The Lion Rock of Sigiriya is one of the most famous highlights in Sri Lanka. The photogenic rock is over 200 meters high and is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. On top of this rock stood the palace of King Kasyapa in the 5th century. You can still see the ruins of the palace at the top, from where you have an amazing view over the vast green jungle. The rock owes its name to the lion, carved in stone, which guards the stairs. Now only the legs are left. At the foot of the rock you will find beautifully landscaped gardens, canals, a small museum and countless monkeys roaming around. The climb up, via almost 1900 steps, is tough but well worth it. Halfway up you can make a stop at the well-preserved murals of undressed women and at a smoothly polished mirror wall in which the king could admire himself.
Discover the relaxation paradise of Sri Lanka; Ella. A village with a wonderful vibe in a beautiful green, hilly environment. Ella is known as a backpacker’s paradise, but is also a great destination for luxury travelers during their Sri Lanka tour. In the vicinity you will find tea plantations, waterfalls, viewpoints and the most beautiful hiking trails. Climb Ella Rock (about 2.5 hours of hiking) for a great view and also hike up on Little Adam’s Peak (about 1.5 hours) for even more panoramas. Furthermore, the Rawana Falls, the Nine Arch Bridge and some temples and tea factories are worth a visit. Moreover, Ella is known for a famous train ride! The train journey from Ella to Kandy (around 7 hours) goes straight through the tea plantations and is one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world.
Do you want to spot elephants in the wild? Then Udawalawe National Park is the best place! The hundreds of elephants in the park ensure that there is a good chance of spotting a herd during a safari. But also crocodiles, monkeys, leopards, deer, swine and all kinds of reptiles and birds inhabit the Udawalawe savannas. Also visit the Elephant Transit Home, a shelter for injured and orphaned elephants. The home is supported by the British Born Free Foundation that fights animal suffering and by the Dutch non-profit organization World of Wildlife. The best time to visit is during feeding time.
Kandy is the cultural center of Sri Lanka. The city is an important place of pilgrimage for Buddhists because of the famous Temple of the Tooth (Dalada Maligawa Temple). Here the sacred tooth of Buddha is kept in a golden stupa. During prayer you can take a look at the room where the tooth is kept and you can sometimes see hundreds of Buddhists making sacrifices, including many monks. In the temple complex you will also find several museums and important Buddhist relics. But Kandy has even more to offer. Visit the botanical gardens, the picturesque lake in the heart of the city, the atmospheric “old quarter” and the wood and precious stone workshops where you can buy handmade souvenirs. In the evening you can attend a traditional dance show.
Are you looking for Sri Lanka “off the beaten track”? Then visit Jaffna, all the way to the north of Sri Lanka. Here you will find the culture of the Tamils, with their own language and very authentic cuisine. Jaffna still shows many traces of the civil war that raged in Sri Lanka for years. The bomb impacts and bullet holes can still be seen in many buildings. But the Tamils have also rebuilt large parts of their city. Colorful Hindu temples, beautiful churches and lots of greenery determine the cityscape. Moreover, there is a very relaxed vibe and Jaffna is a nice base if you want to explore the lagoons, coastline and islands in the area.
Tea plantations can be found throughout “the hill country” of Sri Lanka. One of the best places to immerse yourself in tea plantations and tea factories is Nuwara Eliya. The cool climate ensured that the British settlers settled there at the beginning of the 19th century. You will still find many well-preserved British houses there. But of course you come here for tea! Be guided by Pedro Tea Estate or one of the other tea factories in the area and pick your own tea leaves on the plantation. To make the experience complete, you can spend the night in a former tea factory, where many original factory attributes have been preserved. Non-guests can also go here for a tea tasting and a high tea. What more do you want as a tea lover!
Dambulla is a “must” during your trip through Sri Lanka, but only because of the famous Dambulla Cave Temples! The caves are on top of a 160 meter high rock, from where a giant golden Buddha is luring you inside. There are 5 different caves that you can visit with around 150 different Buddha statues and murals. The beautiful images vary in size. Many have been here for 2000 years, when King Valagamba sought refuge in the caves and had the temples carved out of it. Dambulla is a popular place of pilgrimage among Sri Lankan Buddhists. The view over the area is also beautiful here.
Sri Lanka has many beautiful beaches. Hikkaduwa is one of the popular beach destinations on the south coast of the country. Ever since the 1970s, tourists have been coming here to enjoy waving palm trees and the relaxed “hippie & surfers vibe”. The growing number of hotels and restaurants has unfortunately led to quite a bit of erosion, but the sand seems to be slowly returning to Hikkaduwa beach. You will also find nice cafes and restaurants on the beach and you can go diving and snorkeling. In terms of hotels there is something for everyone; from simple to luxury.
Arugam Bay is Sri Lanka’s surfers hotspot! In this small town on the east coast you will find perfect waves from April to September, some years even to November. There is a real “surfers vibe” with various surf schools, board shops and relaxed bars where you can linger all day. Arugam Bay is very quiet outside the high season, many local tents are closing their doors this month.The sea is quite rough in this tropical bay. You can swim, but keep the current in mind. Also make sure that the tours to the mangroves do not miss.
Royal city Anuradhapura is a paradise for lovers of temples, stupas, giant Buddha statues and history. The entire area is on the UNESCO World Heritage List because of the well-reserved temple ruins and historic buildings. Important sights in Anuradhapura are the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi, the tree under which Buddha found enlightenment, and the white 92-meter-high Ruwanweliseya stupa. The nearby temple complex of Mihintale is also worth a visit. Many religious buildings in the city are more than 2000 years old.
Leopards, elephants, water buffalo, monkeys, jackals, crocodiles and hornbills; they all live in the very diverse nature reserve of Yala National Park. Yala, also called Ruhunu Park, is one of the best game parks in Sri Lanka to go on safari. Your chances of spotting elephants in the wild are quite high, with a population of a few hundred elephants. Due to the successful leopard project, you will also find a relatively large number of leopards in Yala. We spotted one on a broad branch in a tree, an amazing sight!
Galle is located on the south coast of Sri Lanka and is teeming with Dutch-colonial buildings. The city is best known for its 17th century Dutch Fort. The well-preserved Fort is on the UNESCO World Heritage List and was built to protect the Sri Lanka colony in the VOC era. Inside the walls you will find museums, churches, temples, mosques, shops and various colonial buildings. We recommend a visit to the Dutch Reformed Church, containing tombstones of Dutchmen dating back to the year 1662. Also look for the Dutch street signs that you can find in many places. Then take a walk on the walls along the sea and observe the young locals who have their favorite “hang out spot” here.
Do you know those beautiful pictures from the travel guides of pristine white beaches in Sri Lanka? There is a good chance that you have seen a photo of Tangalla. Perfect beaches with waving palm trees and enjoy in peace, that’s the right place for you. We are especially a fan of Marakolliya Beach and Goyambokka beach. Keep in mind that swimming can be unsafe when sometimes there is undercurrent in the water. You can spot sea turtles on Rekawa Beach.
Horton Plains National Park is a beautiful nature reserve with mysterious landscapes and mountains. The park is located on a 2000-meter high plateau and includes grasslands, thick forests, foggy lakes, waterfalls and huge rocks. It is an excellent place for birdwatchers, but there are more animals such as boar monkeys, deer and even some leopards. The most famous highlight in the park is World’s End. Here the plateau ends in a deep abyss of 870 meters. This provides an amazing view of the surrounding villages, tea plantations and the valley. You have the best view at sunrise in the dry season (October to March). After 9 o’clock in the morning it is often very foggy.
The idyllic town of Mirissa is located in a semi-circular bay on the south coast and is an upcomming destination. Here you will find a real backpacker and surfer vibe and nice restaurants and hotels along the sandy beach. You can surf here from November to March, with great waves for both beginners and experienced surfers. But Mirissa is also known as a good location for whale watching, between November and April. The blue whale, the largest mammal on earth, regularly swims along the coast and dolphins are also often seen. Mirissa is therefore a real “must” if you visit Sri Lanka between November and April.
Polonnaruwa is located in the Cultural Triangle and is just like Anuradhapura one of the ancient royal cities of Sri Lanka. More than 800 years ago the country was ruled from here. Many historic ruins and temples have been well preserved here and give a good impression of what the royal city once looked like. You see many Hindu influences in Polonnaruwa. Important sights are the Royal Palace, the four Buddhas of Gal Vihara and the impressive Vatadage stupa.
The most holy mountain in Sri Lanka; Adam’s Peak, a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus and Christians. Climbing the 2243 meter high mountain is therefore a popular pilgrimage. No fewer than 5400 steps take you to the top of Adam’s Peak, also known as Sri Pada, from where you can see a beautiful sunrise. The climb up takes an average of 3 to 4 hours and once at the top you will find the “footprint” of Buddha, or Shiva, or Adam … whatever God you worship. This is where the many pilgrims come for. The descent takes about 1.5 hours with a reasonable condition.
Trincomalee is located on the lesser-known northeast coast of Sri Lanka. The beaches of Trincomalee and the nearby beach towns of Uppuveli and Nilaveli are quite “off the beaten track”. So a nice addition to your Sri Lanka tour. Trincomalee has long been unreachable for tourists due to the civil war when the Tamil Tigers were in charge there. When the civil war finally came to an end, Trincomalee was hit hard by the 2004 tsunami. So no “happy” history, but today you can find a piece of “authentic Sri Lanka” with beautiful historical and natural sights. The port of “Trinco” is one of the most beautiful in all of Asia. Because of the Dutch-colonial history, the 17th century Fort Frederick is the highlight of the city. On Pigeon Island, just off the coast, you can go diving and snorkeling. And whale watching is possible here from May to October, with a big chance of success!
The small-scale Kitulgala is the adrenaline sport mecca of Sri Lanka! Because of its location on the Kelani river and in the middle of the tropical rainforest you will find unspoiled nature and many outdoor sports options here. Kitulgala is best known for the “Bridge on the River Kwai” movie. This film is set in Kanchanaburi (Thailand), but was largely filmed on the Kelani River. You can go white water rafting, mountain biking, canyoning, mountain climbing, hiking and explore the prehistoric Belilena caves.
Unawatuna is the most popular beach resort on the Sri Lankan south coast, but that still means that it is not so bad when it comes to crowds. The village is in a beautiful bay with palm trees and a handful of beach resorts. Thanks to the protection that the bay offers, you can swim well in the rough sea here. Dozens of restaurants and bars adorn the roads to and along the beach and the beach is also illuminated at night. Unawatuna is one of the more touristy places, but it certainly also exudes cosiness. You can also surf, snorkel, dive and kite surf around Unawatuna.