Sri Lanka & the Maldives

Bursting with diverse and unexpected treasures, Sri Lanka is a cultural lover's paradise. Perhaps being best known for the beach resorts that stretch its extensive coastline, Sri Lanka is home to relics of a colonial age. Rock temples, ruins of sacred cities and fortresses are all staggering sights for the visitor to behold. If that isn't quite enough to tempt you, Sri Lanka's naturally spectacular interior is home to the stunning tea plantations of Nuwara Eliya. In contrast, the bucket-list-topping atolls of the Maldives give you chance to completely switch off, toes-in-sand style.

Tour type Multi-centre, Car & Driver

Visiting Cultural Triangle, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Negombo, Maldives

Recommended itinerary

Twin-centre

Why pair Sri Lanka & the Maldives?

When it comes to holidays that include both cultural explorations and some time in the ultimate relaxation destination, you can't beat a combo of Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The pair are poplar with honeymooners looking for more than just a beach break (and is the perfect adventure vs fly-and-flop compromise), and families looking to create everlasting memories: the joy of spotting elephants or leopards in the wild, exploring age-old ruins or the reveling in the achievement of scaling Sigiraya Rock together are all moments not to be missed. It's only an hour and a half's flight between the two and SriLankan Airlines operate a couple of flights a day from between the two capitals, Colombo and Malé.

Getting around

Why travel through Sri Lanka with a driver guide?

Every Kuoni tour in Sri Lanka will have a dedicated driver guide. More than just a driver, your guide will become a constant companion – knowledgeable about everything to do with Sri Lanka, from culture to food, wildlife, general knowledge, politics and history; you’ll find yourself in endless conversation. They know exactly what you need and when. For families, it’s like having another adult in the family, helping out. For couples, they'll help to point you in the direction of a great bar, the perfect beach to hang out on or a cozy romantic spot. Many of our guests who return to Sri Lanka will request the same driver guide by name and even stay in touch for a long time after their trip.

Sri Lanka's Cultural Triangle

A culture, history & wildlife packed region

Within the three points of Sri Lanka's famed Cultural Triangle (Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa to the north and north east respectively, and Kandy to the south), you'll find four UNESCO World Heritage Sites, stunning natural landscapes and incredible wildlife. We recommend basing yourself at one hotel for at least a few nights and heading out each day to see sights such as the iconic Sigiriya Rock (head here early if you wish to climb to the top), the cave temples at Dambulla and the ruined archaeological wonders of the island's ancient kingdoms of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa. A game drive in Minneriya National Park will give you the best chance of spotting wild elephants in huge herds.

Kandy

A buzzing city

Kandy, the third and last former capital of the Sinhala Kingdom is a treasure trove of temples, sacred relics and tropical gardens. Its most popular pilgrimage spot is the lakeside Temple of the Tooth Relic, which as the name suggests is said to house the tooth of the Buddha. The city is also home to a trio of other temples: Embekke, Lankathilake and Gadaladeniya. The Royal Botanic Gardens at Peradeniya are a must visit for those green fingered folk; they were established on once-royal land over 150 years ago with cuttings imported from London's Kew Gardens, and today are home to over 4000 species of plants, including an extensive orchid collection. A joy of Kandy is its beautiful surrounding countryside so be sure to ask your driver guide to head off the beaten track a little to experience the very best of it.

Tea Country

High altitude adventures in the hills

From Kandy, continue your ascent into the hills of central Sri Lanka, a land of mist cloaked tea plantations, lush forests and colonial-era towns.. Nuwara Eliya is the region's most famous town, and has an air of familiarity about it - there's good reason it's nicknamed Sri Lanka's 'Little England'. You can't come to the region without visiting a working plantation. The rolling hills are covered with emerald tea plants and dotted with pickers who together can pluck over 15 tonnes of leaves each day. The Hill Country has exceptional growing conditions with other crops such as strawberries, potatoes, carrots and beetroot; you'll eat and sip Ceylon tea like royalty while you stay in this beautiful area. For tea-cloaked hills and more active adventures head to Hatton where mountain trails pass through draw-dropping scenery; equally as beautiful is the town of Ella, the closest town to Nine Arch Bridge; ask your driver guide to take you to see this wonder of engineering and icon of the Hill Country.

Negombo

A night on golden sands

Take your head out the clouds and head back down to sea level, stopping for a night in Negombo. This beach resort is close to the airport so you'll be well placed for a rejuvenating post-tour night and your flight to the Maldives the following day.

Maldives

Retreat to paradise shores

Next stop: the Maldives. This scattering of atolls plays host to idyllic islands that seem to have been made exclusively for R&R. But there's plenty to do between lounging sessions; you can snorkel right off the talcum sands on the house reef, head further afield on diving expeditions, enjoy romantic destination dining on the beach or remote sand bars, drink and dine to your heart's content or become a regular at the spa. Within our range of handpicked Maldives resorts, there are perfect-for-family sanctuaries, romantic hideaways, ultra-luxe retreats and budget-conscious options; our Personal Travel Experts are here to help you single out your perfect island.

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