Editorial team
Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna is the editor of Discover Sri Lanka, based in Colombo. He writes the province guides, hotel picks and practical travel advice on this site, and updates them as transport, prices and opening times change.
Read our editorial policy to see how stories are researched, updated and corrected.
Stories by Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna
12 January 2026
Colombo's Skyline: How to Spend a Day in Sri Lanka's Capital
Lotus Tower, Galle Face Green and the streets in between — a practical one-day guide to Colombo.
19 January 2026
Gangaramaya Temple: Colombo's Most Eclectic Shrine
A temple, museum and monastic library rolled into one on the edge of Beira Lake.
2 February 2026
Negombo Beach: Fishing Boats, Lagoon Sunsets and Easy Airport Stops
A working fishing town with a long sandy beach — and the easiest first or last stop near Colombo airport.
9 February 2026
Mount Lavinia Beach: Colombo's Closest Sandy Escape
A crescent of sand just south of the capital, with the historic Mount Lavinia Hotel watching over the bay.
16 February 2026
Sigiriya Rock Fortress: A Practical Guide to Climbing Lion Rock
Tickets, timing, the frescoes and the climb — what to expect at Sri Lanka's most famous rock fortress, plus the quieter view from Pidurangala.
23 February 2026
Temple of the Tooth: Inside Kandy's Sacred Relic Shrine
Sri Lanka's most important Buddhist temple, the three daily pujas and the rituals around a single tooth.
2 March 2026
Nuwara Eliya Tea Country: A Guide to Sri Lanka's Hill Station
Cool air, colonial bungalows and endless tea estates — how to visit the heart of Ceylon tea without rushing it.
9 March 2026
Horton Plains and World's End: Sri Lanka's Cloud Forest Walk
A misty plateau, dwarf forest and a dramatic cliff — plus how the pre-dawn start actually works.
16 March 2026
Galle Fort: A Walking Guide to Sri Lanka's Walled City
Ramparts, lighthouse, boutique cafés and four centuries of colonial history inside a UNESCO old town that people still call home.
4 May 2026
Yala National Park: Leopards, Safaris and What to Actually Expect
How a Yala safari works, when the leopards are easiest to see, which block to choose and why the crowds matter.
23 March 2026
Whale Watching in Mirissa: Blue Whales, Early Boats and Rough Seas
What a Mirissa whale-watching morning is really like, when the season runs and how to pick a boat worth boarding.
30 March 2026
Unawatuna Beach: Swimming, Coral and the Road South
A sheltered crescent bay near Galle with calm water, beach cafés and a reef just offshore.
6 April 2026
Hikkaduwa Coral Reef: Snorkelling and Turtles on the West Coast
Glass-bottom boats, green turtles and a fringing reef — plus how to visit without damaging it.
13 April 2026
Arugam Bay: Surf, Lagoon and the Slow East Coast
A world-class right-hand point break, laid-back cafés and a coastline that stays quiet outside season.
20 April 2026
Koneswaram Temple: Trincomalee's Cliff-Top Shiva Shrine
A Hindu temple above the harbour, with a sacred spring, cliff views and a history stretching back centuries.
27 April 2026
Nilaveli Beach: White Sand, Pigeon Island and Calm East-Coast Water
A long, quiet beach north of Trincomalee with snorkelling trips to Pigeon Island and a genuinely slow pace.
4 May 2026
Pasikudah Beach: The Shallow Lagoon on Sri Lanka's East Coast
Warm, waist-deep water and a gently sloping bay make Pasikudah one of the island's easiest swims.
11 May 2026
Nine Arch Bridge: Ella's Jungle Viaduct, and How to See It Properly
Where to stand, how to walk there, when the trains actually cross and why the bridge exists in the first place.
18 May 2026
Ravana Falls: Ella's Roadside Waterfall and the Legend Behind It
A tall cascade beside the Ella–Wellawaya road, tied to the Ramayana and best seen after the rains.
25 May 2026
Lipton's Seat: Sunrise Over Sri Lanka's Tea Estates
The hilltop where Sir Thomas Lipton surveyed his tea empire — and one of the best sunrise views in the highlands.
1 June 2026
Dunhinda Falls: The Bridal Veil Near Badulla
A tall, powerful waterfall a short trip from Badulla, reached by a forest path and a lot of steps.
8 June 2026
Adam's Peak: Climbing Sri Lanka's Sacred Mountain
The overnight pilgrimage to Sri Pada — what to pack, when to go and what happens at the summit.
15 June 2026
Sinharaja Forest Reserve: Sri Lanka's Last Great Rainforest
Endemic birds, giant trees and leech socks — a guide to walking the island's UNESCO rainforest.
22 June 2026
Udawalawe National Park: Elephants, Tanks and an Easy Safari
One of the most reliable places to see wild elephants in Sri Lanka, with open plains and a short drive from the south coast.
29 June 2026
Ratnapura Gem Mines: Inside Sri Lanka's City of Gems
Sapphires, rubies and muddy pits — how to visit Ratnapura's gem country responsibly.
6 July 2026
Ruwanwelisaya: The Great White Stupa of Anuradhapura
A two-thousand-year-old stupa at the heart of the sacred city — scale, symbolism and how to visit respectfully.
13 July 2026
Gal Viharaya: Polonnaruwa's Rock-Cut Buddhas
Four colossal figures carved from a single granite rock — the artistic highlight of Polonnaruwa.
20 July 2026
Minneriya National Park: The Great Elephant Gathering
Hundreds of elephants around an ancient reservoir — when to go and how to safari responsibly.
27 July 2026
Mihintale: Where Buddhism Arrived in Sri Lanka
A hilltop of stupas, rock caves and sunset views — the birthplace of the island's Buddhist tradition.
3 August 2026
Jaffna Fort: A Walk Through the North's Colonial Ramparts
A star-shaped Dutch fort on the Jaffna lagoon — and a reminder of the peninsula's layered history.
10 August 2026
Nallur Kandaswamy Temple: Jaffna's Golden Kovil
The north's most important Hindu temple, with a towering gopuram and a calendar of festivals.
17 August 2026
Casuarina Beach: The Northern Tip's Quiet Sands
A long, casuarina-lined beach near Karainagar — calm, local and far from the south-coast crowds.
24 August 2026
Delft Island: Wild Horses and Coral Walls in the Far North
A remote island of feral horses, Dutch ruins and coral-stone walls, reached by a slow ferry from Jaffna.
31 August 2026
Yapahuwa Fortress: The Forgotten Rock Capital
A thirteenth-century rock fortress with a ceremonial staircase — and hardly any crowds.
7 September 2026
Kalpitiya Peninsula: Kitesurfing, Dolphins and Lagoon Life
Sri Lanka's kitesurfing capital, with flat lagoon water, dolphin trips and empty beaches.
14 September 2026
Munneswaram Temple: Chilaw's Colourful Hindu Complex
A historic Shiva temple near Chilaw, known for its vivid gopuram and the Munneswaram festival.
21 September 2026
Ridi Viharaya: The Silver Temple of Kurunegala
A cave temple founded on a silver ore discovery, with intricate carvings and a peaceful hill setting.