Twenty-two places, one well-planned route.

The climb runs to roughly 1,200 steps, past the sheltered gallery of frescoes and the polished mirror wall, then up through the giant lion's paws to the palace foundations and water gardens on top. Early morning is cooler and far quieter. Pidurangala, the smaller rock opposite, is where the photograph of Sigiriya itself is taken from.

• UNESCO World Heritage
• About 1,200 steps
• Best at sunrise

The Golden Temple has been in continuous religious use for more than two thousand years. The caves hold well over a hundred statues and some of the best-preserved mural painting in South Asia, with the ceilings following the natural curve of the rock above them. It is a short climb up from the road, and shoulders and knees need to be covered.

• UNESCO World Heritage
• Five cave shrines
• Modest dress

The city was the island's seat of power through the eleventh and twelfth centuries, and the ruins sit close together across a flat, shaded park beside a vast man-made reservoir. Cycling between the quadrangle, the Lankatilaka image house and the reclining Buddha at Gal Vihara is the standard way to cover it, and the easiest in the heat.

• UNESCO World Heritage
• Good by bicycle
• Half a day or more

Founded in the fourth century BC and the seat of power for well over a thousand years, Anuradhapura is spread out rather than compact, so it is usually seen by vehicle with short walks between the sites. Ruwanwelisaya, Jetavanaramaya and the Sri Maha Bodhi are the three most visitors come for. White clothing is customary at the sacred precincts.

• UNESCO World Heritage
• Active pilgrimage site
• Seen by vehicle

Bentota is the easiest beach to reach from Colombo and the most set up for families: boat trips up the Bentota Ganga through mangrove, windsurfing and jet skis at the river mouth, and ethical turtle hatcheries along the coast road. Two of Geoffrey Bawa's gardens, Lunuganga and Brief Garden, are a short drive inland.

• River and sea
• Watersports
• Turtle hatcheries

The marine sanctuary sits just offshore, so the snorkelling and diving start a few metres out — glass-bottom boats run for anyone who would rather stay dry. The town is relaxed and low-rise, with a sea-turtle hatchery at the southern end and a beach that gets livelier as the afternoon goes on.

• Coral sanctuary
• Snorkelling and diving
• Surf break

Galle Fort is lived in rather than preserved behind glass. Dutch and British-era houses now hold cafés, gem shops and small hotels, and the lighthouse on the corner of the ramparts is the photograph everyone takes. The walk around the walls is best in the last hour before sunset, when the light drops and a cricket match usually starts on the green.

• UNESCO World Heritage
• Walkable ramparts
• Best at sunset

The reef across the mouth of the bay takes the force out of the waves, so the water stays gentle through most of the season. A short walk over the point brings you to the white Japanese peace pagoda above the sea, and a little further on to Jungle Beach, a pair of small coves below the forest. Galle Fort is ten minutes away.

• Calm swimming
• Peace pagoda walk
• Close to Galle

Boats leave the harbour early in the morning between roughly November and April, when blue whales and sperm whales pass close to the continental shelf a few miles out. Back on land it is a compact beach with a headland at the eastern end — Coconut Tree Hill — and a row of places along the sand serving the morning's catch.

• Whale watching Nov–Apr
• Coconut Tree Hill
• Early starts

Development thins out past Tangalle, so the beaches here run long and often close to deserted. The open-ocean stretches have a strong undertow and are better for walking than swimming, while the coves hold calm water. Rekawa nearby is a protected nesting beach where turtles come ashore after dark, and the rock temple at Mulkirigala is a short drive inland.

• Quiet beaches
• Rekawa turtle nesting
• Rock temple nearby