1. Visit Yala National Park, teeming with animals from the Sri Lankan sloth bear and leopard to flocks of Lesser flamingos in the lagoons
2. Take a train into the Central Highlands to discover colonial tea plantations, lush vegetation and cascading waterfalls
3. Explore Kandy and the surrounding plateau, including the famous Temple of the Tooth where the relic of the tooth of Buddha is housed
4. Climb above misty forests to explore the ancient ruins carved into the bedrock at Sigiriya
5. Head to the beaches near Matara to watch men stilt fishing, every so often flicking tiny sardines out of the water
6. Catch a game of cricket – it is the most popular sport in the country and is played from the professional pitches of Colombo to kids messing around on the country’s beaches
7. The charming fort town of Galle is caught in the past. Built in 1663, the Dutch architecture takes over the centre with scented red hibiscus and swaying palm trees finishing off the image of this blissful place
8. To catch a glimpse of the mighty blue whale head to Mirissa for brilliant whale watching and sublime beaches
9. Discover the ancient ruins at Polonnaruwa, a mix of temples, statues and crumbling columns dating from the 9th Century
