Kalpitiya
A remote peninsula on Sri Lanka’s north-western coast, known for kitesurfing, seasonal dolphin watching, coastal lagoon cycling and some of the darkest night skies on the island. Best time to visit: November to April for kitesurfing, May to October for dolphin watching.
Kithulgala
Sri Lanka’s premier white water rafting destination on the clear Kelani Ganga, with Grade 3-4 rapids through a forested gorge – also the original filming location of David Lean’s Bridge on the River Kwai. Best time to visit: year-round, best after the monsoon.
Nuwara Eliya
Sri Lanka’s most elevated town at 1,800 metres, surrounded by continuous tea estate and carrying a distinctly colonial hill-station character. Cool, frequently misty and utterly unlike the rest of the island – Gregory Lake and the highland market are charms entirely its own. Best time to visit: December to April.
Knuckles Mountain Range
A UNESCO World Heritage biosphere reserve east of Kandy with cloud forest, waterfalls, ridge trails and isolated village settlements offering exceptional trekking. One of the finest multi-day hiking destinations on the island. Best time to visit: January to March and August to September.
Horton Plains
A UNESCO-listed high-altitude plateau at 2,100 metres, with a circular cloud forest trail to World’s End – a sheer 900-metre escarpment – and Baker’s Falls. Most rewarding before 7am when the plateau belongs to the mist and the sambar deer. Best time to visit: year-round, early morning.
Ella
A small highland village at the edge of the hill country with the dramatic Ella Gap valley view, the iconic Nine Arch Bridge and accessible tea estate hikes. The most beloved mountain town in Sri Lanka – best experienced slowly. Best time to visit: year-round, December to March for clearest skies.