Fishermen standing on stilts in Galle's outskirts. [Photo by Ben Lerwill/China Daily]

4 Kataragama: If you're looking to get an insight into just how deep religion runs in Sri Lanka, this is the place to come. The small southern town is considered a profoundly important spiritual site not just by Buddhists but by Hindus and Muslims too, and is best experienced in the evening, when the main puja (show of reverence) takes place. Most of the action centers on the area known as The Sacred Precinct, where musicians, dancers and pilgrims combine to create a heady scene of devotion. It's worth staying the night if you want to enjoy the puja without having to rush off.

5 Jaffna and the far north: The vagaries of the civil war were felt fiercely in the far north, which is still home to the majority of Sri Lanka's Tamil population. These days the area can be visited fairly easily, and holds rich rewards for those in search of a cultural contrast to the rest of the island. The largest town is Jaffna, which sits on a peninsula at the uppermost tip of the country and has a thick Indian influence. Thanks to improvements in the rail network, it's now possible to travel here by train direct from Colombo.

6 Unawatuna: Hugely popular with independent travellers, Unawatuna sits on the south coast close to Galle and has made its name as somewhere to surf and unwind－you'll find everything from snorkelling and yoga to diving and nightclubbing on offer. Its postcard-friendly good looks are helped by a scattering of green rocky outcrops offshore, and there's a vast selection of different places to eat and drink, ranging from rice-and-curry houses and seafood restaurants to Italian bistros. The resort sits just 5 kilometers from Galle itself.