From the 4th century BC until 993 AD, Sri Lanka was ruled from a succession of visually imposing royal capitals at the centre of the island. Consisting of spectacular fortified palaces, huge dagobas, giant, serene-faced Buddhas and massive water tanks built to irrigate the surrounding fields, the ruins of these great urban centres comprise one of the great storehouses of ancient monuments in the world. Your first glimpse of Sigiriya’s awesome rock rising from the central plain is one you'll never forget..

Standing alongside the shimmering expanse of a vast artificial lake, Polonnaruwa is the most compelling of Sri Lanka’s ancient capitals. From the 11th to 13th centuries, a succession of kings developed an immense city here, and its ruins – comprising finely sculpted statues, frescoes, colossal Buddha images and immense stupas – are nothing short of magical.

Nearby Minneriya protects an extensive mix of forests, grasslands and wetlands. Elephants – and safaris to see them – are the main attraction of the park, particularly in August and September, when literally hundreds gather on the shores of a lake to mate – one of Asia’s greatest natural spectacles.

In the very heart of Sri Lanka, a massive, flat-topped, sheer-sided rock rises abruptly from the plains. On its summit rests a 5th-century fortress reached via flights of precipitous stairs and catwalks. Halfway up, you pass a series of famous frescoes of voluptuous women adorning the rock walls. An even more astonishing horde of ancient art survives at nearby Dambulla, where an ensemble of cave shrines was hewn from a huge granite inselberg in the 1st century BC – a beautifully atmospheric spot receiving far fewer visitors than nearby Sigiriya. 

A serene curve of shallow, translucent blue water and golden sand backed by a curtain of palms, Passikudah is the loveliest of the beaches on the east coast and the perfect place to wind down after a tour of the island’s cultural treasures inland. A small cluster of mid-sized resorts have sprung up behind the beach, but they’re very low rise and low-key. Our preferred option offers cool, stylish chalets with uninterrupted sea views and access to the sand from private sundecks, only a stone’s throw from the waves.

For more restless souls, Passikudah has facilities for windsurfing, water-skiing, fishing and snorkelling (additional costs may apply – ask your consultant for more details). Village visits and biking tours are other optional extras should the lure of the sun and surf start to wane.

Nearby Trincomalee – or ‘Trinco’ as it’s known locally – is the departure point for whale watching trips. Blue and sperm whales are regularly spotted around six miles off shore (30mins by boat). Sightings are most common in March–April and August–September, as whales migrate around the island from the south coast.

The prominence of Kandy, Sri Lanka’s highland capital and second largest city, rests on its role as repository for the famous ‘Tooth Relic’ of the Buddha, one of Asia’s most sacred objects. The holy molar is enshrined in the illustrious Temple of the Tooth, built in the 1700s, and am atmospheric place to visit. The town’s pretty lake, attractive streetscapes and pleasant climate combine to make it a charming halt.

The ‘Royal Botanical Gardens of Peradeniya’, to give them their full title, were originally established as a royal retreat in the 14th century. They’re now one of the island’s principal visitor attractions, thanks to their world-class collection of orchids, palms and, the real showstopper, a giant Javan fig tree.

Kandy’s number one sight, however, has for centuries been the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, the island’s most revered Buddhist shrine and the symbolic lynchpin of Sri Lankan royalty. Pilgrims dressed in flowing white robes file through the complex throughout the day, carrying offerings of lotus blooms and frangipani flowers.

The cool air, unhurried ambience and expansive views over rolling tea terraces to misty hills in the distance account for the enduring popularity of Sri Lanka’s high tea country. Soak up the atmosphere from the private verandah of a luxuriously refurbished, colonial-era bungalow, complete with wingback armchairs in its drawing room and claw-foot bathtubs in the bathroom. Staffed by liveried butlers, all of our favourite places to stay have gorgeous pools too, where you while away the balmy afternoons relaxing and reading.

Nuwara Eliya, the country’s principal hill station, presides over an area of verdant valleys contoured by the mosaic-like swirls of tea plantations. The legacy of British times endures here in numerous ways. Horse racing, flower shows and hotels with names like The Grand, Windsor and St Andrew’s are still going strong. Nuwara Eliya is the sort of place you almost feel obliged to take lashings of marmalade at breakfast, cake at tea time and hearty puddings smothered in custard.

The Horton Plains National Park encompasses the island’s highest and most isolated plateau – an area rich in biodiversity, particularly birds. The main reason to come here, however, is to walk to ‘World’s End’ – a spectacular, vertigo-inducing, 900-metre drop with far-reaching views across the southern hills. On clear days you can see as far as Adam’s Peak, sacred to Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims.

Jutting like a small peninsular into the Indian Ocean from Sri Lanka’s southwestern tip, Galle is a gorgeous, colonial-era fortified town acclaimed as the finest of its kind in Asia. The 18th century Dutch walls, bastions, ramparts and gateways form a charismatic backdrop for easy ambles around the narrow lanes of old town, lined with pretty colonial-style houses and mansions. A charming jumble of cafés and shops offer excuses to linger. The area also holds a number of fine beaches – you could well be staying in a luxury hideaway right next to one.

If you haven’t already, be sure to wander along the breezy ramparts of Galle Fort to Flag Rock, where your progress will be interrupted at regular intervals by snake charmers carrying giant pythons. Nearby Unawatuna, an idyllic beach resort a few miles southeast of town, is a perfect place for a final sundowner.