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Matale - Also referred to as the Golden Temple of Dambulla, this is the most expansive and best-preserved cave complex in the country, and contains over 150 Buddha statues. Its walls are illustrated with ornate murals. The temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Polonnaruwa -

The ruins of the royal ancient city of the Kingdom of Polonnaruwa include the Gal Vihara, a rock temple of the Buddha.

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Polonnaruwa -

The Royal Palace ruins are well-preserved.

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Polonnaruwa -

The Gal Vihara features four rock relief statues of the Buddha. Pictured is a reclining figure.

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Polonnaruwa - A large seated Buddha at the Gal Vihara rock temple. The statues are regarded as some of the finest examples of ancient Sinhalese sculpting and carving arts.

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Yala National Park -

Sri Lanka's best-known wildlife park is famous for its leopards. Indeed, it has one of the highest leopard densities in the world.

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Tangalle - A regional fishing port, Tangalle is also a center of tourism and is known for its pristine sandy beaches, rolling surf, and great water sport options.

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Buduruwagala -

This ancient Buddhist temple contains statues believed to date back to the 10th century.

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Anuradhapura - The highlight of the monastery site of Abhayagiri vihāra is an ancient stupa, the extraordinary hump-shaped Abhayagiri Dagoba (pictured).

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Horton Plains National Park -

Hiking to the top of World's End, a sheer cliff with a drop of around 1,200 m (4,000 ft) will reward you with spectacular landscape views of the park.

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Horton Plains National Park -

Baker's Falls, named after English explorer Samuel Baker (1821–1893), is one of the park's most famous natural wonders.

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Mulkirigala Raja Maha Vihara - Clinging to a massive natural rock 205 m (672 ft) above the ground is this impressive monastery, home to a large collection of paintings and sculptures.

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Udawalawe National Park - The park is one of the best places in the world to see wild elephants. 

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Udawalawe National Park - A vast expanse of grasslands and bush forest, the park is also home to numerous other mammal species. It's also an excellent bird-watching site.

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Sri Lankan cuisine - Indian, Dutch, and Indonesian influences have helped flavor Sri Lankan cuisine. Expect rice, coconut, and spices in most foods, exemplified by dishes such as sour fish curry (pictured).

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Sri Lanka cuisine - Besides a bewildering choice of delicious curries, Sri Lanka is known for a variety of kottu dishes, and snacks like hopper, which are dough-based.

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Sigiriya - Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this ancient rock fortress is a giant citadel built by King Kashyapa during the 5th century. 

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Sigiriya - The king demonstrated an artistic streak by having the sides of the rock decorated with colorful frescoes. The identity of the ladies depicted in the paintings is not known.

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Adam's Peak -

This enormous conical mountain located in central Sri Lanka is revered as a holy site by Buddhists, Hindus, some Muslims and Christians.

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Kandy - Located in Kandy's royal temple complex is the Temple of the Tooth, which houses the relic of the tooth of the Buddha. The temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Kekirawa -

A fine example of a standing statue of Buddha from ancient Sri Lanka, the Avukana Buddha statue dates back to the 5th century and rises more than 12 m (40 ft) from its base.

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Colombo - Set in the middle of Sri Lanka's commercial capital city is Beira Lake. Created by the Portuguese in the 16th century originally as a defensive measure, the lake today provides citizens with water sport opportunities, and is home to a variety of wildlife.

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Colombo - The New Kathiresan Temple in Colombo is distinguished by a colorful and highly ornate Gopuram, or monumental gatehouse tower.

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Kalupahana - At 240 m (787 ft), the Bambarakanda Falls is the tallest waterfall in Sri Lanka.

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Unawatuna - The vibrant town of Unawatuna is one of the country's most popular tourist destinations. Its beautiful crescent-shaped beach is just one of the reasons why.

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Haputale Mountains - Fancy a cup of tea? Why not tour one of Sri Lanka's many tea plantations. Tour the neatly combed terraces, watch pickers at work, and purchase your own samples to take home.

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Dondra Head - Visit the extreme southernmost tip of the country between January and April and you'll have a good chance of spotting migrating whales, including the biggest of them all, the blue whale.

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Festivals in Sri Lanka - As a multicultural society with a fascinating ancient history, Sri Lanka celebrates an extraordinary variety of festivals, ceremonies, and events.

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Vesak festival - Celebrated on the day of the full moon in the month of May, Vesak is a religious and cultural festival celebrated by Buddhists around the world. In Colombo, the festivities are particularly vibrant and enchanting.

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Matara -

Sadly, many of the stilt fishermen you see today are posing for the camera rather than trying to catch a living. For an authentic picture, head to little-known Polhenna Beach, near the town of Matara.

See also: Cities with impressive beaches on their doorstep

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