The Island in a Glance

Meet your chauffeur-guide at the airport and head north (about 4.5 hours), stopping for lunch along the way. After checking in, spend the rest of the day by the pool and rest after your flight.

Start early, before the heat, to climb Sigiriya, the 5th-century rock fortress rising out of the jungle. Pass the Mirror Wall and the Lion's Paws before reaching the summit and its wide views. In the afternoon, visit the golden Dambulla cave temples, then (optional) take a village safari ride at sunset.

Drive south to Kandy (about 3 hours), stopping at a spice garden to learn how cinnamon, cardamom, and pepper are grown and used in Sri Lankan cooking. In Kandy, visit the Temple of the Tooth, the country's most sacred Buddhist shrine. In the evening, watch a Kandyan dance show with drummers, dancers, and fire-walking.

Take the scenic route down to the west coast (about 4.5 hours), using the Colombo expressway for the final stretch. Arrive in Bentota in time for the afternoon on the beach. Swim, walk along the sand or simply relax as the sun sets over the Indian Ocean.

Spend your last morning your way: a boat safari on the Bentota River through mangroves and birdlife, or a lazy morning by the sea. Your chauffeur-guide then drives you to the airport (about 2 hours) in time for your flight.