Sri Lanka in the dry season: coast, tea and train

Sri Lanka has two monsoons, which means there is almost always a good coast somewhere. From roughly December to March, the south and west coasts are generally in their drier, calmer season, which suits a journey that begins at the beach and then climbs into the hills.

The classic combination — a few days on the coast, then a long train ride into the tea country, then the ancient cities of the cultural triangle — works because each part restores a different kind of attention. Allow time for the train: its pace is the point.

Look for stays that employ and buy locally, and ask your hosts how the tea, spice and fishing economies are changing. The answers are often more interesting than the viewpoints.