Classic Sri Lanka Honeymoon

Early morning climb of Sigiriya Rock before the heat builds. The Lion's Paw entrance, ancient frescoes and summit views across the jungle are unforgettable. Afternoon village experience by bullock cart through rice paddies, followed by a cooking class in a local family home.

Morning visit to the Dambulla Cave Temple with its 150 Buddha statues and 2,000 square metres of painted ceilings. Then drive south through spice gardens to Kandy, arriving at your 18th-century manor house hotel in time for a sunset walk around Kandy Lake.

Morning visit to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, one of Buddhism's most important sites. Afternoon stroll through the Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya with its 4,000 plant species and avenue of royal palms. Evening Kandyan dance performance and dinner overlooking the lake.

Board the morning train from Kandy for one of the world's great railway journeys. Seven hours through rolling tea estates, mountain tunnels and misty valleys. The scenery from Nanu Oya to Ella is the most spectacular stretch. Arrive in the cool hill country and settle into your tea plantation hotel.

Sunrise walk to Nine Arches Bridge, a colonial-era stone viaduct set among the tea bushes. Then hike Little Adam's Peak for panoramic views of Ella Gap. Afternoon tea factory tour with tastings of single-estate Ceylon tea. Evening at leisure in this laid-back hill town.

Morning stop at Ravana Falls before the three-hour drive south to Yala. Check into your luxury tented lodge on the edge of the national park. Afternoon game drive through the scrubland, where leopards, elephants and sloth bears roam. Sundowner drinks back at camp.

Optional early morning safari for those keen to spot leopards at first light. Then drive along the southern coast to Galle, stopping at Mirissa for a seafood lunch by the beach. Arrive at your boutique hotel inside the UNESCO-listed Galle Fort by mid-afternoon.

Morning whale watching excursion from Mirissa harbour (seasonal, November to April). Afternoon exploring the fort's narrow streets, boutique shops and art galleries. Walk the ramparts at sunset with the Indian Ocean stretching to the horizon. Farewell dinner at a candlelit rooftop restaurant.