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Explore All Places

Discover 20 incredible destinations across Sri Lanka

20 places found
Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy at dusk

Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic

Kandy

The most sacred Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka, housing the relic of the tooth of the Buddha in the heart of Kandy.

Galle Fort lighthouse and ramparts at golden hour

Galle Fort

Galle

A beautifully preserved 16th-century Dutch colonial fortress on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, blending European architecture with South Asian traditions.

Nine Arches Bridge in Ella surrounded by lush green tea plantations

Ella

Badulla

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

Adam's Peak silhouette at sunrise with the sacred shadow triangle

Adam's Peak (Sri Pada)

Ratnapura

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

Nuwara Eliya town with misty mountains and tea plantations

Nuwara Eliya

Nuwara Eliya

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

Sigiriya Lion Rock Fortress rising above the jungle canopy at sunrise

Sigiriya Lion Rock Fortress

Matale

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

A leopard resting on a rock in Yala National Park

Yala National Park

Hambantota

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.

Mirissa Beach golden sand with palm trees and turquoise water

Mirissa Beach

Matara

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

A surfer riding a long wave at the main point break in Arugam Bay during golden hour

Arugam Bay

Ampara

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.

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

Bentota

Galle

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.

The white dome of Ruwanwelisaya Dagoba gleaming under a clear blue sky in Anuradhapura

Sacred City of Anuradhapura

Anuradhapura

The sacred city of Anuradhapura served as the first capital of ancient Sri Lanka for over a millennium, housing some of the oldest and most revered Buddhist monuments in the world.

Misty montane grasslands of Horton Plains National Park at dawn with distant mountain ridges

Horton Plains National Park

Nuwara Eliya

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.

The ornate entrance to the Dambulla Cave Temple complex perched high on a rocky outcrop

Dambulla Cave Temple

Matale

The Dambulla Cave Temple is a magnificent complex of five caves containing 153 Buddha statues and over 2,100 square metres of ancient paintings, making it the largest and best-preserved cave temple in Sri Lanka.

The colourful gopuram tower of Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil rising against a blue sky in Jaffna

Jaffna

Jaffna

The vibrant capital of Sri Lanka's Northern Province, Jaffna is a treasure trove of Tamil culture, ornate Hindu temples, Dutch colonial heritage, and unique cuisine.

The reclining Buddha statue at Gal Vihara in Polonnaruwa bathed in warm afternoon light

Ancient City of Polonnaruwa

Polonnaruwa

The splendid medieval capital of Polonnaruwa showcases remarkably well-preserved ruins from the 11th to 13th centuries, including the magnificent Gal Vihara Buddha statues carved from living granite.

A herd of elephants bathing and playing in the Maha Oya river at Pinnawala

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

Kegalle

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.

Dense tropical rainforest canopy of Sinharaja Forest Reserve with mist rising through towering trees

Sinharaja Forest Reserve

Ratnapura

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

Turquoise waters and white sand of Nilaveli Beach stretching into the distance with Pigeon Island visible offshore

Trincomalee

Trincomalee

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.

A herd of wild elephants walking across golden grasslands with the Udawalawe Reservoir and distant mountains in the background

Udawalawe National Park

Ratnapura

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.

The curved golden bay of Unawatuna Beach with turquoise waters and palm-fringed shoreline

Unawatuna Beach

Galle

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.