Sri Lanka, in treno e sulla tavola

The day

Two and a half hours south to Kandy, the last royal capital, around its lake.

The day

Visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic for the evening puja, when drums and offerings fill the temple.

• Cover shoulders and knees

Where you're staying

The Theva Residency, in the Hantana hills two kilometres above town: a small hotel with sweeping views over the hills and a kitchen that guests single out, especially breakfast.

• An infinity pool faces the valley

The drive

Up through the tea estates to Nuwara Eliya at about 1,900 metres, with a stop at a working tea factory to see the leaf withered, rolled and dried, and to taste the result.

• The air turns cool; bring a jumper
• 4 February is Independence Day, so expect flags and a festive mood

Where you're staying

Jetwing St Andrew's, a colonial-era residence of fireplaces, wood panelling and lawns, a short drive from Nanu Oya station for tomorrow's train.

The day

Sunrise walk up Little Adam's Peak, about 45 minutes on an easy path through tea, with views down the Ella Gap.

The day

Later, walk along the tracks to the Nine Arches Bridge, a stone viaduct built without steel in the jungle, and wait for a train to cross.

• Afternoon cookery class in a family kitchen in the village

The day

For good legs: Ella Rock, three to four hours there and back, best with a local guide because the paths through the tea split often.

• Otherwise a spa afternoon and the Ravana waterfall

On the road

South to the coast, breaking the drive with a morning jeep safari in Udawalawe National Park, where herds of wild elephants are almost certain.

• Arrive in Weligama in the late afternoon

Where you're staying

Lucky's Surf Camp, Weligama: run by one of Sri Lanka's best-known surfers, with private rooms with a king-size bed and lessons from the bay's beginner beach at a maximum of two students per instructor.

The days

Two lessons a day, early morning and late afternoon, when the wind is lightest.

• Weligama's sandy bottom and small, rolling waves are forgiving, and most people are standing by the second session
• In between: coconuts, a nap, and the fish market at the harbour

Morning

Whale watching from Mirissa, 15 minutes away: December to March is the peak season for blue whales off the south coast.

• Choose a boat operator that keeps its distance from the whales; we name ours when we book

Afternoon

Galle Fort, 40 minutes west: a walled Dutch town on the sea with lanes of cafés and small shops.

• Walk the ramparts at sunset

Getting home

About two and a half hours to Colombo airport on the expressway.