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

Yala National Park in southeast Sri Lanka is the largest and busiest animal protection area in the country, covering 979 square kilometers. Yala, the oldest wildlife sanctuary in Lanka, protects a sizable region of pristine jungles, grasslands, and lagoons that border the Indian Ocean. Here, you may find the world’s largest concentration of leopards as well as Sri Lankan elephants, crocodiles, and more than 400 bird species.