Sri Lanka in Style: Where to Start, What to See

Few places this size manage to hold as much range as Sri Lanka does—in culture, landscape, and even weather (the country has different monsoon seasons in different parts of the island at different times!). In the space of two weeks you can go from a colonial manor house surrounded by coconut palms, to an ancient rock fortress rising out of the jungle, to a working tea estate in the clouds, to a leopard crossing the road in front of your safari jeep, to a private pool villa on a cliff above the Indian Ocean. It's a small island that somehow contains an entire continent's worth of scenery.

Below is how I'd build it, stop by stop. It doesn't have to run in this order, and you don't have to do all of it. Two weeks is the sweet spot if you want to properly cover the island, culture, tea country, safari and beach, without feeling rushed. If you only have 9 or 10 days, I'd cut it down to 3 or 4 regions rather than try to rush through all of them.

• The cultural triangle: Sigiriya, Dambulla and the ancient kingdoms: This is the heart of Sri Lanka's ancient history, where 2,500 year old ruins and reservoirs surround Sigiriya, the legendary rock fortress often called the 8th Wonder of the Ancient World, with the World Heritage cave temple at Dambulla just down the road. Climb it early for the views and don't miss the famous frescoes of the Sigiriya Maidens along the way.

• Anuradhapura—The ancient capital: Sri Lanka's ancient capital is now a vast UNESCO site of restored temples and crumbling ruins, anchored by the Sacred Bodhi Tree, said to be grown from a cutting of the very tree Buddha sat under to reach enlightenment, and best experienced in the evening as the stupas light up. It's worth pairing with a stop at Ritigala, an abandoned monastery scattered across a nearby mountainside and one of the island's lesser known Buddhist sites.

• Kandy: Temples, gardens and the last of the Old Kingdom: Kandy is Sri Lanka's second city and the last stronghold of the old Kandyan kings, with famous temples, lush surrounding hills, and a climate that's a welcome break from the coast. Build in time for the Royal Botanical Gardens of Peradeniya and a visit to a heritage home like Suriyakantha for a guided walk and lunch.

• Hatton and the Tea Country: Known as the Hill Country, this is rolling tea plantation territory with cool mountain air and sweeping views across the Southern Hills, a total shift from the coast in the best way. You can hike to the summit of Adam's Peak, raft the Kelani River, or walk a stretch of the Pekoe Trail past tea factories and old railway tunnels. If I ever disappear from NYC, look for me first in this region—without a doubt, you'll find me at Ceylon Tea Trails, in the Tientsin Bungalow, with my morning bed tea (please ask me about this) and the beginnings of my novel in front of me (or just in a pile of other people's novels!).

• Yala Safari: Yala is Sri Lanka's most famous wildlife park, with one of the highest densities of leopards in the world alongside elephants, crocodiles, and incredible birdlife. Game drives run at sunrise and sunset, when the light and the animals are both at their best. It also has one of my favorite hotels in the country, Wild Coast Tented Lodge.

• The Galle Coast and the deep south: Galle is the cosmopolitan capital of the south, anchored by a remarkably intact 17th century Dutch Fort and some of the island's most lush, dramatic coastline. A private guided walk through the Fort, tea at a Dutch era home, and a stop for arrack cocktails are all worth building into your time here. The shopping is fantastic, and I'm convinced that if heaven has a smell, it's the scent of the spa at the Amangalla.

• Amanwella: If there's one place to end a Sri Lanka trip, it's Amanwella, where suites curve around a crescent shaped bay with private plunge pools and sea views. It's the kind of property where the only instruction is to slow down, swim in the sea, and stare at the monkeys.

• Colombo as an Add-On: A day spent with a driver in Colombo, going to cafes, exploring and shopping before your evening flight, is a great way to end your time in Sri Lanka and works well after check out from Amanwella (depending on your ability to brave the Colombo traffic!).

• Ella and the Nine Arches Bridge: Ella is worth the detour if you have an extra day or two in the Hill Country. Home to the famous Nine Arches Bridge, a colonial era railway viaduct wrapped in jungle and tea fields that's one of the most photographed spots on the island, it fits best as a stop between Hatton and Yala, swapping the domestic flight for a scenic drive through, or as its own overnight if you want time to also hike Little Adam's Peak or catch the train as it crosses the bridge.

Rice and Curry (the rice comes first!), Hoppers and Coconut Sambal are the hallmarks of Sri Lanka cuisine. From in-home meals with a local family (incredible) to swanky drinks at fancy hotel bars, Sri Lanka runs the gamut, but the real beauty of the food is how each ingredient is the star of it's own show (ask me more about Rice and Curry, please please). The food is truly phenomenal—bursting with flavor, spice on demand, and absolutely fresh. Someone told me in Sri Lanka, "everyone here has coconuts and rice, so no one goes hungry." I definitely did not, and you won't either.

• Tekanda Lodge, Galle Coast: Enjoy a welcome drink and lunch on a hilltop estate near Ahungama.

• Uga Ulagalla, near Anuradhapura: Hands down the best rice and curry of my trip.

• Suriyakantha, Kandy: Heritage meal in a 200 year old house.

• Lighthouse Hotel, Galle Coast: Delicious food at a striking Geoffrey Bawa designed property.

• Ropewalk, Galle Coast: 1920s themed arrack bar inside the historic Galle Fort Hotel.

• Smoke & Bitters, Deep South (Amanwella): Sunset cocktails and dinner overlooking Dickwella Beach.