The one rail journey that features on almost every Sri Lankan itinerary, the three-hour trip from Colombo to Kandy will whisk you away from the big-city sprawl to the genteel greenery of Sri Lanka’s spiritual capital. Some of the services on this line continue onto Badulla (see below), although it’s worth breaking the journey and exploring Kandy, home to the legendary Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, enshrining what’s claimed to be a genuine tooth of Buddha. Planning tip: Other than local families, travelers, and daily commuters, you'll find plenty of vendors on the trains selling cups of tea, instant coffee, chili-sprinkled fresh fruits, roasted peanuts, yogurt, and even mobile top-up cards. 8. Feast on Sri Lankan crabs

While elephants are the main attraction, Kumana is also a bird lover's paradise; keen birders might spot 100 species in one day. And, with an estimated 40 leopards roaming around, this park offers a very real chance of spotting Sri Lanka's most famous predator without being surrounded by other jeeps. Village buffalo curd: Sri Lanka’s go-to dessert, traditional village buffalo curd comes in clay pots and is traditionally topped with sweet, earthy kithul palm treacle. Goodfolks in Colombo sells kithul palm treacle in bottles. Here are some additional ways to cut your expenses and visit Sri Lanka on a budget. Book your flights well in advance The hike will take you over rivers, past waterfalls, and through lush cloud forests before you arrive at a vantage point that is famed for sightings of whistling thrushes and Sri Lankan bush warblers. You won’t see much in the way of mammalian wildlife up here, but that doesn’t matter when the birdlife and flora are this seductive.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. Try 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 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.

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. 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. 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. On full moon days in May and June – holidays which carry special religious significance for Buddhists in the country – you’ll come across makeshift roadside stalls serving free food, a tradition known as dansel. The free treats may include ice cream, fresh juice, rice and curry, fried rice and boiled corn. Stalls often have long queues but visiting is an experience. Friendly locals may stop and invite you to their dansel, and refusing food is considered impolite — why would anyone say no to free food?

Stop by a Hindu temple during Pongal (a Hindu harvest festival celebrated by Tamils) for a plate of sweet pongal, a rice porridge made with raisins. 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.

Some train trips are so scenic, they’re an activity in themselves. The six-hour ride from Kandy to Ella, which weaves through seemingly endless tea fields, is right up there among the world’s best train routes. A recently renovated route from Colombo to the historical city of Galle conversely runs on the edge of the west coast, offering mesmeric views of the Indian Ocean.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. The monsoon season is also a great time to explore the country’s east coast with sandy beaches, a vibrant surf scene, and abundant wildlife. The period between June and August offers world-class conditions for kitesurfing in Kalpitiya. Things get quiet during the shoulder season in October and November, but you’ll be able to find cheaper accommodation options when the south coast slowly opens up. Take the airport bus 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. While Sri Lanka's elephant orphanages have a mixed reputation, there are a few ethical operators close to Uda Walawe, in case you haven’t quite had your fill of cute jumbo toddlers. Start with the Elephant Transit Home, supported by the Born Free Foundation.