Situated in the northern Matale District of Sri Lanka, the small village of Sigiriya is best known for its proximity to the magnificent Sigiriya ‘Lion Rock’. The village offers some comfortable accommodations and a variety of restaurants for visitors to enjoy when stopping over to view the famous rock. This ancient rock fortress rises abruptly from the lush landscape and reaches over 200 metres in height. Crowning this massive outcrop are the ruins of an ancient civilisation, which are considered one of the best-preserved examples of ancient urban planning and have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors can walk through the lily-dotted moats, lush gardens and cave shrines, through the grand lion-paw entrance, and climb the series of steep staircases passing beautiful murals painted on the sheer rock walls, and enjoy exploring the ruins and soaking up spectacular views of the surrounds.
The second major city in Sri Lanka (the other being Colombo) lies at the centre of the Kandy Plateau, an area of beautiful tropical tea plantations. A magnificent must-see feature of the area is Kandy Lake, to the north of which lies the golden-roofed Temple of The Tooth (a UNESCO World Heritage Site and important place for Buddhist worship, as it is said to house a tooth relic of Buddha). Other fascinating places to visit include the Ceylon Tea Museum, the Buddhist Publication Society, the Ayurvedic centre in the Amaya Hills nearby, the Kandyan Art Association and Cultural Centre, where craftspeople can be seen at work, and the Kandy Muslim Hotel, which offers the finest spiced curries served with naan or Rotis.
Galle sits on Sri Lanka’s south-west coast, around two hours from Colombo, where the Indian Ocean meets a city shaped by centuries of maritime trade. It is a historic coastal town best known for the UNESCO-listed Galle Fort, a walled old town built by the Portuguese and later fortified by the Dutch. Travellers are drawn by cobbled streets lined with colonial buildings, boutique shops, galleries, and cafés, all overlooking the sea. Beyond the fort, palm-fringed beaches and coral reefs offer swimming, snorkelling, and sunset walks, while nearby tea plantations and wildlife reserves add depth to day trips. Galle appeals to visitors seeking a blend of history, culture, and relaxed coastal living, balanced by gentle exploration rather than fast-paced sightseeing.
Encompassing over 1000 coral islands that form about 25 natural atolls, the Maldives is separated from the rest of the world by the seemingly endless Indian Ocean, offering visitors a secluded little pocket of paradise. These exquisite tropical islands are best known for their white powder sand beaches, glistening blue lagoons and extensive reefs which are home to a diverse range of colourful marine life. The nation’s bustling capital of Male features an array of charming shops and restaurants as well as a busy fish market and a must-see 17th-century mosque known as Hukuru Miskiy which was constructed out of intricately carved white coral. Visitors will find plenty of activities to keep them entertained including: scuba diving, snorkelling, water skiing, stand up paddleboarding, spa visits, and hopping from one idyllic little island to the next.
