By Train

A lush hill-country village with iconic train rides, waterfalls, and tea plantations.

A ridge-top tea town with edge-of-the-world views, misty monasteries, and the gateway to Lipton's country.

Badulla's famous 'bridal veil' waterfall, reached by a fun kilometre-long jungle path.

A historic Dutch fort city at the island's southern tip - star fort, island temple, and the end of the coastal railway.

Ella's iconic colonial railway viaduct - nine stone arches curving through jungle and tea, best seen as a train crosses.

A remote highland station and the hair-raising hairpin road to Bambarakanda - the hill country's wildest day out.

Colombo's classic beach suburb, built around a grand colonial hotel and famous golden-hour views.

Sri Lanka's 'Little New Zealand' - rolling dairy pastures at 1,800 metres with farm visits and fresh milk.

The highest railway station in Sri Lanka - a misty 1,898-metre platform at the gateway to Horton Plains.

A graceful 97-metre triple cascade named for a coffee planter - St. Clair's elegant neighbour on the tea highway.

Sri Lanka's railway story in one yard - vintage steam locomotives and rolling stock at the top of the Kandy incline.

The 'Little Niagara of Sri Lanka' - twin cascades pouring through tea country near Talawakele.

The engineering marvel where the railway spirals under itself - inspired, legend says, by a turban knot.

Ella's serious hike - railway tracks, tea paths, and a cliff-top summit staring down the whole Gap.

The railway station on the ridge between two climates - walk the tracks where the island's weather splits in two.

'Little England's' formal park - flower terraces, cool air, and some of Asia's best urban birdwatching.

The 'Potato Range' - a railway-flanked peak guarding the Kandyan gap, with one of the island's best half-day hikes.

The waterfall the trains window-shop - a bridal-veil cascade beside the line near Ambewela.

The waterfall you reach by railway - a jungle cascade a short walk from a station with no road.

A 2,212-metre peak named for a railway - climbed from the station at its foot through tea and cloud forest.

The quiet stretch below Bentota - clean golden sand, turtle projects, and low-key beachfront ease.

A century-old iron giant over the Mahaweli - the two-storey bridge where trains still rumble the top deck.

Badulla's ancient heart - one of the sixteen holiest shrines, founded on a visit by the Buddha himself.