort houses courts and businesses. Galle is becoming known as an artists' colony and its expatriate community — about a third of the town's houses are owned by foreigners. Other main attractions include a natural harbour, Sri Lanka's oldest lighthouse, a maritime museum, a Shiva temple and St. Jesuit Cathedral.

1Sigiriya

Archaeologists decree that Sigiriya is on the list of places you absolutely must visit in Sri Lanka. This ancient city is built on a steep slope, topped by a plateau almost 180 metres high. This plateau is known as Lion's Rock as it guards over the jungles below. Access to the site is via stairs and rooms that emerge from the lion's mouth. You will also see ponds, gardens and fountains. Very nice! The locals consider the site the eighth wonder of the world. This ancient rock fortress dates back to the 3rd century BC when it was a monastery. It was later turned into a royal residence.