Six regions, each with its own season and pace. Start with the one that fits your dates.
The regions
Cultural triangle
The cultural triangle is Sri Lanka’s dry heartland of ancient capitals and rock temples: Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya and Dambulla. It is hot and mostly dry all year, so start early and carry water.
Hill country
Sri Lanka’s hill country is tea estates, cool towns and the famous train line from Kandy to Ella. Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ella and Haputale are the main bases, with walks to Horton Plains, World’s End and Adam’s Peak. It is clearest from January to April, and mornings are best for views.
South coast
The south coast runs from Galle to Tangalle: beach towns, surf breaks, whale-watching from Mirissa and the old streets of Galle Fort. It is at its best in the dry season from December to April, when the sea is calm, with Yala National Park within reach at its eastern end.
East coast
The east coast is where to go when the south is wet: dry from about March to September, with the calmest sea from May. Trincomalee, Nilaveli and Uppuveli have long beaches and Pigeon Island’s reef, Pasikuda has shallow water for swimming, and Arugam Bay is the best-known surf town on the island.
North and Jaffna
The north, centred on Jaffna, is the heart of Tamil culture in Sri Lanka: Hindu temples such as Nallur, Jaffna Fort, ferries to the islands of Nainativu and Delft, and a cooking style of its own. It is dry from about March to September, and the north-east monsoon brings rain from November to January.
Colombo and the west coast
Colombo is Sri Lanka’s commercial capital and where most trips begin, with Negombo close to the airport and beach towns such as Bentota and Beruwala to the south. The west coast is dry and calm from December to April, and wet in the south-west monsoon from May to September.