Habarana might not have any of the colonial wonders of Galle, or the religious treasures of Kandy, but it does have something that makes it one of Sri Lanka's top up-coming tourist towns: location. It's nestled right in the heart of the teardrop-shaped isle, within striking distance to some of the nation's bucket-list draws. Just to the north-east is the reserve of Kaudulla, where wild elephant herds roam the grass-topped wetlands. A short jaunt to the east is the Minneriya National Park, housing purple-faced langurs and Sri Lankan sloth bears between its montane forests and gallery woods. Then there are the enthralling cave temples of Dambulla to the south, which will soon give way to perhaps the most iconic attraction of all: Sigiriya, the rock fortress. Today, ever-growing Habarana is alive with hotels and restaurants that make visiting any of the above a real breeze and Habarana tour guides as well, who offer expert-led excursions to the wealth of UNESCO sites and national reserves straight from the town.