Twenty-one days of wellness and tea

A wide stretch of sand north of the town; good for an evening walk after a long flight.

An hour of traditional Kandyan drumming and dance, usually staged in the early evening at halls near the lake.

A flat 3.4 km loop around the lake in the centre of town, best early in the morning or before the evening service.

Sri Lanka's largest botanic garden, on a bend of the Mahaweli river, known for its avenues of royal palms, orchid house and giant Javan fig tree.

The old royal forest on the hill behind the temple, with shaded trails, birdlife and monkeys a few minutes from the centre.

A granite rock rising 316 metres over Kurunegala, shaped like a crouching elephant, with a short climb to a viewpoint over the town.

A hillside garden on the road to Ella, first planted in the 1860s for cinchona trials, now known for roses and cloud-forest views.

A working tea factory a few minutes from town, with a short tour of the processing floor and tea tasting with views over the estate.

A reservoir from the British period at the edge of town, with a lakeside path and boats for hire.

A working tea factory built by Thomas Lipton in 1890, with short tours of the withering lofts, rolling and sorting floors.

The viewpoint where Sir Thomas Lipton is said to have surveyed his tea estates, with views far across the southern plains on a clear morning.

A 220-metre waterfall near Koslanda. A path climbs to the rock pools at the top, where you can swim when the river is low.

A Tudor-style stone country house built for Sir Thomas Lester Villiers in the 1930s, now St Benedict's Monastery, with gardens and a shop selling the monks' jams.

A tall waterfall beside the main road below Ella, at its best after rain.

An easy, well-trodden walk of about 45 minutes each way through a tea estate to a grassy summit with views across Ella Gap.

The stone railway viaduct at Demodara, in a valley of tea and forest. Check the timetable if you want to see a train cross.

A 64 metre waterfall on the Badulu Oya, about 5 km from Badulla, reached on foot from the road. The spray gives it its name.

A steeper half-day hike to a cliff top above the valley. Go early with a guide or good offline map, as the paths split.

A two-hour beginner surf lesson on Weligama's long, sandy bay, one of the gentlest breaks on the island in season.

A choice of beach, reef and point breaks along a few kilometres of coast, with surf schools for beginners and fast reef waves for experienced surfers.

A curved bay with calm water in season, sheltered by a reef and lined with cafes.

The long sandy beach south of the reef, with beginner and intermediate surf breaks, cafes and a busy evening scene.

Geoffrey Bawa's country estate and garden on a lake, shaped over fifty years. Visits are by guided tour.

A wide stretch of golden sand south of the river mouth, with calm swimming in the dry season and water sports on the river side.

Snorkel in the shallow, reef-protected lagoon of Hikkaduwa National Park, where green turtles often feed close to shore.

A boat trip through the mangroves and small islands of the Madu Ganga estuary at Balapitiya, with a stop at a cinnamon island.

A tall standing Buddha statue facing the sea at Peraliya, built in memory of the people lost in the 2004 tsunami, when a train was swept off the line nearby.