Mirissa, a sun-drenched jewel on Sri Lanka’s southern coast, pulses with a laid-back energy. Golden beaches curve into sparkling waters where surfers carve gentle waves by day and the shoreline comes alive with cozy bars and music after dark. It’s the perfect springboard for exploring the storied ramparts of Galle Fort and the deep blue nearby plays host to unforgettable whale and dolphin excursions — sea-spray mornings that feel made for stories.

Mirissa: a sleepy southern Sri Lankan gem where salt and sizzling seafood fill the air, crescent beaches beguile, whale-watching awes and Galle waits nearby.

Once a retreat for the British elite and colonial planters of the country’s tea industry, Nuwara Eliya lies in the misty hills of central Sri Lanka with the nickname, “City of Light.” The town has a temperate, chilly climate and is littered with colonial style bungalows and tea plantations.