Quiet, authentic places away from tourist trails.
Villages
- Nuwara Eliya — A cool tea town of colonial bungalows, gardens and surrounding plantations.
- Ella — A relaxed highland village of tea trails, waterfalls and the Nine Arch Bridge.
- Anuradhapura — A vast UNESCO city of giant stupas, monasteries and a sacred bodhi tree.
- Arugam Bay — A laid-back surf town with some of Asia best point breaks.
- Unawatuna — A popular curved beach near Galle, good for swimming and snorkelling.
- Dambulla — Home to a UNESCO cave temple complex filled with Buddha statues and murals.
- Mirissa — A palm-lined beach town and Sri Lanka top whale-watching base.
- Trincomalee — A historic port beside fine beaches and one of the world great natural harbours.