From Tea Fields to Turquoise Seas in 10 Days

The best journeys aren't about ticking off landmarks. They're about how each day shifts, the way you see a place, and maybe yourself. This one begins high in Sri Lanka's hills where mornings smell of tea, and ends in the Maldives, where the sea isn't just blue, it's every shade you didn't know existed.

We've mapped out a 10 day route that takes you from misty tea estates to island lagoons, blending the slow beauty of Sri Lanka with the barefoot ease of the Maldives.

Day 1 - Arrival in Colombo

Flights land, luggage rolls, city air hits you, warm, heavy, spiced. Before heading inland, shake off the travel stiffness. A night at Cinnamon Grand Colombo is perfect for that. You can wander to Galle Face for the sunset kites, sample string hoppers and pol sambol for breakfast, and get a feel for Sri Lanka's pulse before the hills.

Day 2 - Colombo to Kandy

Trains wind into the hills like they've got all day. The ride to Kandy is a window into another world; rice paddies, misted hills, temples tucked between trees.

Base yourself at Cinnamon Citadel Kandy, just upriver from the city. Here, the Mahaweli drifts past your balcony and mornings start with kingfishers skimming the water. Spend the afternoon exploring the Temple of the Tooth and walking the weva rawuma. The Kandy Lake is also known as Kiri Muhuda or the Sea of Milk, an artificial lake in the heart of the city.

Evenings call for a quiet drink, where the city hum feels far away.

Day 3 - Kandy to Nuwara Eliya

The road to Nuwara Eliya climbs into cooler air. Tea estates roll out like patchwork quilts, each shade of green a different variety. Stop at a tea factory (the smell alone is worth it) and learn how the leaves in your cup start as dew covered buds.

Stay at a local heritage hotel or bungalow here. There's no rush. Just misty mornings, red brick post offices, and quaint little stalls along Lake Gregory, brimming with fresh produce and strawberries.

Day 4 - Horton Plains

Wake early and head to Horton Plains. The walk to World's End is less about the cliff itself and more about watching the land wake up. You'll pass sambar deer in the grass and clouds slipping between valleys.

Return for a slow afternoon, for maybe another estate visit, or just time with a book while the rain taps the roof. In tea country, stillness feels earned.

Day 5 - Down to the South Coast

Leave the cool for the coast. The road unwinds past waterfalls and spice gardens before opening up to the Indian Ocean. Base yourself at Cinnamon Bentota Beach - Signature Selection, where renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa's design meets a golden stretch of sand.

Evening walks here are a kind of meditation. The sun low, the air soft, the sea pulling at your feet.

Day 6 - Galle Fort and South Coast wandering

Spend the morning exploring Galle Fort. Cobbled streets, colonial facades, and café windows spilling the smell of fresh roti. Browse for handicrafts, visit the old lighthouse, watch locals fish off the rocks.

Head back to Bentota for the kind of afternoon that slips away without you noticing. Pool, beach, book, repeat.

Day 7 - Flight to the Maldives

From Colombo, fly to Malé. From there, take a speedboat or seaplane to your resort where you'll be trading palms for palms; the coconut kind for the coral atoll kind.

At Ellaidhoo Maldives by Cinnamon, you can step straight into the sea, waist deep water that stretches out until the reef wall. Beyond that point, the water stays shallow but the reef is delicate, so you can snorkel over it to keep the corals safe.

The reef is very much a part of the island's story. We've turned discarded glass into reef cubes that rest beneath the surface, encouraging coral growth and marine life. They're small steps, but each one makes the water you swim in tomorrow a little richer than it is today.

Drop your bags, skip the shoes, walk straight into the ocean. Dinner is on the sand, the sea quiet and endless beside you.

Day 8 - Mornings by the reef

Morning here means snorkel gear and the reef wall. Turtles drift past, parrotfish flash in the light, and the coral gardens feel almost unreal. Divers can explore deeper, but even from the surface, the Maldives is another planet.

Afternoons stretch out in a kind of haze. A nap in the hammock, a cocktail, maybe a sunset paddleboard.

Day 9 - Slow island living

The Maldives teaches you to move at the tide's pace. Try a sandbank picnic, go sunset fishing or follow playful Dolphin pods in their natural habitat. Leave the nights for stargazing because without city light, the sky feels closer.

Day 10 - Departure

Your last morning is quiet. Coffee on the deck. A swim. One last look at the reef. From here, the flight home feels both too soon and just right. You've had the hills, the coast, and the islands, and the change in pace is what you'll remember most.

Why this route works

It's not about cramming everything in. It's about giving each place the time to speak. The hills have a slower heartbeat than the coast. The coast feels grounded compared to the islands. And together, they tell a story you couldn't hear if you skipped the in-betweens.

Where you'll stay

Cinnamon Grand Colombo - The city stay with space to breathe.

Cinnamon Citadel Kandy - River views, close to culture but far from noise.

Cinnamon Bentota Beach - Signature Selection - South coast design icon with endless sand.

Ellaidhoo Maldives by Cinnamon - Reef at your doorstep, sea as your neighbour.

We've done this route more than once, just enough to know where to pause, when to move, and what not to miss. Follow the map, but these are a few tips that will come in handy.

The Kandy to Nuwara Eliya train sells out, especially the observation deck. It's worth the planning for those views alone.

Tea country mornings start crisp and cool, so keep a jumper handy. By midday, you'll be peeling it off.

South Coast seas are calmest between November and April. From May to October, consider swapping to the East Coast if you're not Maldives bound.

Seaplane and speedboat schedules link to specific flight times, so book them with your resort to avoid long waits.

The magic here isn't in rushing between sites. It's in watching the mist lift in the hills, lingering in a Bentota sunset, or swimming until the reef turns gold in the afternoon light.

If you want a trip that moves the way landscapes do, this 10 day Sri Lanka Maldives itinerary is it. It'll shift in the way you see the world.

By Shakirah Mohamed