Kalpitiya

Kalpitiya, located in the North Western Province of Sri Lanka, is a collection of 14 islands and it is famous for its waterfront beauty. This place is often considered as the future of Sri Lanka tourism. The collection of islands along with the water lagoon has vast scopes of development in the future. Kalpitiya Beach, situated in the far northern end, is a place for many watersports and dolphin and whale watching. The beach is a long sandy spit, which can be easily accessed from the Kalpitiya lagoon on a boat. This beautiful stretch of sand attracts a lot of tourists and the beach is truly bestowed with scenic beauty. Whether you plan on a nice sunbath on the sandy shores, or dipping in the water for fun, Kalpitiya Beach in Sri Lanka is a must visit destination.

Sigiriya

Sigiriya is one of the most valuable historical monuments of Sri Lanka. Referred by locals as the Eighth Wonder of the World this ancient palace and fortress complex has significant archaeological importance and attracts thousands of tourists every year. It is probably the most visited tourist destination of Sri Lanka. The palace is located in the heart of the island between the towns of Dambulla and Habarane on a massive rocky plateau 370 meters above the sea level. Sigiriya rock plateau, formed from magma of an extinct volcano, is 200 meters higher than the surrounding jungles. Its view astonishes the visitors with the unique harmony between the nature and human imagination. The fortress complex includes remnants of a ruined palace, surrounded by an extensive network of fortifications, vast gardens, ponds, canals, alleys and fountains.

Kandy

The last Sinhalese kingdom, Kandy is central to the history of Sri Lanka and is home to many of the island’s cultural gems. Meaning ‘hill’, Kandy once stood as an impenetrable fortress against invading colonial powers, withstanding all attempts of invasion until the British finally deposed the king in 1815. Kandy houses the world-famous Temple of the Tooth, one of the most famous Buddhist temples in the world, which was built to protect the sacred tooth relic thought to belong to Lord Buddha, which has been enshrined in Sri Lanka for hundreds of years. As well as a host of other temples, visitors to the city can wander along Kandy Lake, stroll through the stunning Botanical Gardens – created by the British in the 19th century and still one of the most beautiful gardens in Asia – and visit Kadungannawa Tea Factory. Kandy is one of the best places to explore the art history of Sri Lanka and travelers should take the time to see a Kandyan cultural show.

Nuawara Eliya

Often referred to as ‘Little England’, this genteel highland community does have a rose-tinted, vaguely British-country-village feel to it, with its colonial-era bungalows, Tudor-style hotels, well-tended hedgerows and pretty gardens. Indeed, Nuwara Eliya was once was the favored cool-climate escape for the hard-working and hard-drinking English and Scottish pioneers of Sri Lanka’s tea industry. A recent construction boom has blighted the scene to a degree, and the dusty and bustling centre is a thoroughly Sri Lankan urban tangle, but Nuwara Eliya still makes a fine base for a few days’ relaxation. The verdant surrounding countryside of tea plantations, carefully tended vegetable plots and craggy hills is highly scenic. Treat yourself to a night in one of Nuwara Eliya’s colonial hotels, play a round of golf or a few frames of billiards, and soak up the town’s unique bygone heritage.

Arugam Bay

Lovely Arugam Bay, a moon-shaped curl of soft sand, is home to a famed point break that many regard as the best surf spot in the country. It’s a tiny place, with a population of a few hundred, and everything is dotted along a single road which parallels the coast. So in other words, the epitome of the laid-back beach scene that first drew surfers and sun-seekers to Sri Lanka. If you’re not a surfer, there are plenty of other draws: beachfront guesthouses, oceanside restaurants and a mellow, swing-another-day-in-a-hammock kind of vibe that’s totally removed from the brash west-coast beach resorts. Arugam Bay also makes a great base for several adventures in the surrounding hinterland. During the low season (November to April) things get extremely quiet and many places close altogether, but it can also be a serene time to visit, with few tourists and verdant landscapes

Mirissa

Mirissa is one of the most popular beach destinations in southern Sri Lanka, and for a good reason! The area has it all, beautiful Sri Lankan beaches, great waves for surfing, and waters teeming with marine life, from turtles to big blue whales. Spend your days enjoying fresh coconuts in your hammock, eating delicious food from beachside restaurants, and zooming around by motorbike. Four days is the perfect amount of time to absorb the laidback culture of this sunny beach town, enjoying all the top things to do in Mirissa. Fringing two sandy bays separated by a rock island reachable at low tide, Mirissa feels hidden away compared to Sri Lanka’s other busier resort towns. While the quiet sands are sprinkled with bars and surf rentals, it’s Mirissa’s May-to-November whale-watching boat trips that steal the show.

Galle

Galle is a jewel. A Unesco World Heritage Site, this historic city is a delight to explore on foot, an endlessly exotic old trading port blessed with imposing Dutch-colonial buildings, ancient mosques and churches, grand mansions and museums. Wandering its rambling lanes you’ll pass stylish cafes, quirky boutiques and impeccably restored hotels owned by local and foreign artists, writers, photographers and designers. Built by the Dutch, beginning in 1663, Galle’s core is the Fort, a walled enclave surrounded on three sides by the ocean. A key part of the Fort’s appeal is that it isn’t just a pretty place. Sure, tourism now dominates the local economy, but this unique city remains a working community: there are administrative offices and courts, export companies, schools and colleges. Most travelers are utterly seduced by Galle’s ambience, and it’s undoubtedly southern Sri Lanka’s one unmissable sight.

Colombo

Situated in the western province of Sri Lanka, Colombo is the island’s capital. Diverse and vibrant, the city is the administrative and economic center of the country. Colombo is Sri Lanka’s largest city, home to around a million people is also one of the busiest ports in the South Asia. Colombo was the capital for over two hundred years until the capital was shifted to nearby Sri Jayawardenepura, but remains the hub and heart of the city. The city offers historical monuments, colonial architecture, beaches, fine dining, vibrant night life and lots of shopping. Its architecture has been influenced by Portuguese, Dutch, and British colonization and is very visible in the buildings surrounding the city. The New Parliament is situated at Sri Jayawardenapura on the outskirts of Colombo, while the Old Parliament on Galle Road is now the Presidential Secretariat.

The Galle Face Green promenade is currently a 5 hectare ribbon strip of land between Galle Road and the Indian Ocean, which is now the largest open space in Colombo. There are many large hotels that border the strip and its surroundings have been earmarked for city development including many more 5 start hotels. The city is also cluttered with temples, mosques, and churches catering to the diverse population that enrich the culture of the city. With many boutiques filled with international brands and local art and fabrics Colombo is the best place to do the last minute shopping and then it’s best to retire to Galle face, Colombo’s playground for some Kottu or Wade.