Anastasia Smith
Sri Lanka is a land of natural beauty, rich cultural heritage and luxury. This island paradise, nestled in the Indian Ocean is renowned for its picture-perfect landscapes, and warm hospitality coupled with many hidden gems to explore on the island. Here are 5 delightful destinations in Sri Lanka that you should visit.
Located on the south coast of the island, it is a beautiful town with beaches and a lush jungle. It is the ideal place for surfers to catch some waves or soak up the sun, lying on the beach with a coconut in your hand. The Koggala Lake and the Martin Wickramasinghe Museum are famous tourist attractions that are close by.
This dreamy town has it all; tea plantations, gorgeous jungle mountains and picturesque waterfalls. Ella is renowned for its Nine Arch Bridge where you can walk along it and take some beautiful snapshots. You can also climb Little Adam’s Peak which is close by and is a relatively easier climb. The Ravana Falls is a 3-tiered waterfall with several rock pools which make for a refreshing place to swim.
An ancient rock fortress that is also referred to as the Lion Rock. It is one of the oldest monuments in Sri Lanka with an ancient palace and fort built in the fifth century during the rule of King Kasyapa. While hiking up this wonderful piece of history you will see the Frescos of the Sigiriya Damsels along your climb up to the summit. Getting to Sigiriya has been made much more convenient now with the daily domestic flights in Sri Lanka. Driving time to Sigiriya will usually take about 5 hours by car, whereas flight time would only take 35 minutes by Cinnamon Air. Sri Lanka has many different towns from which these domestic flights can be taken from.
You can travel to Jaffna by air from Colombo in an hour. It is a relatively untapped region of Sri Lanka, which makes it the perfect place to escape the crowds and explore the Tamil side of Sri Lanka. The northern province endured much unrest during the civil war, but the beauty of this region remains undiminished. A bustling marketplace in the town of Jaffna is a wonderful place to start your explorations and sample the local cuisine. The Jaffna Fort and the Nallur Kandaswammy Kovil are some of the popular attractions to visit here.
The hill capital of Sri Lanka, Kandy is the most celebrated cultural city in Sri Lanka. The city has a rich history influenced by the Sinhalese Kings and Queens and the colonial rulers. Many tourists visit the Temple of the Tooth Relic to pay homage to the sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha. Another must-visit attraction is the Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens to see its gorgeous flora while walking along the winding pathways. The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is a lovely place to spend some time to get closer to the gentle giants of Sri Lanka.
