An island that remembers everyone who visits.

Sigiriya

A 5th-century rock fortress rising 200 metres from the jungle, painted with celestial frescoes.

Best: December – March (rewarding in most months)

Kandy

The last royal capital of Sri Lanka, where the sacred Tooth Relic rests beside a misty lake.

Best: December – March

Ella

Emerald terraces, Nine Arch Bridge, and the most photographed train ride in Asia.

Best: December – March

Galle

A walled Portuguese-Dutch port city where colonial mansions meet the Indian Ocean.

Best: December – March

Yala

Sri Lanka's wildest national park — home to the highest density of leopards on earth.

Mirissa

Crescent bays, blue whales offshore, and coconut palms bending into the surf.

Best: December – March

Anuradhapura

A 2,300-year-old capital of stupas, monasteries, and the world's oldest planted tree.

Best: December – March (rewarding in most months)

Nuwara Eliya

Colonial bungalows wrapped in tea, mist, and the cool air of the highlands at 1,900m.

Best: December – March

Pinnawala

Pinnawala sits on the old Kandy road, about two hours from Colombo and an hour from Kandy, so it is an easy stop on the way up to the hills. The elephant orphanage here was set up in 1975 to care for young elephants found orphaned or hurt, and it now looks after a herd of all ages.

Best: January – March (fair the rest of the year, with afternoon showers)

Udawalawe

Udawalawe is the elephant park that works for families. The land is open grassland and scrub around a reservoir, so you can see a long way, and herds of wild elephants come down to the water often. A jeep safari here is short, usually two to three hours, which suits younger children.

Best: January – September (driest May – September; fair with rain October – December)