Sri Lanka and the Maldives

Once you have checked in, either relax into your hotel or set out to explore Sri Lanka's bustling capital city. Sporting leafy boulevards, colonial architecture and buzzing markets, Colombo is a colourful introduction to Sri Lanka's melting pot of cultures.

After you have arrived at Sigiriya, spend the remainder of the day relaxing at your hotel or exploring the local area. We recommend visiting Minneriya National Park for an evening safari to spot large herds of wild elephants, buffalo, deer and dry zone birds in the jungle.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the stunning rock fortress can be climbed via a 1,200 steps for 360-degree views over the surrounding jungle. Explore the palace ruins before clambering back down in time for a well-earned lunch.

Spend the afternoon relaxing back at your hotel, whether sunbathing by the pool, indulging in a spa treatment or taking a stroll around the surrounding countryside.

Discover the four sections of the city with your private guide, learning about the fascinating royal palaces, monuments and relics that make this a fascinating insight into the ancient world.

Formerly the country's capital, Kandy boasts beautiful mountainside scenery, a rich heritage and a wealth of significant cultural landmarks, including the Temple of the Tooth, Sri Lanka's most significant shrine.

Spend the day exploring the city, walking around its winding colonial streets, central lake and sprawling Botanical Gardens, refuelling on a famed local Sri Lankan curry in between.

Spend the next couple of days at leisure in your hotel or exploring the local landscape, hiking nature trails, visiting picturesque villages and drinking in Sri Lanka's most beautiful scenery (and its tea - after all, Lipton's tea was launched in the Hill Country's Haputale Mountains).

Cool down back in your hotel's pool before sipping on cocktails as you watch the sunset over the tea plantations.

Start the day sitting in the observation carriage of the train to the tea plantations for unforgettable sunrise views over the landscape, before learning all about the tea and its production process, finishing your tour with an opulent feast of cucumber sandwiches, scones and loose leaf tea.

After a relaxing morning you will be privately transferred back to Colombo (approximately four hours' journey time) in plenty of time for your flight. The flight takes around an hour and a half, arriving in Male International Airport in no time at all.

Once you have cleared customs, a representative from Six Senses Laamu will greet you and escort you to the Island Aviation Lounge for your seaplane to the resort. The flight will take 50 minutes, gliding over the characteristic turquoise waters and pearl drop islands of the archipelago.

You will be spending the next six nights at Six Senses Laamu. The only resort located in the Maldives' Southern Atoll, staying at Six Senses Laamu is akin to truly getting off the radar. Once you've checked into your room, spend the rest of the day at leisure, exploring this private island paradise and dipping into its surrounding aquamarine seas.

Underwater, the diving is some of the best in the Maldives, with the recently discovered manta cleaning station, Hithadhoo Corner, around 10 minutes by boat from the resort. The Manta Trust is also stationed on the island, so you can learn all about these graceful giants following your dive. Aside from manta rays, there are plenty of other dive sites to explore, including drift dive sites, drop offs and gentle slopes. There's also a well-preserved house reef to dive and snorkel straight from the beach.