Yala National Park is a huge area of forest, grassland and lagoons bordering the Indian Ocean, in southeast Sri Lanka. It’s home to wildlife such as leopards, elephants and crocodiles, as well as hundreds of bird species. Inland, Sithulpawwa is an ancient Buddhist monastery. Nearby caves contain centuries-old rock paintings. Southwest, Magul Maha Viharaya also has ancient Buddhist ruins. Both are pilgrimage sites.

Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, has a long history as a port on old east-west exchange courses, administered progressively by the Portuguese, Dutch and British. That legacy is reflected in its engineering, blending pilgrim structures in with elevated structures and shopping centers. The monumental Colombo National Museum, committed to Sri Lankan history, outskirts rambling Viharamahadevi Park and its mammoth Buddha.