Photo credits

The photographers whose work appears on this site, and the licences it is used under.

Colombo
Colombo's glittering night skyline seen from high above, lit apartment towers rising over a sea of city lights beneath a dark, cloud-heavy sky.
Photo by Thilina Alagiyawanna / CC0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Negombo
A traditional outrigger fishing boat resting on Negombo beach at sunset, two fishermen silhouetted on its bow against a pink and gold sky over the Indian Ocean.
Photo by Luboš Holič / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Sigiriya
Sigiriya rock fortress rising out of dense jungle under a dramatic sunset sky, storm clouds breaking to gold light.
Photo by Marina Zvada / Pexels
Dambulla
A long procession of golden standing Buddha statues, hands raised in blessing, receding beneath the vividly painted rock ceiling of the Dambulla cave temple.
Photo by Philip Nalangan / CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Polonnaruwa
The serene face of the great reclining Buddha at Gal Vihara, carved from banded granite, resting on its hand in warm Polonnaruwa light.
Photo by Philip Nalangan / CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Anuradhapura
The brilliant white dome of Ruwanwelisaya stupa in Anuradhapura, ringed by its wall of carved elephants, rising against towering monsoon clouds.
Photo by KennyOMG / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Kandy
A rainbow arcing through the fountain on Kandy Lake, with the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic nestled below forested hills under a brooding sky.
Photo by Philip Nalangan / CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Nuwara Eliya
Mist rolling over steep green hill-country valleys, tea terraces and a winding road dropping through the forest below cloud-wrapped peaks.
Photo by Kapila Perera / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Ella
A blue-and-red train curving across the stone arches of Ella's Nine Arch Bridge, morning mist drifting over the tea-covered hills beyond.
Photo by Alexey Komarov / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Horton Plains
A dark river winding through the golden tussock grasslands of Horton Plains, cloud-forest rising behind under soft misty light.
Photo by A-wiki-guest-user / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Adam's Peak (Sri Pada)
Buddhist prayer flags fluttering on the summit of Adam's Peak at sunrise, layered blue ridges and mist-filled valleys glowing beneath an orange sky.
Photo by Eli Solidum / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Galle
Galle's white lighthouse, lamp glowing at dusk, framed by palms on the fort ramparts beneath a brooding sky over the Indian Ocean.
Photo by Philip Nalangan / CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Unawatuna
The palm-fringed crescent of Unawatuna beach, bright outrigger boats pulled up on white sand beside calm turquoise water.
Photo by Bernard Gagnon / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Mirissa
Aerial view of Mirissa's Coconut Tree Hill, a red-earth headland of tall palms reaching into swirling turquoise surf.
Photo by Sachin Kaveesha Fernando / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Hikkaduwa
The sun setting behind silhouetted palms on Hikkaduwa's shore, golden light spilling across the surf and dark beach rocks.
Photo by Thatslguy / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Yala National Park
A Sri Lankan leopard prowling out of dark jungle undergrowth in Yala, mid-stride on a dusty trail with its pale eyes fixed ahead.
Photo by AdrianRanasinghe / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Udawalawe National Park
Wild elephants grazing on the green floodplain of the Udawalawe reservoir, dead trees standing in the shallows beneath forested mountains.
Photo by PIERRE ANDRE LECLERCQ / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Wilpattu National Park
A sloth bear mother and cub crossing a winding red-earth track through dry woodland in Wilpattu National Park.
Photo by Wenuri / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Arugam Bay
A fiery orange sun rising over breaking surf at Arugam Bay, a small fishing boat silhouetted on the horizon.
Photo by Lakshitha Vithanage / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Trincomalee
Golden sunset over Trincomalee bay seen from Swami Rock, fishing boats scattered on glittering water framed by silhouetted branches.
Photo by Nishan Silva / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Jaffna
The ornate golden entrance arch and terracotta gopuram of Nallur Kandaswamy temple in Jaffna, flanked by red-and-white striped walls.
Photo by Gane Kumaraswamy / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Colombo street food walk
Pettah Floating Market in Colombo at dusk, lantern-lit food stalls reflected in the still canal under an orange and blue sky, with the city skyline beyond.
Photo by Heshan93 / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Negombo lagoon and Dutch canal by boat
Colourful wooden fishing boats moored along both banks of the Negombo Lagoon, their hulls mirrored in still blue water under a cloudless tropical sky.
Photo by Deshan Ruhunage / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Ayurveda treatment day
Overhead view of steel bowls heaped with cinnamon bark, green cardamom pods, cloves, dried ginger and mace, traditional Sri Lankan spices and Ayurvedic ingredients laid out at a market stall.
Photo by Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Self-drive tuk-tuk road trip
Travellers skateboarding behind a tuk-tuk on an empty palm-lined road.
Noble Path photo library
Sigiriya rock at opening time
The Lion Staircase at Sigiriya: two colossal carved lion's paws flank brick steps that lead to an iron stairway climbing the sheer, orange-streaked rock face.
Photo by Michael Gunther / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Pidurangala rock at sunrise
Sigiriya rock rising from misty jungle plains at sunrise, seen from the summit of Pidurangala with hazy golden light over the distant mountains.
Photo by Abishek Palraj / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Minneriya and Kaudulla elephant safari
A large herd of wild elephants grazing on the green plains of the Minneriya reservoir at blue hour, low hills and water stretching behind them under a deep blue sky.
Photo by Al Jazeera English / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Dambulla cave temple
The serene gilded face of the great reclining Buddha in the Dambulla cave temple, resting on an ornate lotus-patterned pillow beneath a painted rock ceiling, with standing figures in the shadows.
Photo by Jakub Hałun / CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Polonnaruwa by bicycle
Carved moonstone steps flanked by ornate guardstones lead up into the Polonnaruwa Vatadage, where a seated stone Buddha sits between ancient brick walls and pillars.
Photo by Stuart Pinkney / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Anuradhapura sacred city
The vast dome of the Jetavanaramaya stupa silhouetted against a blazing orange sunset in Anuradhapura, framed by overhanging tree branches as the sun sinks behind the forest.
Photo by MinugaV / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Evening puja at the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
The white octagonal Paththirippuwa of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy at dusk, its pavilion glowing with warm lamplight beneath a tiled roof, Buddhist flags and forested hills behind.
Photo by Zarniwoop und Zarquon / CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
The Kandy to Ella train
A traveller's hand grips the door rail of a blue hill-country train as it runs past tall grass and tea-covered hills under a dramatic, stormy sky.
Photo by Deshanktd / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya
The domed glass conservatory at Peradeniya's Royal Botanic Gardens mirrored in a still lily pond, framed by giant tropical trees under a clear blue sky.
Photo by Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Tea estate and working factory tour
Two tea pluckers in head scarves working among bright green tea bushes, framed by broad banana leaves in the foreground.
Photo by Dan Lundberg / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Ella Rock sunrise hike
The sun rising in an orange sky over layered hill-country ridges, with the dark silhouette of Ella Rock's slope on the right.
Photo by Thavi21 / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Little Adam's Peak and the Nine Arch Bridge
Golden-hour haze over the summit of Little Adam's Peak, where a hiker sits beside small Buddha shrines looking out over misty mountain ridges.
Photo by Hs Lamahewage / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Sunrise yoga above the Ella gap
Morning cloud rolling up through the forested Ella Gap below a quiet grassy ridge dotted with a few lone trees.
Photo by Vyacheslav Argenberg / CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Horton Plains and World's End
Clouds pouring down the sheer forested escarpment at World's End in Horton Plains, with high ridges and a bright sky beyond.
Photo by Schnobby / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Adam's Peak night climb
At sunrise, Adam's Peak casts a perfect triangular shadow over a sea of cloud, with rays of light fanning across the sky above dark mountain ridges.
Photo by Sameera Madusanka / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Galle Fort walking tour
Galle Fort's stone sea rampart curving along the shore under a glowing sunset sky, with walkers on the wall, the white Meeran Mosque and the lighthouse beyond.
Photo by calflier001 / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Sri Lankan cooking class
Overhead view of a homemade Sri Lankan rice-and-curry spread in clay pots with black serving spoons on a bright checked cloth, with curries, a small bowl of sambol and a pot of papadums.
Photo by Weldon Kennedy from London, UK / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Stilt fishing at Koggala
Stilt fishermen perched on wooden poles in the shallow surf, silhouetted against a hazy golden sunset sky with a rocky headland and breaking waves behind them.
Photo by Ellis jarton / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Blue whale watching from Mirissa
A blue whale raises its broad tail fluke above the dark rolling sea in warm evening light as whale-watching boats wait nearby.
Photo by TatianaPashko / CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Beginner surf lesson at Weligama
Two surfers carrying boards along a palm-lined beach at dusk.
Noble Path photo library
Hikkaduwa reef and turtle snorkelling
A green sea turtle glides low over a seagrass-covered seabed in clear turquoise shallows, its patterned flipper sweeping past the camera.
Photo by Jithma Kalingu / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Yala dawn leopard safari
A Sri Lankan leopard lies on a granite boulder in Yala, gazing straight at the camera beside a tree trunk and green undergrowth.
Photo by Byrdyak / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Jungle villa on the Yala boundary
Aerial view of a thatched jungle villa and its pool surrounded by dense forest.
Noble Path photo library
Udawalawe elephant safari
A Sri Lankan elephant and her calf graze side by side in tall grass at Udawalawe, their backs lit orange by low evening sun.
Photo by Ganiarachchi / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Wilpattu wilderness safari
A Sri Lankan leopard walks straight towards the camera out of dark Wilpattu scrub, framed by silhouetted branches against a glowing amber sky.
Photo by Senthiaathavan / CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Surfing Arugam Bay
A surfer pops up on a breaking wave while others paddle out beyond granite boulders on Sri Lanka's east-coast surf belt near Arugam Bay.
Photo by Steffen Schmitz / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Pigeon Island snorkelling
A scuba diver swims over a field of branching coral in sunlit turquoise water at Pigeon Island, a trail of bubbles rising to the surface.
Photo by Kalana Weeramuni / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Koneswaram temple and Swami Rock
The giant blue-skinned Shiva statue at Koneswaram Temple sits in meditation with raised hands, trident and Nandi bull beneath a deep blue sky.
Photo by Alexey Komarov / CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Jaffna peninsula and islands
Palmyra palms and a spreading tree silhouetted against a golden sunset over a still Jaffna lagoon, the sun reflected in the water.
Photo by Indi Samarajiva / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Cultural Triangle Express
Sigiriya rock rising sheer out of the forest canopy, seen from Pidurangala with the hills of the Matale range fading into haze behind it.
Photo by Gayomiw / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Southern Shortcut
The stone sea wall of Galle Fort curving out into the Indian Ocean under a pink and amber sunset, with houses and palms along the rampart.
Photo by calflier001 / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Classic Sri Lanka
A blue and red hill-country train crossing the stone Nine Arch Bridge at Demodara, seen from above through a dense forest of areca palms.
Photo by V. Epiney / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Tea, Trains and a Beach Finish
An estate road winding in a tight curve through rows of bright green tea bushes near Watawala, with forested hills and cloud beyond.
Photo by Lavanya Suriyakumar / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Wildlife and Beaches
A family of wild elephants, two adults and a calf, wading into a waterhole in Yala National Park in the evening light, a water buffalo at the edge.
Photo by C.J. Hatton / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
The Grand Island Loop
Daybreak over the hill country at Ohiya, near Horton Plains: an orange sunrise behind distant peaks, a grassy ridge and bare trees in silhouette.
Photo by CJay1995 / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
East Coast and the North
Fishing boats drawn up on a beach near Trincomalee at dawn, under a sky blazing pink and orange over the calm sea.
Photo by THDBS / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Licence
Across the site
Travellers on a tuk-tuk beside the Ella road sign on a misty hill-country road.
Noble Path photo library