Beach

See Sri Lanka the local way – from the back (or the driver's seat) of a tuk-tuk! Travel back roads from Kandy through tea country to the south coast, stopping in villages and at viewpoints most tourists never see. Choose a local tuk-tuk captain or drive yourself after a training session (local permit arranged).

The classic backpacker route with the hassle taken out: we book your hostels and guesthouses, reserve train seats, arrange key transfers and a safari, and give you a local SIM and 24/7 WhatsApp support – you travel independently by train, bus and tuk-tuk at backpacker prices.

Escape Colombo for a day on the south coast: Madu River boat safari, turtle hatchery, the UNESCO-listed Galle Fort and a swim in Unawatuna.

A short, sweet honeymoon: royal Kandy, the misty hills of Ella, and golden beaches on the south coast, with romantic touches along the way and no early starts unless you want them.

Sri Lanka's best-regarded hotels, senior chauffeur-guides and privately arranged experiences, all in a luxury vehicle. Stay in tented safari camps, restored tea-planter bungalows with butlers and a heritage villa inside Galle Fort.

Designed with parents and kids in mind: short driving days, hotels with pools, and experiences children love – elephants, bullock carts, trains, tuk-tuks, turtles and beaches. Family rooms or connecting rooms are arranged in every hotel.

A short break that combines the best of the south: a leopard safari in Yala, whale watching in Mirissa and a sunset walk in Galle Fort. Perfect before or after a Maldives holiday or a business trip to Colombo.

Sri Lanka's railways were built by the British to carry tea, and they remain the best way to see the island. This itinerary puts the train at its heart: the full Kandy–Ella journey, a sunrise at Lipton's Seat, and a final coastal ride south to Galle.

The two giants of Sri Lankan wildlife in one trip: the leopards of Yala and the blue whales of Mirissa – the largest animal ever to live. Add flamingos in Bundala and a beach afternoon, and you have a perfect nature break on the south coast.

When the monsoon reaches the west and south coasts, the east coast is at its best – calm, sunny and uncrowded. Begin with Sigiriya, then travel down the coast from Trincomalee's snorkelling reefs to the shallow lagoon of Pasikudah and the surf town of Arugam Bay.