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Photography credits

Last updated 14 November 2026

Every photograph on this site is listed below with the person or organisation that made it, the licence it is used under and a link to the original. We do not use uncredited images, and we do not claim other people's photography as our own.

images in use

CC BY-SA

CC BY

CC0, public domain or stock

Most photographs come from Wikimedia Commons and are used under Creative Commons licences that permit commercial use and modification. A small number of hotel illustrations come from Unsplash and are used under the Unsplash License.

To fit the layout, we crop, resize and re-encode each file. Those changes are noted in every entry. Adapted Creative Commons images remain available under the licence shown; follow the source link to see the original and the full licence terms. Images are not otherwise edited, and we do not add or remove elements in a way that changes what the photograph shows.

We do not currently publish AI-generated imagery. If we ever do, it will be labelled as AI-generated rather than presented as a photograph.

Feature and homepage images

7 images

The wide images used in page headers and on the homepage.

Sigiriya Rock Fortress seen across the plain
/images/hero/banner1.jpeg
Credit: Thushara Nadeeja. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:1, resized to 2688x896, re-encoded.
Elephants in a Sri Lankan national park
/images/hero/elephants.jpg
Credit: C.J.Hatton. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.
Galle Fort lighthouse
/images/hero/galle-fort.jpg
Credit: FLASHPACKER TRAVELGUIDE. Licence: CC BY-SA 2.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.
Mirissa coast
/images/hero/mirissa-coast.jpg
Credit: dronepicr. Licence: CC BY 2.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.
Sigiriya
/images/hero/sigiriya.jpg
Credit: Yourusernamewillbepublic2. Licence: CC0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.
Tea country
/images/hero/tea-country.jpg
Credit: Vyacheslav Argenberg. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.
Adam's Peak (Sri Pada)
/images/hero/temple-peak.jpg
Credit: Eli Solidum. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.

Central Province

6 images

Temple of the Tooth, Kandy
/images/provinces/central/dalada-maligawa.jpg
Credit: Yercaud-elango. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.
World's End, Horton Plains
/images/provinces/central/horton-plains.jpeg
Credit: Pamuditha2000. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.
Kandy and its lake
/images/provinces/central/kandyhero.jpeg
Credit: KapilaKTK. Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:1, resized to 3200x1067, re-encoded.
Tea plantation near Nuwara Eliya
/images/provinces/central/nuwara-eliya-tea.jpeg
Credit: Bergentroll. Licence: CC0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.
Sigiriya Rock Fortress
/images/provinces/central/sigiriya-rock-fortress.jpeg
Credit: Chamixth. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1472x981, re-encoded.
Shrine inside the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Kandy
/images/provinces/central/temple-of-the-tooth.jpeg
Credit: Jorge Láscar from Australia. Licence: CC BY 2.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.

Eastern Province

6 images

Arugam Bay beach and fishing boats
/images/provinces/eastern/arugam-bay.jpg
Credit: Etienne Boulanger. Licence: CC BY 3.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.
Arugam Bay
/images/provinces/eastern/arugambay.jpeg
Credit: Dennis Sylvester Hurd. Licence: CC0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1472x981, re-encoded.
Trincomalee coast
/images/provinces/eastern/hero.jpeg
Credit: PIERRE ANDRE LECLERCQ. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:1, resized to 2432x811, re-encoded.
Koneswaram Temple, Trincomalee
/images/provinces/eastern/koneshwaram.jpeg
Credit: Yves Picq. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.
Nilaveli beach
/images/provinces/eastern/nilaveli.jpeg
Credit: Anton 17. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.
Pasikuda beach
/images/provinces/eastern/pasikuda.jpeg
Credit: VINUKR86. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.

North Central Province

6 images

Seated Buddha at Gal Vihara, Polonnaruwa
/images/provinces/north-central/galviharaya.jpg
Credit: Jerzy Strzelecki. Licence: CC BY 3.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.
Polonnaruwa ruins
/images/provinces/north-central/hero-bg-new.jpg
Credit: Author not stated on Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:1, resized to 2826x942, re-encoded.
Mihintale
/images/provinces/north-central/mihintale-3.jpg
Credit: Hasitha Senadheera. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.
Elephants at Minneriya National Park
/images/provinces/north-central/minneriya.jpg
Credit: Eli Solidum. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1472x981, re-encoded.
Polonnaruwa
/images/provinces/north-central/polonnaruwa.jpg
Credit: Ankur Panchbudhe from Pune, India. Licence: CC BY 2.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1216x811, re-encoded.
Ruwanwelisaya stupa, Anuradhapura
/images/provinces/north-central/ruwanwalistupa.jpeg
Credit: AKS.9955. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.

North Western Province

6 images

A villu (natural lake) in Wilpattu National Park
/images/provinces/north-western/hero.jpeg
Credit: Cakeblossoms. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:1, resized to 2944x981, re-encoded.
Kalpitiya lagoon
/images/provinces/north-western/kalpitiyalagoon.jpeg
Credit: Raiyans. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.
Munneswaram Temple
/images/provinces/north-western/munneswaram.jpeg
Credit: Balou46. Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.
Ridi Viharaya
/images/provinces/north-western/ridiviharaya.jpeg
Credit: Ji-Elle. Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1216x811, re-encoded.
Yapahuwa rock fortress
/images/provinces/north-western/yapahuwa-fortress.jpeg
Credit: Dulakshi. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1154x769, re-encoded.
Lion sculpture at Yapahuwa
/images/provinces/north-western/yapahuwa-rock-fortress.jpg
Credit: Ji-Elle. Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1344x896, re-encoded.

Northern Province

4 images

Casuarina beach, Jaffna
/images/provinces/northern/casuarina-beach.jpg
Credit: Vakeezan. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.
Wild horses on Delft Island
/images/provinces/northern/delfh.jpeg
Credit: AntanO. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.
Jaffna Fort
/images/provinces/northern/jaffna-fort.jpg
Credit: Yercaud-elango. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.
Nallur Kandaswamy Temple
/images/provinces/northern/nallur-kandaswamy-temple.jpg
Credit: Lucas105. Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.

Sabaragamuwa Province

6 images

Adam's Peak (Sri Pada) at sunrise
/images/provinces/sabaragamuwa/adams-peak.jpg
Credit: Rehman Abubakr. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.
Hand-sorting washed gem gravel, Pelmadulla
/images/provinces/sabaragamuwa/gemmines.jpeg
Credit: Ilyes Makria / Joalys. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.
Rainforest river in Sinharaja
/images/provinces/sabaragamuwa/sabarahero.jpeg
Credit: xiquinhosilva. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:1, resized to 2040x680, re-encoded.
Sinharaja Forest Reserve
/images/provinces/sabaragamuwa/sinharaja-forest-reserve.jpg
Credit: PRAVEEN230. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.
Sinharaja rainforest
/images/provinces/sabaragamuwa/sinharaja.jpeg
Credit: Ruwan Illeperuma. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1177x785, re-encoded.
Udawalawe National Park
/images/provinces/sabaragamuwa/udawalawe-national-park.jpg
Credit: Sanduweragoda. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.

Southern Province

7 images

Unawatuna beach
/images/provinces/southern/dalawella-beach.jpeg
Credit: Samal Nadeeshan. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.
Galle Fort lighthouse
/images/provinces/southern/galle-fort.jpg
Credit: Ankur Panchbudhe from Pune, India. Licence: CC BY 2.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.
Galle Fort ramparts
/images/provinces/southern/Galle.jpeg
Credit: Ankur Panchbudhe from Pune, India. Licence: CC BY 2.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.
Aerial view of Mirissa beach
/images/provinces/southern/Gemini_Generated_Image_tuhjxhtuhjxhtuhj.jpeg
Credit: dronepicr. Licence: CC BY 2.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:1, resized to 1920x640, re-encoded.
Coral reef at Hikkaduwa
/images/provinces/southern/Hikkaduwa-Coral.jpg
Credit: Janindu wijesoorya. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.
Mirissa harbour
/images/provinces/southern/mirissa-aerial.jpg
Credit: Alexey Komarov. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.
Blue whale off Mirissa
/images/provinces/southern/whale-watching-mirissa.jpeg
Credit: Peyman Zehtab Fard. Licence: CC BY 2.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.

Uva Province

6 images

Nine Arch Bridge, Demodara
/images/provinces/uva/9arrch.jpeg
Credit: V. Epiney. Licence: CC BY-SA 2.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1216x811, re-encoded.
Dunhinda Falls
/images/provinces/uva/dunhida.jpeg
Credit: Dilshi Perera. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1344x896, re-encoded.
Lipton's Seat, Haputale
/images/provinces/uva/liptonseat.jpeg
Credit: AriyaHetti. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.
Nine Arch Bridge
/images/provinces/uva/nine-arch-bridge.jpg
Credit: Dr.S.Rajivraja. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1344x896, re-encoded.
Ravana Falls, Ella
/images/provinces/uva/ravana.jpeg
Credit: Ankur Panchbudhe from Pune, India. Licence: CC BY 2.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1344x896, re-encoded.
Uva highlands
/images/provinces/uva/uvahero.jpeg
Credit: Praveen175. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:1, resized to 2688x896, re-encoded.

Western Province

5 images

Colombo skyline at night
/images/provinces/western/colombo-city-skyline.jpg
Credit: Thilina Alagiyawanna. Licence: CC0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1472x981, re-encoded.
Seema Malaka, Gangaramaya Temple, Colombo
/images/provinces/western/gangaramaya-temple.jpeg
Credit: AKS.9955. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1600x1067, re-encoded.
Colombo skyline at dusk
/images/provinces/western/hero.jpeg
Credit: Thilina Alagiyawanna. Licence: CC0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:1, resized to 1920x640, re-encoded.
Mount Lavinia beach
/images/provinces/western/mount-lavinia-beach.jpg
Credit: Rilwan19760430. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1466x977, re-encoded.
Negombo beach
/images/provinces/western/negombo-beach.jpg
Credit: Jerzy Strzelecki. Licence: CC BY 3.0. Source.
Changes: Cropped to 3:2, resized to 1588x1059, re-encoded.

Hotel listings

8 images

These are illustrative stock photographs, not photographs of the named properties. They show the kind of accommodation described, and every hotel page links to the property's official website.

Illustrative beach hotel pool
/images/hotels/beach.jpg
Credit: Unsplash. Licence: Unsplash License. Source.
Changes: Resized to 1600x1600 and re-encoded.
Illustrative eco-resort room
/images/hotels/eco.jpg
Credit: Unsplash. Licence: Unsplash License. Source.
Changes: Resized to 1600x1067 and re-encoded.
Illustrative hill-country hotel room
/images/hotels/hills.jpg
Credit: Unsplash. Licence: Unsplash License. Source.
Changes: Resized to 1600x1067 and re-encoded.
Illustrative lakeside resort
/images/hotels/lake.jpg
Credit: Unsplash. Licence: Unsplash License. Source.
Changes: Resized to 1600x1067 and re-encoded.
Illustrative hotel pool
/images/hotels/pool.jpg
Credit: Unsplash. Licence: Unsplash License. Source.
Changes: Resized to 1600x1600 and re-encoded.
Illustrative resort exterior and pool
/images/hotels/resort.jpg
Credit: Unsplash. Licence: Unsplash License. Source.
Changes: Resized to 1600x1280 and re-encoded.
Illustrative hotel suite
/images/hotels/suite.jpg
Credit: Unsplash. Licence: Unsplash License. Source.
Changes: Resized to 1600x1067 and re-encoded.
Illustrative villa exterior
/images/hotels/villa.jpg
Credit: Unsplash. Licence: Unsplash License. Source.
Changes: Resized to 1600x900 and re-encoded.

Spotted a mistake?

If you are the photographer or rights holder and believe an image is credited incorrectly, or you would like an image removed, email hello@discoversrilankatravel.com or use the contact form. We will correct or remove it promptly.