Notes from the map.
Dispatches from reviewers, partners and travellers who take the island seriously and themselves less so.
Beat the queue: climbing Sigiriya before the buses arrive
The rock opens at 7am. The buses arrive at 8:15. That gap is one of the calmest hours in Sri Lanka, and here's exactly how to use it.
A beginner's map of Weligama's sandbars
Every surf school promises "the best spot". The sand decides. How to read the bay in five minutes from the beach road.
The great kottu benchmark: 14 shacks, one verdict
Our reviewers ate kottu for a week so you don't have to guess. The winner is not where the tuk-tuk drivers say it is.
Galle Fort after the day-trippers leave
At 5pm the cruise crowds roll out and the ramparts exhale. A dusk walking loop from the lighthouse, with snack stops.
Leopard etiquette: doing Yala without being that jeep
You can see a leopard and let it have a nice day too. A safari checklist written with three Yala trackers.
5,500 steps: an honest guide to Adam's Peak season
What the pilgrimage actually feels like, what to carry, and why the tea stall halfway up deserves a statue.
The Ella train: seats, snacks and which side to sit on
Left side going up, right side coming down, and the honest answer about whether the doorway photo is worth it.
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