Ceylon Endearment (27 Days): Negombo

The excursion

Itinerary

• Day 1 — Hikkaduwa & Galle (days 1–3)
• Arrival at the airport is followed by transfer to the beach resort of Hikkaduwa, then a day exploring the colonial city of Galle and its surroundings.
• Hikkaduwa
• A beachside resort town in Galle's Southern province, known for its coral-fringed beaches. After arrival and check-in there is time for leisure at the beach resort.
• Galle Fort
• Explore the old colonial city where the Portuguese and Dutch had their headquarters, centred on the Galle Fort, one of the best-preserved fortifications in Asia. Visit its museums and lighthouse and walk the cobblestoned streets with their Dutch names.
• Handunugoda Tea Factory
• Also known as the Virgin White Tea Factory, this is where the famous Virgin White Tea is plucked and processed without being touched by human hands. A tasting session with tea and chocolate cake follows, with tea leaves available to buy.
• Rumassala
• A hill three kilometres east of Galle, topped by a white Buddhist dagoba and known as a landmark of Unuwatuna beach. Legend ties the rock to the Ramayana story of Hanuman carrying the Dronagiri mountain, and it is said to have been an abode of Sita.
• Stilt Fishermen
• Watch fishermen perched on stilts in the waters off the coast near Koggala, a craft practised here for generations, and hear from the fishermen themselves how it is done.
• Day 4 — Mirissa (days 4–5)
• Two days at leisure on Mirissa's crescent-shaped beach, with nearby spots to explore if wanted.
• Mirissa Beach
• A crescent-shaped beach at the far eastern end of Weligama Bay, with golden sands and swaying palms that give the impression of a secluded island. Nearby attractions include Parrot Rock, Secret Beach, Turtle Point and Coconut Tree Hill.
• Day 6 — Yala (days 6–7)
• Travel towards Yala taking in turtle conservation and an unusual coastal landscape, before a full day safari in one of Sri Lanka's best-known national parks.
• Turtle Hatchery
• At Rekawa, learn about the five species of endangered sea turtle that nest on Sri Lanka's shores, take part in a daytime turtle watch, and have the chance to volunteer for a few hours at the hatchery.
• Ussangoda
• A bare coastal plateau whose serpentine rock contains toxic heavy metals, limiting plant growth to a few adapted species. Local legend also ties the site's scorched appearance to the Ramayana story of Hanuman and King Ravana, and says it was once used as an airport for Ravana's chariot.
• Yala National Park
• A full day safari in the second largest national park on the island, on the south-eastern coast. Look for Sri Lankan leopards, wild water buffalo, sloth bears and elephant herds, alongside the park's wide range of birds, reptiles and other wildlife.
• Day 8 — Ella & Nuwara Eliya (days 8–10)
• Head inland to the hill town of Ella for ancient sculpture and hiking, then take a scenic train through the highlands to the colonial hill station of Nuwara Eliya.
• Buduruwagala Temple
• An ancient Buddhist temple complex of seven statues from the 10th century, belonging to the Mahayana school. The largest Buddha figure still carries traces of its original stuccoed and painted robe, and one nearby figure is thought to depict the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara.
• Ella
• Explore the town and its surroundings, passing tea fields and rocky stretches with views of Little Adam's Peak. Walk over the Nine Arches Bridge and finish at Demodara Railway Station, known for its unusual loop-over track.
• Ella Rock
• A three-hour hike to one of the highest viewpoints in the area, passing views of the Namunukula Range and Little Adam's Peak. From the top, landmarks including the Bandarawela Range, Poonagala Hills, Narangala and the Ella Gap are visible.
• Scenic Train Ride
• A train journey from Haputale to Nuwara Eliya through mountains, waterfalls and tea country, passing small misty villages along the way.
• Nuwara Eliya
• A highland town that served as the main holiday resort for the British in the 19th and early 20th centuries, with cottages, villas and mansions lining its streets. Visit the old red-brick post office, Queen Victoria Park or the shores of Lake Gregory.
• Day 11 — Kandy (days 11–12)
• Travel to Kandy via a tea factory and waterfall, then take in the city's cultural show, temple and botanical gardens.
• Tea Factory Visit
• Visit a working tea factory and plantation to see how Ceylon Tea is made. Tea was first planted commercially in Sri Lanka by the Briton James Taylor at Loolecondera estate near Kandy in the 1850s, after plants were brought from China and trialled at Peradeniya's Royal Botanical Gardens.
• Ramboda Falls
• Visit Ramboda Falls, the 11th tallest waterfall in the country, with a guided tour through the nearby Mackwoods Tea Estate covering tea varieties and processing.
• Kandyan Cultural Show
• An hour-long performance of traditional Sri Lankan art forms, including fire dancers, sword dancers and Kandyan dancers performing to drumming.
• Temple of Tooth Relic
• A UNESCO World Heritage Site built in the 16th century to house and protect the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha. See its painted halls, carved pillars and gilded statues.
• Royal Botanical Garden
• The Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya, established in the early 19th century, hold over 4,000 species of plants including orchids, spices and medicinal plants, along with the cannonball tree and a suspension bridge.
• Day 13 — Dambulla (days 13–15)
• Into the Cultural Triangle, taking in a lake and spice garden before the major sites of Sigiriya, Minneriya, Polonnaruwa and Dambulla.
• Sembuwatta Lake
• A natural spring-fed lake near Elkaduwa, believed locally to be 30 to 40 feet deep, with a natural swimming pool alongside it.
• Spice Garden
• A guided tour of a spice and herbal garden covering coriander, chilli, cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg, with a traditional cooking demonstration and workshops on making roti or curry powder.
• Sigiriya Rock Fortress
• Climb the 5th-century rock fortress built by King Kasyapa, entering through the paws of the lion that gives the site its name. See the famous frescoes, the terraced gardens and still-working cisterns, and the tunnels leading up to the palace.
• Village Tour in Sigiriya
• A visit to a traditional village near Sigiriya, including an oxen cart ride, a catamaran safari on a village lake, a walk through paddy fields and a cooking demonstration, followed by a home-cooked lunch served on lotus leaves.
• Minneriya National Park
• A three-hour safari in Minneriya, known for the Great Elephant Gathering of up to 150 elephants in the dry season between May and October, alongside a range of other mammals, birds and reptiles.
• Ancient City of Polonnaruwa
• The second major ancient capital of Sri Lanka, flourishing from the 10th to 13th centuries. Walk through its ruins, including Gal Vihara, Vatadage, the lotus bath, Lankathilaka Temple and the statue of King Parakramabahu.
• Dambulla Cave Temple
• The Golden Temple of Dambulla, a cave complex dating to the 1st century BC, with murals of the Buddha's life and hundreds of statues across its five main caves, including the Cave of the Divine King and the Cave of the Great King. A large golden Buddha statue stands outside the complex.
• Day 16 — Trincomalee (days 16–18)
• On the north-eastern coast, explore Trincomalee's temples, fort and beaches, with a whale watching trip and visits to nearby islands and ruins.
• Koneswaram Temple
• An ancient temple praised by Indian poet-saints, with murals telling its history. Its cave shrine dates back to around 1580 BC, while the main temple structure developed from around 400 AD.
• Fort Frederick
• Originally built by the Portuguese in 1624 using stones from the dismantled Koneswaram Temple, later rebuilt by the Dutch.
• Nilaveli Beach
• One of Sri Lanka's best beaches, with golden sand, palms and clear water, and a 10th-century Tamil inscription recording the beach as part of a land grant to Koneswaram Temple.
• Whale watching safari in Trincomalee
• A five-hour trip to see blue whales, sperm whales and fin whales in their natural habitat, guided by a naturalist who explains how to identify the different species.
• Pigeon Island National Park
• A marine park made up of a smaller and larger pigeon island, surrounded by coral reef and home to breeding rock pigeons and a range of coral and fish species.
• Thiriyaya Watadage
• A village once home to ancient Tamil Buddhism, including the Girihadu Seya Stupa, said to mark the spot where the Buddha gave hair relics to two traders, and the ruins of a fortress of one of the last Vanniyar chiefs.
• Day 19 — Jaffna (days 19–20)
• Travel to the northern peninsula to explore Jaffna's Hindu temples, colonial fort and island shrines.
• Jaffna
• The city and peninsula at Sri Lanka's northern tip, with ancient Hindu temples such as Nallur, Nainativu and Mavittapuram, the Dutch Fort, recent war memorials, the Saraswathy Mahal Library, Nagadeepa Vihara and the palace of the last king of Jaffna, Cankili I.
• Nagadeepa Island
• Known as Nayinathivu, Nagadeepa or, in ancient times, Manipallavam, this island north of Jaffna is linked to the Naga people who worshipped the snake, with evidence of this history at the Nainativu Nagapooshani Amman Temple and the Nagadeepa Purana Vihara.
• Nainativu Nagapooshani Amman Temple
• A Hindu temple with at least two thousand years of recorded history, tied to legends of the god Indra's worship. Its Dravidian architecture includes four gopurams, several mandapams and temple chariots, and it is one of only 64 Shakti Peedams in the world.
• Day 21 — Anuradhapura
• A stop at Sri Lanka's first ancient capital, with its stupas, monasteries and sacred sites set across a vast green area.
• Anuradhapura Ruin City
• The capital of Sri Lanka for over a millennium until the 10th century AD, with pagodas, monastic buildings and ponds spread across the site. Key landmarks include Jetavanarama, once one of the tallest structures in the ancient world, the Sri Maha Bodhi, and the ruins of the Abhayagiri Monastery.
• Day 22 — Colombo & Negombo (days 22–24)
• Finish the tour with city sightseeing and nightlife in Colombo, then relax on the beaches of Negombo near the airport before departure.
• Colombo City Tour
• Visit Colombo's landmarks, including the Old Lighthouse, the Old Parliament, Galle Face Hotel, Galle Face Green, Gangarama Temple and the National Museum, along with Independence Square, the Race Course and the city's shops.
• Colombo Day Life
• Colombo's beaches and dayclubs offer weekend parties, cocktails and music, alongside casinos and late-night boutique restaurants.
• Negombo
• A beach town on the west coast near the airport, with a centuries-old fishing industry, water sports and diving around a 50-year-old shipwreck just offshore.