Just twenty minutes from the airport, the dense forests and green rice paddies of Kotugoda feel worlds away from capital city Colombo. Relax after a long flight and get into Sri Lanka’s gentle groove. Lounge by the pool, wander the gardens of your colonial manor and watch for wildlife flitting between the trees.

The Cultural Triangle packs a lot into a relatively small area. Safaris in Minneriya or nearby national parks are perfect for close-up elephant sightings – it’s home to a migratory elephant population during the dry season, when they can gather in their hundreds. And if you’re a family that loves to get out on the water, you can kayak along the Kalawewa reservoir. Then there’s the history: Sigiriya’s fifth-century rock fortress rises 180 meters above the surrounding plain, with palace ruins at the summit. It’s a sweaty climb, but the views across the forest and countryside make the effort worthwhile.

Spend a day getting to know Kandy through its busy streets, markets and much-loved local snacks. The last capital of the Sinhala kings, Kandy is also home to the Temple of the Tooth, which houses a relic believed to be a tooth of the Buddha. One of Buddhism’s most sacred pilgrimage sites, the temple is at its most memorable during the daily rituals, when drumming fills the complex and worshipers gather with flowers and offerings.

The train from Kandy through Sri Lanka’s central highlands is an experience in itself, passing tea plantations, villages, forest and steep-sided valleys before reaching Ella. This mountain town has become a hub for hikers, backpackers, cafés and restaurants. Spend a day hiking on the Pekoe Trail, visit a tea plantation or learn to make dosa with a local woman – a traditional Tamil snack. There’s still time to slow things down at the accommodation pool overlooking the tea fields while the kids tackle the zipline.

If spotting a Sri Lankan leopard is high on the list for your family trip, Yala is one of the best places to try. Covering 979 sq km, the national park mixes scrub, forest, wetlands and open grassland, with elephants, monkeys, crocodiles and water buffalo among its other residents. Yala is particularly known for its high density of leopards, although sightings are never guaranteed. Long game drives around dawn and dusk give you more time in the park and a better chance of seeing one.

Sri Lanka’s south coast is known for its surf, and Ahangama has become one of its liveliest centers. Once a fishing village, it now mixes surf breaks with beach cafés, small hotels and an increasingly good restaurant scene. Take a lesson with a local surfer, spend a few hours on Kabalana Beach where it’s a little quieter, or simply find a sunlounger and stay put. Breaking away from the beach, you can visit a cinnamon plantation, cycle through nearby villages or head to Mirissa for a whale-watching trip.

Heading east from Ahangama, stop for lunch and a mooch around Galle Fort before continuing up the coast to Colombo. Sri Lanka’s commercial capital is easy to overlook, but spend a day here and you’ll see a modern, multicultural side of the country. A tuk-tuk tour takes you between Buddhist temples, Hindu kovils, mosques and the crowded trading streets of Pettah. Finish your trip over dinner at one of the city’s eateries, whether that means a simple kottu roti or one of the new generation of places putting a contemporary spin on the island’s cooking.