The quiet town of Tissamaharama is known for Buddhist monasteries, beautiful beaches and wildlife reserves like Yala National Park, where visitors can join a wildlife safari. It's steeped in history and was once the capital of the Sinhalese Kingdom of Ruhuna as early as the 3rd century BC.

A small town in Sri Lanka, Minneriya is famous for two things — the great Minneriya Lake and Minneriya National Park. Declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1938, the park is an incredible location for safari lovers and known for its abundance of roaming elephants.