Things to do in Sri Lanka

Looking for Sri Lanka holidays that combine culture and cricket? Then quaint coastal Galle is a must-visit city. Founded by the Portuguese in the sixteenth century, Galle is domi-nated by the 300-year-old UNESCO-listed fort that looms over its cobbled streets and courtyards. Galle is also home to cool cafes, hip hotels and the world-renowned Galle Literary Festival that holds events in the fort – perfect for book-lovers wondering what to do in Sri Lanka. Cricket fans will be in heaven here too, with Galle International Stadium regarded as the most picturesque ground in the world – with the Indian Ocean twinkling away behind test match action, we can’t argue with that.

The craggy outcrops of Sri Lanka’s northern interior are home to the island’s Cultural Triangle, named after the arrangement of three major ancient sites – Anuradhapura in the north, Polonaruwa in the east, and Kandy to the south-west. Hiring a bike is the perfect way to explore the ruins of Polonnaruwa, with its maze of monasteries, shrines and stupas. For Buddhist cave temples, statues and art that will take your breath away, head to dusty Dambulla.

Being part of the Cultural Triangle, it’s no surprise that Kandy is home to tonnes of temples and palaces, with the spectacular Esala Perahera festival held here in late July/early August in honour of the city’s revered Tooth Relic. For a perfect day in the area, head to the Temple of the Tooth for the early morning puja (a devotional prayer and gift-offering ceremony), then pootle to the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens. Dating back to 1371, it’s easy to see why these used to be the king’s personal pleasure park .To round off a rewarding day, head to the Millennium Elephant Foundation. This family-run NGO offers inspiring ethical alternatives to elephant riding - from educational walks in the wild, to bathing baby elephants.

Mirissa is fast becoming the south coast’s most popular beach destination, largely due to the masses of mighty blue whales that can be spotted off its coast, along with fin whales, sperm whales, orcas, dolphins, turtles, manta rays and whale sharks. With peak whale-spotting season running October to May, most tour companies will happily take you out again the next day in the unlikely event you don’t get lucky first-time round.

Jump in a jeep to see elephants, wild water buffaloes, Sri Lankan sloth bears and crocodiles up close - the range of wildlife in Yala National Park is nothing short of mind-blowing, with landscapes ranging from grasslands, to lagoons, to sand dunes. It’s a bird-watchers’ paradise too, with 215 species regularly sighted, seven of which are endemic to Sri Lanka. But leopards are the top attraction here – the park is home to one of the world’s highest densities of these fleet-footed felines, which makes visiting Yala one of the very best things to do in Sri Lanka.

Brash and busy Colombo can come as a bit of a shock to the system, especially if you stop-off here at the end of a chilled beach holiday. But it’s an in-your-face experience worth having, and one you won’t forget for some time. Highlights include Pettah’s busy bazaar district (the perfect place to barter for everything from Ayurvedic herbs to mobile phones), and the 17th-century Old Colombo Dutch Hospital, now a heritage building and home to a host of boutique shops and places to dine.

Your journey to World’s End begins at Horton Plains National Park, an expanse of mist-shrouded, low-lying moorland on the edge of the Hill Country. The route through the tangled cloud forest crosses terrain that looks more like Scotland than an island in the tropics. Then, at the southern edge of the park, World’s End opens up to offer Sri Lanka’s most astounding panorama, with a sheer cliff face that plunges almost 1000 metres to the lowland plains below – certainly a jaw (and stomach) dropping view to remember.