Sri Lanka Railways runs the nation's trains, including services on the spectacular Main Line, which slices east from Colombo through the island’s highest mountains, cloud forests and tea estates. It’s a stunning journey and hugely popular with tourists and locals alike, particularly the section between Kandy and Ella. Ride-hailing apps only work in Colombo and Kandy, but they are the most practical way to travel within the two cities while saving money. You have the option to book bikes, tuk-tuks, basic cars, and luxury vehicles. Planning tip: Arrive early in the morning to beat the sweltering sun and get the best of this wonderful archaeological park to yourself. The Polonnaruwa ruins are crowded during weekends, school holidays, and on the full moon. 17. Get close to nature with a stay in a treehouse

With numerous flatwater lagoons and plenty of steady wind, Sri Lanka’s northwestern coast offers some of the best kitesurfing in the world. A 3.5-hour drive north of Colombo is the lesser-explored Kalpitiya Peninsula, which is still relatively new to many overseas tourists. The region is home to sandy beaches and small fishing hamlets with droves of wild donkeys strolling around large grasslands.Get more travel inspiration, tips and exclusive offers sent straight to your inbox with our weekly newsletter. Kumana National Park, Eastern Province Best alternative to the crowded parks The Vedda are the indigenous people of Sri Lanka. Originally forest-dwellers, their numbers have dwindled over the years due to migration, habitat loss, and assimilation into the nation's dominant Sinhala-Buddhist culture. Now scattered across the island in small numbers, some Vedda families still preserve their native language, cuisines and rituals in places like Dambana, an indigenous village and museum in the southern part of Maduru Oya National Park.

Sri Lanka has a huge number of bank holidays, and almost half of these are poya days, marking the arrival of the full moon, an auspicious event in Sri Lankan Buddhism. All poya days are dry days – alcohol is not sold in shops, restaurants or bars (though you can still access your hotel room’s minibar). The ban on alcohol also extends to other religious events such as the Buddhist festival of Vesak in May. 5. Carry cash: the currency is the Sri Lankan rupee On the way there, you’ll rattle past rolling hills, paddy fields, lush stands of tropical forest, palm trees waving like giant hands and miniature village train stations with tin roofs and station attendants standing at attention in immaculate uniforms. You’ll also feel the air cool as you leave the baking coastal plain for the more pleasant climate of the hills. Sri Lanka's landscape is impressively varied. Grand national parks are home to safari adventures, otherworldly coastlines circle the perimeter, and hilly tea country is at its heart. Galle Fort is an eccentric mix of Portuguese, Dutch and British architectural influences surrounded by spas, luxury hotels, souvenir shops, ice cream parlors and gem boutiques. Come in the morning hours when the Fort lanes slowly open up. First, eat a hearty Sri Lankan breakfast at National Tea Rooms, which is the oldest existing cafe in Galle Fort run by a friendly Sri Lankan family since 1932.Sri Lanka is a year-round destination, but it's influenced by two opposing monsoons that affect the weather, ocean currents and when and where you should visit. Generally speaking, the southwest coast is best between November and April, and the east from May to September. These are the best beaches in Sri Lanka. Unawatuna Where to try it: Visit roadside hopper stalls for an inexpensive Sri Lankan meal. For a gourmet experience, reserve a table at the fine-dining Palmyrah Restaurant in the Renuka City Hotel. Devour string hoppers with curry It’s possible to make bookings 30 days in advance for reserved first- and second-class seats and berths, as well as for the observation saloon carriages. Demand often outstrips seat supply during high season (December to April), so plan ahead if you can. The peak tourist season in Sri Lanka runs from December to April. If you avoid these months, particularly December, January, and April when local New Year and holidays begin, you can save on accommodation. May to September is the northwest monsoon season, but don’t fret: Sri Lanka’s tropical climate means monsoon downpours don't last long. The far eastern section of the beach has been lost to coastal erosion and is lined with unsightly concrete sea defences. There's also very little shade on the beach thanks to much of the original fringe of palm trees being chopped down to make way for beachfront cafes and hundreds of sun loungers. Nearby hotels and restaurants

Sri Lanka's major cities and towns are extremely well-connected by train. Overall, it’s an easy, convenient and sustainable way to travel. Of course, sometimes the trains can be delayed – but isn’t that a risk almost everywhere? We suggest not giving in to cautionary calls on travel forums to avoid train travel due to delays, as you’ll absolutely be missing out. Trains offer some of the most efficient, relaxing and spectacular ways to get to a destination in Sri Lanka, plus they avoid pesky city traffic. Gal Oya is a wilderness of tumbling mountains and ancient woodland surrounding a huge, island-filled lake. The few tourists who come here are rewarded with unique experiences. The Gal Oya Lodge runs boat safaris where you can spot crocodiles, turtles, and swimming elephants, as well as immersive walks around the forest guided by members of the local Veddah community. It takes a surprising amount of time to travel around Sri Lanka thanks to winding routes and the limited number of roads crossing the interior of the island. Traffic also has to navigate a variety of hazards including badly surfaced roads and roaming wildlife (buffaloes, cows, feral dogs and even elephants). To do the island justice, don’t rush. You’ll need at least a month for a circuit of the island with detours to national parks, ancient cities and tea plantations inland.You’ll leave the gleaming white dagobas (stupas) behind at Anuradhapura, and in their place multi-hued kovils (temples) start to color the countryside as you steam into Sri Lanka’s Hindu north. You'll also leave behind Sri Lanka's major tourist crowds, as international visitors short on time tend to skip the splendors of the island's northern coast. Planning tip: If you fancy learning how to cook curry dishes, head over to the family-run Sea Waves Restaurant in Unawatuna, but don’t leave without trying the whole butterfish cooked in a secret umami-rich homemade sauce. 12. Learn the life of Sri Lanka's indigenous people Stop in Kappalady on the Indian Ocean for kitesurfing lessons with local instructors at Kite Center Sri Lanka. The kite school can arrange kitesurfing safaris (tours) to nearby spots such as Donkey Point, Dutch Bay and Vella Island for more experienced kiteboarders. Other activities in Kappalady include exploring the lagoons by kayak and ethical dolphin-watching tours where large pods of spinner dolphins swim in their hundreds. Good operators will only charter small boats, keep their distance from the pods, and avoid feeding the animals. There are also a few accommodation options by the beach in Kappalady. 6. Camp in the Haputale mountains This vast and popular park on the southern fringes of Sri Lanka’s Hill Country is mostly covered with low-lying scrub, so seeing Sri Lanka’s majestic elephants is very close to a dead cert. Covering the highest plateau in Sri Lanka, at an elevation of around 2000m (6562ft) above sea level, Horton Plains National Park is a magnificent magnet for birdwatchers and hikers. Whichever camp you fall into, it's worth following the trail from the park’s entrance to World’s End, a blow-you-away lookout with ethereal views, perched on the edge of an 880m (2625ft) drop.

One thing to be mindful of is Sri Lanka’s two monsoon seasons. The northeast monsoon season is from September to March, while the southwest is from May to August. Heavy rain can slow down all kinds of travel, but especially road travel – posing a particular challenge to dirt roads, which might become full of puddles, washed out and unsafe to drive on. You’re better off relying on the trains during the monsoon seasons. The only trade-off is that some train windows are stubborn to close, so there’s a chance you might get a little wet. A watery wonderland of coastal lagoons and bird-thronged wetlands, Bundala National Park speaks to lovers of all things aquatic. Flamingos (who number in the thousands) and crocodiles are the stars of the show, though vividly colorful bee-eaters and openbill storks will titillate the more discerning twitcher. Elephants are another draw – the high season around December is the best time to see the park's jumbos. Where to try it: For a pol roti meal in Colombo, drop in at the ever-popular Culture Colombo. Not far away is The Cauldron, a charming cafe that dishes up kotthu made with pol roti. Go for a lamprais brunch on SundayTry to build up a stash of lower denomination notes wherever possible (for example, withdraw LKR5900 rather than LKR6000). You'll need small bills to pay for tuk-tuks and buy things from local shops and markets and for tipping. Carrying some cash in dollars, euros or pounds sterling is also useful – all are widely accepted in tourist areas. 6. Be realistic about how much ground you can cover