Coast to coast

Best for: Adventure, trekking, wildlife & beaches

DURATION 10-14 days ROUTE Kandy • Hill Country • Gal Oya National Park • Passikudah • Kalkudah WHY DO IT? To combine Kandy and the hills with off-the-beaten-track Gal Oya National Park and chilled-out eastern beaches.

Sri Lanka’s a year-round destination, but when and where you visit depends on its weather patterns, which are dictated by opposing monsoons. This is why many head east in the summer, for the driest weather and calmest seas. This route crosses the island by road and flies back to Colombo from Batticaloa Airport.

Historic Kandy, a four-hour drive from Colombo, makes a logical first stop, and the city’s treasure trove of religious sites include the gilt-roofed Temple of the Tooth. Kandy is also the gateway to the hills – their lush tapestry of tea estates and thick jungle are best navigated by train. Easterly Ella is a popular activity hub with hikes up Little Adam’s Peak and Ella Rock.

Wildlife sightings are patchy in Gal Oya NP (as is its mobile signal), although it makes a great stepping stone from the hills to east coast beaches. The reserve sees few visitors, and exploring the park’s pristine surroundings – home to Veddha villages, vast jungle and shy wildlife – feels like you’re stepping back in time.

There’s only one lodge here (galoyalodge.com), but it offers curated experiences, including watching elephants swimming on a boat safari, bicycle tours and a walk of discovery with a village chief.

From here it’s a couple of hours’ drive to Passikudah, which offers year-round swimming and water sports – although it’s very much resort-based. Instead, low-key Kalkudah is around 20 minutes south and is by contrast virtually undeveloped, with a 12km-long bay. The preserve of local fishermen, it’s fringed by coconut plantations and cashew estates.

Good morning A valley view from Adam’s Peak; (above) local fishermen tend their nets at Kalkudah