Located 100 miles north of the equator, the country is a tropical paradise that’s home to swoon-worthy beaches, incredible wildlife, and enthralling culture.
Travel Guide to Sri Lanka
While Sri Lanka has been overlooked by nearby hot spots Maldives and India, it’s quickly become one of the best off-the-beaten-track destinations to explore. Plus, it’s super affordable, making it ideal for travellers looking to splurge or explore the island on a shoestring.
If Sri Lanka isn’t on your bucket list yet, add it right now. You won’t regret it one bit!
For a relatively small country, Sri Lanka packs in some truly epic journeys. Here’s our pick of the best ones.
1. Ella – Witness The Countryside Charm
Get enamoured by the stunning views through Ella Gap overlooking a spectacular gap in the southern mountain wall. Situated in the middle of beautiful countryside, with small vegetable plots, tea plantations on the hill slopes and forests on the tops this hill station is nothing less than breath taking. Ella undoubtedly, is one of the most beautiful places in Sri Lanka.
Famous for: Hikes, mountain views, train rides
Best time to visit: January to March is the best time to visit Ella as the chances of rainfall are low and you can also enjoy hiking
How to reach: Ella is 235 km from Colombo. You can take a direct train to Ella from Colombo Fort Train Station
Where to stay: Blue Ribbon Homestay, Ella Tree houses and Cabanas
2. Nuwara Eliya – Covered With Lush-Greenery
One of the most beautiful places to go to this 19th century hill station Nuwara Eliya retains its colonial ambiance with its golf course, gentlemen’s clubs and mock-Tudor buildings. It is one of the most beautiful locations in Sri Lanka for a scenic rail ride. Experience the stunning views of the surrounding tea plantations, waterfalls and dramatic mountains the train takes you from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya. You wouldn’t want the ride to end!
Location: Nuwara Eliya District, Central Sri Lanka
Famous for: Stunning views of the surrounding tea plantations
Best time to visit: February to May is the best time to visit Nuwara Eliya as the chances of rainfall are low and so is the temperature.
How to reach: There are frequent buses from Colombo and Kandy to Nuwara Eliya. However, the bus journey between Colombo and Nuwara Eliya takes a lot of time.
Where to stay: King Fern Cottage, Paradise Cottage, Haven Backpackers
3. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage – See The Giant Beasts
This place is 13 km away from the town of Kegalle and one can come from any public transport. This is a very popular tourist destination and gives visitors a very different kind of experience. Watching the baby elephants doing mischief and moving here and there is a lifetime experience. One cannot get to see all this anywhere else.
When you will come to this place, you will get many small reasons that you will definitely love this place. Therefore, whenever you come to Sri Lanka do visit this place as it’s one of the best places to see in Sri Lanka.
Location: B199, Rambukkana 71100, Sri Lanka
Where to stay: Hotel Lagone http://hotellagonepoththapitiya.com/
Famous for: Having the largest herd of captive elephants
Timings: 9 AM -1 PM is when elephants proceed with their daily activities. The park remains open from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM
How to reach: Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage is just 37 km from Kandy. You could take a train towards Kandy and get down at Kegalle, the nearest village to the orphanage. You can take an auto or tuk-tuk from here to the park.
4. Mirissa – Go Whale Watching
The real world will be forgotten as soon as you enter this beachy paradise. Mirissa definitely has to be on your list of beautiful places to visit in Sri Lanka for an amazing holiday.
Not everyone is fond of the rush and crowd of the city. Many of us want to spend our holidays in peace and in some quiet places. So, if you too are one such person and you are in Sri Lanka, then you should definitely visit this beautiful village called Mirissa.
This is the village where most of the citizens living are fishermen; therefore you will get a very close view of the life of the local people. You can even go fishing with the fishermen and have a look at the whales and other big fishes. Some of the very popular and tastier fishes are found here, like tuna. When you are in this village, do not forget to eat the local cuisine that is very tasty.
Also, in the evening time, you can go to the beaches and spend your time relaxing there. So, there are enough reasons for which one can easily fall in love with this small, but beautiful village.
Location: South coast of Sri Lanka
Where to stay: Mirissa Hills, Glamour Hotel, Paradise Beach Club
Famous for: Tuna, mullet, snapper and butterfish
Best time to visit: Mirissa is a windy place. So, avoid May-July. The best months would be December, October, and August in that order.
How to reach: Weligama is the nearest train station to Mirissa (7 km). You could take direct train from Colombo or Bentota to Weligama, and then a tuk-tuk or bus ahead.
5. Jaffna – Explore The Historical Architecture
This place is also called the city of temples in Sri Lanka, as it has some of the most beautiful temples of Sri Lanka and one of the best Sri lanka attractions for spiritual retreat. The most visited temples of all in this place are the temple of Nallur Kovil.
This temple has the most of the visitors always and this is the most crowded of all temples. Other temples nearby too are visited by the people who come to visit this one. Apart from these temples, the other center of attraction of this place is the Jaffna Fort. This fort is not just a beautiful monument to see but is also the symbol of the history of Sri Lanka.
So, the city of Jaffna is not just for the spiritual kind of people, but those who are a little bit interested in history and culture can also visit this place. With these main spots, another point of attraction in Jaffna is the Nagadeepa Vihara Purana temple.
This temple too is known for its glory and beauty and is a must visit. One can easily reach this temple through waterways, thus you can hire a boat and they can come to this place. The area surrounding provides you with the most peaceful environment and one can go for meditation and all.
Location: Northern Province of Sri Lanka
Famous for: Its historical architectures
Best time to visit: January-September and December are the best months to visit Jaffna as the rainfall is mediocre and temperatures is warm.
How to reach: There are no direct trains or buses to Jaffna. However, Kandy is the nearest city to Jaffna. So, if you are in Kandy, you could take a small detour by car or taxi.
6. Dambulla Cave Temple – Witness The Murals
It is hard to not be stunned by the beautiful murals and statues in this beautifully preserved cave with over 150 statues of Buddha. The Dambulla cave temple is one of the finest temples in Sri Lanka which is known for its unique architecture. Experience the peace and silene in this stunning cave temple that bear testimony to the extraordinary cultural artifacts in ancient Sri Lanka.
Location:Kandy – Jaffna Hwy, Dambulla, Sri Lank
Famous for: Beautiful murals and statues
Best time to visit: Early morning or late afternoon to avoid crowd
7. Sri Pada – The UNESCO World Heritage Site
Adam’s peak is amongst the most beautiful places in Sri Lanka. Climb the slopes at night to watch a breathtaking sunrise at dawn that would be hard to forget.
A biodiversity hotspot and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is difficult to match the spectacular views from Adams Peaks in the whole of Sri Lanka, making it one of the best Sri lanka tourist places. The name itself of this place is unique and so is the destination. This place is situated in middle Sri Lanka and that one thing for which it is known is called Sri Pada. Sri Pada is basically considered as the footprints of Buddha.
This is in the form of a rock creation at the mountain above. Apart from this spiritual and religious importance, this place is known for the beauty that the vivid greenery provides it. Along with that, if you will go to the top of the peak, then you will witness some really amazing views of the surroundings. So, the little difficulties that you will have to bear are worth for the kind of experience that the place gives you.
Location: Central Sri Lanka
Famous for: Its rock formation.
Best time to visit: Weathe-wise, January and May are the best months. However, avoid full moon days and Sri Lankan holidays if you don’t want to wait in long queues.
How to reach: Though you will have to climb the steps, you can take a train from Colombo to reach the base of the peak. Take a direct train to Hatton from Colombo, Kandy, and other cities. Then take a bus or an auto to Dalhousie that is the closest town to Adam’s Peak.
Where to stay: Slightly chilled hotel, Grand Adams Peak hotel.
On The Road 