The Secret Escapes (19 Days)

Negombo's sandy beaches sit on the island's western coast, with a centuries-old fishing industry still active just offshore. Visitors can try water sports or diving among corals and reef fish, and divers can explore a 50-year-old shipwreck close to the shore.

These cave temples date back to the 1st century BC and hold ancient murals depicting the life of the Buddha, along with hundreds of Buddha figurines and statues of other deities across five main caves. The complex includes the Cave of the Divine King, the Cave of the Great King and the Great New Monastery, and a giant golden Buddha statue stands a short distance outside the caves.

Located in Pinnawala village in Sabaragamuwa province, this orphanage cares for young elephants displaced or lost from their natural habitat. It is now home to around 70 elephants, making it the largest captive herd of elephants in the world.

Built in the 5th century AD under King Kasyapa, Sigiriya is entered through an archway framed by a lion's paws, giving the site its name, the Lion Rock. Visitors climb a steep staircase past the famous ancient murals to reach terraced gardens, still-working cisterns and tunnels leading to the former palace.

Kings ruled Sri Lanka's central plains from Polonnaruwa some 800 years ago, when it was a thriving commercial and religious centre with markets and numerous temples. The archaeological remains still give a clear sense of how the city looked in its heyday.

A three-hour safari through Minneriya National Park offers the chance to see elephants, along with other mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians across its scrubland and forest. Between May and October the park is known for the Great Elephant Gathering, when over 150 elephants congregate in one place.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site was built in the 16th century to house and protect the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha. Its passageways and halls are decorated in red, cream and black, with carved pillars and gilded statues throughout.

Established in the early 19th century, these gardens cover a large area with over 4,000 species of plants, including orchids, spices and medicinal plants. Visitors can walk avenues lined with rare trees, see the cannonball tree, cross a suspension bridge and explore hedge mazes.

Ramboda Falls is the eleventh tallest waterfall in Sri Lanka.

The gardens have shaded avenues and colourful mazes to walk through.

A walk along the shores of this lake offers a relaxed close to the day.

Set in the heart of tea country, Nuwara Eliya is a town the British built to resemble the English countryside, with homes ranging from Georgian to Queen Anne style, manicured lawns, an Anglican church and a golf course. At around 6,200 feet above sea level, the air here is noticeably cool and fresh.

Located in Ohiya, the park combines montane grasslands with cloud forest and is home to a number of endemic species. The highlights are the sweeping views from the precipice of World's End and the cooling spray of Baker's Falls, alongside archaeological finds discovered in the area.

This scenic rail journey passes tea plantations, misty mountain villages and the landscapes around Haputale, with views of mountains, woodland and waterfalls along the way.

The rest of the day can be spent at leisure at the hotel or exploring the town of Ella.

A three-hour safari in Yala, the second largest national park on the island and set on the southeastern coast, offers the chance to see Sri Lankan leopards, wild water buffalo, Sri Lankan sloth bears and large herds of elephants. The park also supports many other species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates.

This coastal area is notably treeless, its serpentine rock containing toxic heavy metals that only certain small plants can tolerate. Local legend ties its bare landscape to the Ramayana story, holding it to be land burned by Hanuman's flaming tail, and separately to have once served as an airport for King Ravana's flying chariot.

This hill near Unuwatuna beach is topped by a white Buddhist dagoba and is one of five sites in Sri Lanka said to be fragments of Mount Dronagiri, dropped by Hanuman as he carried the mountain to Lanka in search of the Sanjiwani herb. The hill is also said to have been a refuge for Sita during her time in Lanka.

Galle was once a headquarters for the Portuguese and Dutch, and its fort is one of the best-preserved fortifications in Asia. The old town has museums, a lighthouse and cobblestoned streets with Dutch names, best explored on foot with a guide.

The beaches around Galle combine warm sun, soft sand and a cooling sea breeze, with luxury hotels clustered along the shore. Visitors can watch turtles coming ashore to nest, enjoy the sunset over the ocean, or take part in water sports such as jet-skiing and windsurfing.