Best for Elephants - The most well known national park is down in the South at Yala, but it can get very busy with many jeeps surrounding the wildlife. For elephant viewing, a better experience is Udawalawe which is much less crowded, and is probably the best place in any case to see elephants in the wild. However, if you're travelling around August then you may see huge herds of elephants up in Minneriya, or the adjoining parks. They gather here due to the low water levels in the dry season - it will be more crowded than Udawalawe, but the herds are bigger. You could of course visit both parks! Another option is at Gal Oya in the East - this is far less well known, but the star attraction here is the chance to see swimming elephants. Overall, it may be more hit and miss than at Udawalawe but is the least touristy of them all.
Stay: Yala, Udawalawe, Habarana Area, Gal Oya

Best for Leopards - The one place where you have a decent chance of seeing leopards is at Yala - the downside is that the park itself can get very overcrowded with jeeps. It is closed from September to October, dates vary each year.
Stay: Yala

Best for Temples - Probably the finest Buddhist temple to visit is the Dambulla Cave Temple, which is made up of 5 caves and over 150 Buddhist statues and paintings. Best time to visit is either first thing in the morning or late afternoon, when you might have the added bonus of a great sunset! Next on the list would be the Temple of the Tooth down in Kandy - early morning and late afternoon gets very busy but atmospheric - the pooja ceremony takes place, which involves offerings, prayers and music.
Stay: Habarana Area, Kandy

Best for Iconic Sights - You can climb Sigiriya Rock, but best done early morning or late afternoon when it's cooler. The best view of it is from Pidurangala a couple of miles away, and it's especially photogenic first thing in the morning.
Stay: Habarana Area

Best for Walking & Scenic Views - A relatively easy hike with exceptional scenic views is up Little Adam's Peak in Ella. There's also a great viewpoint nearby at Nine Arch Bridge. At World's End in Horton Plains the hike takes about as long (a few hours return trip) but the views are often obscured by mist. Nearby Adam's Peak is much more challenging and for serious hikers. Lipton's Seat also has frequent mist which is why very early morning is best - it's about an hour on the train from Ella.
Stay: Ella, Nuwara Eliya

Best for Tea Plantations - Ella and Nuwara Eliya both have excellent hotels with a tea experience on site.
Stay: Ella, Nuwara Eliya

Best for Beaches - The West Coast has the biggest choice of hotels but swimming is difficult. December to April is best. The East coast has fewer hotels and resorts but with better beaches and better snorkelling opportunities. January to September is best. The downside is the long journey back to Colombo.
Stay: South West Coast including Galle, Trincomalee

Best for Whale Watching - In the south at Mirissa, December, January & April are usually best months. In Trincomalee in the East, March, April & August, September are the peak months.
Stay: South / South West Coast including Galle

Best for Gardens By far the best are the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kandy. You'll see orchids, a giant fig tree, the avenue of palm trees, spices, and flowers.
Stay: Kandy

Best for Trains - The famous train from Kandy to Ella is about a 7 hour journey with a confusing choice of class.
Stay: Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ella

Unique Hotels in Amazing Locations
- Jetwing Vil Uyana, Sigiriya - www.jetwinghotels.com/jetwingviluyana/
- 98 Acres, Ella - www.resort98acres.com/
- Chena Huts, Yala - www.ugaescapes.com/chenahuts/
- Uga Jungle Beach, Trincomalee - www.ugaescapes.com/junglebeach/
- The Fortress, Galle - www.fortressresortandspa.com/