Travel Stories & Guides
Local tips, hidden places and honest guides — from our team to your itinerary.
Sri Lankan Gems: A Traveller's Guide to Ratnapura, Sapphires & the Island's Treasures
From royal blue sapphires to cat's eyes and star rubies — discover why Sri Lanka has been called Ratna-Dweepa, the Island of Gems, for over 2,000 years.
Best time to visit Sri Lanka: a monsoon-by-monsoon breakdown
Sri Lanka has two monsoons hitting opposite coasts at opposite times. Here is exactly which regions are dry in each month — and why "avoid the monsoon" is bad advice.
Sri Lankan food beyond the buffet: 12 dishes worth planning a trip around
Rice and curry is the tip of the iceberg. Here are the twelve dishes we send every guest hunting for — from string hoppers at dawn to kottu at midnight.
Yala safari, honestly: is it worth it, and how to do it right
Yala has the world's highest density of leopards. It also has 300 jeeps a day. Here is how to see the park properly — and when to choose Wilpattu instead.
The Kandy to Ella train, honestly: how to book, where to sit, what it's really like
The most-photographed train ride in Asia. Here is exactly how to book a seat, which class is worth it, and why the door — not the window — is the best seat in the house.
Sri Lanka for first-time visitors: a 10-day itinerary that actually works
The 10-day route we've built for hundreds of first-time guests — Colombo to Sigiriya, Kandy, the tea country, Ella, and the south coast — with honest advice on what to skip.