Sri Lankan landscape

Discover Sri Lanka

Destinations

Beyond the obvious. Explore the places, landscapes and stories that reveal Sri Lanka beyond the familiar postcard.

The island

One island. Many worlds.

Sri Lanka changes dramatically as you travel across it. Ancient cities give way to forests, mountains descend into tea country, and coastal communities carry traditions shaped by centuries of movement across the Indian Ocean.

Explore

Places worth discovering

Colombo
01Western Province

Colombo

Sri Lanka's energetic capital, where colonial streets, contemporary culture, markets and the Indian Ocean meet.

Galle
02Southern Province

Galle

A beautifully preserved coastal city shaped by centuries of maritime trade, architecture and living heritage.

Kandy
03Central Province

Kandy

A cultural heartland surrounded by hills, sacred traditions, forests and the legacy of the Kandyan kingdom.

Jaffna
04Northern Province

Jaffna

A distinctive northern landscape of Tamil heritage, temples, cuisine, islands and coastal traditions.

Anuradhapura
05North Central Province

Anuradhapura

An ancient capital where sacred trees, stupas and archaeological landscapes remain part of everyday life.

Sigiriya
06Central Province

Sigiriya

The dramatic Lion Rock rises from the surrounding forests, revealing one of Sri Lanka's extraordinary ancient landscapes.

Ella
07Uva Province

Ella

Mountain scenery, tea country, railway journeys and village paths come together in this highland destination.

Trincomalee
08Eastern Province

Trincomalee

A natural harbour, spectacular coastline, historic temples and a multicultural coastal identity.

Yala
09Southern Province

Yala

A vast landscape of forests, lagoons, grasslands and wildlife along Sri Lanka's southeastern coast.

Nuwara Eliya
10Central Province

Nuwara Eliya

Misty mountains, tea estates and colonial-era architecture create a highland world with a character of its own.

Polonnaruwa
11North Central Province

Polonnaruwa

A medieval royal capital surrounded by monumental ruins, reservoirs and remarkable ancient engineering.

Dambulla
12Central Province

Dambulla

A landscape of caves, Buddhist art and ancient pilgrimage routes set among the dry-zone forests.

Arugam Bay
13Eastern Province

Arugam Bay

A laid-back eastern coast known for surf, fishing villages, lagoons and open landscapes.

Batticaloa
14Eastern Province

Batticaloa

Lagoons, music, fishing communities and layered histories define this distinctive eastern city.

Mirissa
15Southern Province

Mirissa

A small southern coastal town where fishing traditions, tropical beaches and ocean culture meet.

Tangalle
16Southern Province

Tangalle

A quieter stretch of the southern coast with secluded beaches, lagoons, fishing communities and wild landscapes.

Matara
17Southern Province

Matara

A coastal city shaped by fortifications, temples, markets and everyday life in Sri Lanka's deep south.

Negombo
18Western Province

Negombo

A historic fishing town where canals, Catholic traditions, seafood and coastal life sit close to the capital.

Keep exploring

The best of Sri Lanka is often found between the destinations.

Follow the roads, railway lines, coastlines and ancient paths. There is always another story waiting beyond the obvious.