A guide to the Maligawila Buddha statue: the tallest ancient free-standing Buddha in Sri Lanka, its destruction and two restoration attempts, visiting tips and map.

A guide to Gal Oya National Park: Sri Lanka's only boat safari park, its swimming elephants, indigenous Vedda community, visiting tips and map.

A guide to Lahugala Kitulana National Park near Arugam Bay: its silted ancient reservoirs, elephant gatherings, and its link to Magul Maha Vihara, visiting tips...

A guide to Magul Maha Vihara near Lahugala: the 2nd-century BCE royal wedding site, its unique moonstone, birthplace of King Dutugemunu, visiting tips and map.

A guide to Monaragala: the practical hub for exploring Maligawila, Gal Oya and Yala's edges, its Wellassa heritage, visiting tips and map.

A guide to Arugam Bay: from a 1970s fishing village with no electricity to South Asia's premier surf destination, visiting tips and map.

A guide to Maduru Oya National Park: born from the Mahaweli irrigation project, home to Vedda communities and ancient ruins, visiting tips and map.

A guide to Kumana National Park (formerly Yala East): its Vedda cave art, the Nittaewo dwarf legend, the annual Pada Yatra pilgrimage, visiting tips and...

A guide to Okanda Devalaya: the legendary landing site of God Skanda, last gathering point on the Pada Yatra pilgrimage, visiting tips and map.

A guide to Kudumbigala Forest Hermitage: over 200 ancient meditation caves, a 'forgotten monastery' rediscovered in the 1950s, visiting tips and map.