Francis Peppett Photography

Giant, brashly coloured buses speed and swerve their way around the cities and rural roads across Sri Lanka. Kandy bus station is a cornucopia of colour, sound and smell; shouting bus conductors, hot samosas being sold to passengers, and flashes of brightly coloured bus decals and beautifully dressed people.
Waiting to leave on our bus, I spotted this little baby through the window of another bus.

King coconuts are commonplace in Sri Lanka. Vendors roam the beaches or set up stalls by the roadside, with a simple setup - a branch of coconuts and a machete. If you're lucky, they might also sell Beetlenut, a natural stimulant as strong as about 5 coffees!

Vast swathes of Colombo are hastily transforming, with cranes and skyscrapers rising up in nearly every corner of the city. This construction boom is contentious, with government funds being put towards mega-projects at a time where the Sri Lankan people are going through a recession, huge inflation and food shortages. One area of the city that seems to retain some of the Old Colombo is Pettah, the central neighbourhood famous for its eponymous Pettah Market. Many of the goods are transported around this area on hand pulled carts, a job that must be exhausting amidst the tuk tuk fumes and searing Colombo heat.

A train journey in central Sri Lanka slowly takes you through the most unimaginable vistas. Clinging to the side of mountains, you snake through lush vegetation, looking out onto dramatic valleys and peaks, often seeing thunderous waterfalls, and macaques swinging on jungle vines.

A long stretch of Sri Lankan train line hugs its south coast, snaking its way from Colombo to Matara. We jumped on at Bamabalapitiya just after rush hour, taking the short ride out to the beaches of Mount Lavinia. Office workers and families jostle for space in the carriages, with the doors wide open, allowing people to hang out and watch the world pass them by.

Nine Arch Bridge is a short hike away from Ella town, and encapsulates the beauty of the Sri Lanka train network. The country's train line punctures through jungle, hugs mountain ravines, crosses river springs, and traverses beautiful bridges, whilst it snakes between towns and cities across the island.

Macaque troops can be found in many regions of Sri Lanka, yet we encountered dozens, if not hundreds, when we climbed Sigiriya Rock in the island's central region. This baby was causing chaos, pulling its mum's tail and chasing other babies. It also stopped on this occasion, to look over the rock's edge, out to the jungle below

Getting up at 4am, we took a short tuk-tuk to Lion's Rock, where under the cover of darkness, we began the ascent to the summit, with a few other tourists and local street dogs. Once at the top, we awaited sunrise, and looked out onto the ancient and historical Sigiriya Rock. Rising up out of the jungle, bird song and macaque calls greeted the start of the new day - a pretty amazing experience!

Dogs are everywhere in Sri Lanka, dozing on street corners, roaming in little packs, or joining you for lengthy hikes up mountains (as we found out on two occasions). They are, in general, very friendly, and seem to be well treated by locals. This guy lived on the picturesque Hiriketiya Bay, and enjoyed splashing around in the water.

Galle is a beautiful coastal city in Sri Lanka, with a huge Dutch-colonial fort that juts out into the Indian Ocean. Pottering the fort wall perimeter, you come across families out for a stroll, friends meeting for an ice cream, and lots of young lads playing cricket. As the sun went down, this particular boy was hitting mammoth cover drives and hooks, nearly hitting the sea with one or two of his shots.

Trucks and buses are adorned with illustrations and vivid colour in Sri Lanka, often depicting deities, animals and national emblems.

Kandy is Sri Lanka's second city. Located in the centre of the island, Kandy is rich mix of culture, colour and cuisine. We got chatting to a guy from the city, who told us that Kandians see themselves as more refined and cultured than their brash Colombo counterparts. This photo was taken on one of the cities main streets, as a biker chatted to a friend on the side of the road.