Ramayana Holiday (11 Days)

Spend time on the sandy beaches of Negombo, watch the centuries-old fishing industry at work, and try water sports such as diving among the corals and a nearby 50-year-old shipwreck.

Explore the cave temples dating back to the 1st century BC, including the Cave of the Divine King, the Cave of the Great King and the Great New Monastery, with their murals of the Buddha's life and hundreds of Buddha and deity statues. A giant golden Buddha statue stands a short distance outside the cave complex.

Visit the orphanage to see and feed orphaned baby elephants and watch the mahouts bathe them.

Built atop Swami Rock overlooking Trincomalee, this temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva in the form of Konesar and is linked by legend to Emperor Rawana, who is said to have meditated here.

One of Sri Lanka's two marine national parks, situated off the coast of Nilaveli and made up of two islands with some of the country's best-preserved coral reefs.

Climb the 5th century AD rock fortress built by King Kasyapa, entering through the lion-shaped gateway and passing the fame murals, terraced gardens, working cisterns and tunnels leading to the palace ruins.

Visit a spice garden near Matale, Sri Lanka's spice capital, to see herbs, spices and plants grown in their tropical setting and learn about their uses, including in Ayurveda.

Watch an hour-long performance of traditional Sri Lankan dance and music, including fire dancers, sword dancers and Kandyan dancers performing to drumming.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site built in the 16th century to house and protect the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha, with painted halls, carved pillars and golden statues.

A waterfall near Pussellawa made up of three sections; the middle section is visible from the A5 highway, while reaching the top section involves a climb up a pathway near the bridge.

Seen on the way to the Hakgala Botanical Gardens, this temple features statues of Rama and Sita and modern paintings and sculptures depicting their story.

The site where Sita is said to have performed her Agni Pariksha to prove her chastity to Rama; it remains a place where locals pledge fidelity or take oaths.

Dedicated to Lord Karthikeya Subramaniam, this temple is linked by legend to his role in protecting Lord Rama from King Ravana's weapon during the final battle.

Take a three-hour safari through Sri Lanka's second-largest national park on the southeastern coast, with the chance to see leopards, wild water buffalo, sloth bears and elephants among the park's wide range of species.

A bare coastal plateau with serpentine rock containing toxic heavy metals, which limits plant growth; local legend attributes its baldness to Hanuman's burning tail and also describes it as the site of King Ravana's airport for his peacock chariot.

A hill near Unawatuna beach topped by a white Buddhist dagoba, said to be a fragment of Mount Dronagiri dropped by Hanuman while carrying it to Lanka, and also linked to Sita's stay on the island.

Explore the former Portuguese and Dutch headquarters at Galle, one of the best-preserved fortifications in Asia, including its museums, lighthouse and cobblestoned streets.

Spend the day on one of Sri Lanka's best beaches, with options for water sports such as jet-skiing and windsurfing, and a chance to see turtles nesting.

See the capital's landmarks, including the Old Lighthouse, the Old Parliament, Galle Face Hotel, Galle Face Green, Gangarama Temple and the National Museum, and browse shops around Independence Square and the Race Course.