Resting in the folds of a verdant valley in the centre of Sri Lanka, Matale is an urban and agricultural town 105 kilometres from Colombo and 26 kilometres from Kandy. Known for its prolific tasty spices, the town also boasts captivating nature trails and enthralling temples. Travellers can visit idyllic plantations to see how vanilla, cocoa and cardamom thrive, and those with adventurous palates can try the region’s famous chillis. Explore the intriguing Buddhist caves filled with religious paintings and stupas at Aluvihara, or see the five massive, colourful chariots pulled along by devotees in the Theru festival, at the Sri Muthumariamman Thevasthanam. Thrill seekers will delight in the Riverston Peak Hike, also known as The World’s End, ’which ends in a sharp 300-metre drop with astonishing views of the Thelgamuwa Valley, the terraced rice fields, and the Knuckles mountain range.