Skip to main content
← All Places

Nature & Parks

14 destinations to explore

Nine Arches Bridge in Ella surrounded by lush green tea plantations Nature & Parks

Ella

Badulla, Uva Province

A charming hill country town surrounded by tea plantations, waterfalls, and the famous Nine Arches Bridge, offering some of Sri Lanka's best hiking.

Nine Arches Bridge hiking tea plantations
Adam's Peak silhouette at sunrise with the sacred shadow triangle Religious Sites

Adam's Peak (Sri Pada)

Ratnapura, Sabaragamuwa Province

A sacred mountain revered by Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, and Christians alike, famous for its 'sacred footprint' and spectacular sunrise pilgrimage.

pilgrimage sacred mountain sunrise
Nuwara Eliya town with misty mountains and tea plantations Hill Country

Nuwara Eliya

Nuwara Eliya, Central Province

Known as 'Little England', this charming hill station at 1,868 metres features colonial architecture, tea plantations, and the coolest climate in Sri Lanka.

hill station tea plantations colonial
Sigiriya Lion Rock Fortress rising above the jungle canopy at sunrise Historical Sites

Sigiriya Lion Rock Fortress

Matale, Central Province

An ancient rock fortress and palace ruin atop a 200-metre granite column, Sigiriya is Sri Lanka's most iconic UNESCO World Heritage Site.

UNESCO World Heritage ancient ruins panoramic views
A leopard resting on a rock in Yala National Park Wildlife

Yala National Park

Hambantota, Southern Province

Sri Lanka's most visited national park, famous for having the highest density of leopards in the world alongside elephants, sloth bears, and diverse birdlife.

leopards elephants safari
Mirissa Beach golden sand with palm trees and turquoise water Beaches

Mirissa Beach

Matara, Southern Province

A stunning crescent-shaped beach on Sri Lanka's southern coast, famous for whale watching, surfing, and breathtaking sunsets.

beach whale watching surfing
A surfer riding a long wave at the main point break in Arugam Bay during golden hour Beaches

Arugam Bay

Ampara, Eastern Province

Arugam Bay is Sri Lanka's premier surfing destination and a laid-back beach town on the southeast coast, renowned for its world-class point breaks, lagoon safaris, and vibrant backpacker culture.

surfing beach nightlife
Golden sand beach at Bentota stretching along the turquoise Indian Ocean coastline Beaches

Bentota

Galle, Southern Province

Sri Lanka's premier beach resort destination, where a golden coastline meets the lush Bentota River, offering water sports, river safaris, and the legacy of Geoffrey Bawa.

beach water sports river safari
Misty montane grasslands of Horton Plains National Park at dawn with distant mountain ridges Nature & Parks

Horton Plains National Park

Nuwara Eliya, Central Province

A stunning UNESCO World Heritage plateau featuring World's End, a sheer 880-metre cliff drop with panoramic views, rare cloud forests, and unique montane grasslands.

World's End hiking cloud forest
A herd of elephants bathing and playing in the Maha Oya river at Pinnawala Wildlife

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

Kegalle, Sabaragamuwa Province

Home to the world's largest herd of captive elephants, Pinnawala offers unforgettable encounters with rescued elephants and their daily bathing ritual in the Maha Oya river.

elephants orphanage bathing
Dense tropical rainforest canopy of Sinharaja Forest Reserve with mist rising through towering trees Nature & Parks

Sinharaja Forest Reserve

Ratnapura, Sabaragamuwa Province

Sri Lanka's last viable area of primary tropical rainforest, this UNESCO World Heritage Site harbours extraordinary biodiversity with over 50% endemic species.

UNESCO rainforest endemic species
Turquoise waters and white sand of Nilaveli Beach stretching into the distance with Pigeon Island visible offshore Beaches

Trincomalee

Trincomalee, Eastern Province

Trincomalee is a historic port city on Sri Lanka's northeast coast, blessed with one of the world's finest natural harbours, pristine beaches, sacred Hindu temples, and superb whale watching opportunities.

beach whale watching Koneswaram Temple
A herd of wild elephants walking across golden grasslands with the Udawalawe Reservoir and distant mountains in the background Wildlife

Udawalawe National Park

Ratnapura, Sabaragamuwa Province

Udawalawe National Park is Sri Lanka's best destination for wild elephant encounters, home to 600-700 resident elephants roaming open grasslands around a vast reservoir in the island's southern lowlands.

elephants safari wildlife
The curved golden bay of Unawatuna Beach with turquoise waters and palm-fringed shoreline Beaches

Unawatuna Beach

Galle, Southern Province

A sheltered crescent bay with calm turquoise waters, vibrant coral reefs, the iconic Japanese Peace Pagoda, and a lively beach scene just minutes from historic Galle.

beach snorkelling diving