If you are wondering where to start and how to plan a trip to Sri Lanka, you’ve hit the bullseye. This comprehensive Sri Lanka Travel Guide has everything you need to know: the best time to travel, how to get around the country, places to visit, routes to plan your Sri Lanka travel itinerary, foods to eat, typical costs, and top Sri Lanka travel tips to make the most of your holiday.
A Little About Sri Lanka
I went on a Sri Lanka vacation expecting nothing and came back with only praise for the country. Why? It is a traveller’s dream come true. The small country packs a punch with its endless beaches, hiking trails with ever-present greenery, unforgettable train journeys, timeless ruins, misty mountain towns, the most friendly and helpful people, world-famous tea and super delicious food. Not only that, but it is also relatively inexpensive. What else could you want from a holiday?
Location: Formerly known as Ceylon, Sri Lanka is an island country lying in the Indian Ocean. It is separated from southern India by the Palk Strait.
Size: Sri Lanka is a medium-sized island (65,000 square km), a little smaller than Ireland. Speaking in the Indian context, it is a little bigger than Himachal Pradesh.
Capital: Its capital is Colombo, located on the west coast of the island.
Currency: Their currency is called the Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR). 1 dollar is about 185 LKR. See the current exchange rate.
Religion: Sri Lanka mainly comprises Buddhist Sinhalese and Hindu Tamils. A vast population of Christians and Muslims is also present.
Language: Sinhala and Tamil are the main languages prevalent in Sri Lanka. English is widely spoken so conversing with people and travelling through it is easy.
Visa: Except for the citizens of Singapore, the Seychelles, and the Maldives, citizens of all other countries are required to apply for the ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization). You can read the guidelines and apply here.
The Best Time to Travel to Sri Lanka
Surprisingly, this tear-drop-shaped small country experiences not just one but two main monsoons in opposite parts of the country at different times of the year. You should take these seasons into consideration when planning a trip to Sri Lanka, as travelling during a downpour can completely change your travel plans, from travel time to good accommodation, let alone sight-seeing.
May to September: The southern and western parts of the country receive heavy rainfall from late May until September. This South-West Monsoon hits the most popular tourist areas in the west (Colombo, Bentota, Negombo) and south (Hikkaduwa, Galle, Unawatuna, Mirissa, Tangalle and Yala National Park). Peak travel time in these parts is October-April.
October- Early November: This is the inter-monsoonal period when the rains occur throughout the country.
November to February: This is the time when the north and east regions (Jaffna, Trincomalee, Arugam Bay) experience rainfall. These regions should be visited from May to September.
Late March- April: However, we must mention that through the second half of March to April, you will experience dry weather across the island, but it will be very hot. If you want to visit the less travelled north and east parts of the country then this is the time you should plan your Sri Lanka vacation.
So, what is the best time to travel to Sri Lanka? According to us, it is from January-March as the main travel destinations in Sri Lanka are dry and the weather is most favourable! December is a dicey month as the cultural Triangle (Dambulla, Sigiriya, Anuradhapura) experiences rain. You may find January and February busy but still holiday-worthy. The crowds get lesser as March approaches because it gets hotter.
Tip: Do not travel to Sri Lanka during Sinhalese and Tamil New Year (13-15th April).
How to Reach Sri Lanka
Though some cruise ships frequent Sri Lanka, the best way to travel to Sri Lanka is to fly into Bandaranaike International Airport (BMI) at Negombo, just north of Colombo. Airfare to Sri Lanka tends to be pretty constant year-round.
How to Travel Around Sri Lanka
The Sri Lankan transport system is extensive and extremely well-connected. So, you’ll have multiple options to hop from place to place but obviously, each mode of travel has its pros and cons.
Train
Train journeys in Sri Lanka are quite heavenly, with picturesque sceneries to view throughout the ride. Some routes are so scenic that trains even offer an observation car with large glass windows, so you don’t miss out on the epic view. Trains are inexpensive and can be booked on the spot if you’re willing to travel in coaches that don’t offer reserved seats. If you don’t get a seat, just sit beside the door and enjoy the grand view and breeze on your skin (you will need this in the hotter months). But if you do want a reserved seat, it would be best to book your ticket beforehand.
For the classic 4+ hour journeys like Colombo to Jaffna and Kandy to Ella, reserving your seat is advance is ideal. Currently, the best way to book tickets is at 12Go.
Do note that trains are mostly never on time and they will definitely test your patience. However, some routes are epic enough to not miss, like the seaside route between Colombo and Galle/Weligama and the tea estate route between Ella and Nuwara Eliya/Kandy. We highly recommend these.
Bus
Buses are faster than trains for travelling around Sri Lanka and possibly the cheapest and relatively quicker means to get to the remote parts of the island. The network is extensive so you can rest assured that you can leave your footprints in pretty much all the cities. However, the buses are usually old don’t have an AC so it can get overwhelmingly rickety and muggy. If the AC is non-negotiable, you’ll need to book a private bus. These may be slower as they may stop at a lot more places, but more comfortable.
Car
Travelling by car is the most convenient way of getting around the county. If you’re from a county that has left-side drive, crowded roads and erratic driving, then you should have no problem driving around yourself. Ensure you get an international driving license to be able to rent a self-drive car. If you’re aren’t from a country with the above-mentioned type of driving, then you may be better off with hiring a driver or a taxi. Taxis are available in plenty so you can either find out the prices from agent shops in Sri Lanka, haggle with taxis parked on the side of the road or use the Pickme App to pre-book taxis.
Tip: Use the Pickme app to know approximate taxi prices between cities in case you’re hiring a taxi/auto from the road or shops.
Tuktuk / Auto-Rickshaw
Tuk-tuks are a fun way to travel short distances for most. In Sri Lanka not only can you get on a tuk-tuk to another city, but you can also rent a self-drive tuk-tuk for the length of your Sri Lanka trip. Coming from India, it sounded absurd to me at first but I got used to the idea slowly and now think it can be an absolute adventure. Read all about it here.
Air
If you want to cover all of Sri Lanka in a short time, you might want to travel by air for longer distances (e.g., from the south or centre to Jaffna) as it’ll cut down on your travel time. However, your trip cost will shoot up too.
Most people travel around Sri Lanka through a combination of trains, buses and tuk-tuks as these are cost-effective and give you a true feel of the country. Albeit more expensive, it would be best to travel by car – self-driven or taxi – for flexibility, convenience, and saving travel time.
Places to visit in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has a diverse set of places to visit and things to do. In my opinion, you should visit at least 4-5 places, if not more, during your Sri Lanka trip instead of staying in one place. The places you visit will depend on how much time you have in the country. Choosing places that fit your interests and are closer in distance will help you minimise the travel time and maximise the fun. So, here is a list of all the famous places to visit along with their location.
In the Sri Lanka Travel Map above, only 10 cities are allowed to be displayed at a time for driving directions so don’t let the alphabets confuse you. They start at Colombo and started repeating at Nuwara Eliya.
The places given below are listed in order of their location in Sri Lanka and your probable route. You can skip places and go at it vice versa as well because you will begin and end in the same place: Colombo/Negombo.
- Colombo: The capital city of Colombo can’t be missed, as your flight will land an hour away from this thriving metropolis.
- Hikkaduwa: A laid-back beach town that is famous for turtles, diving, and surfing.
- Galle: This picturesque seaside Dutch fort town will transport you back in time.
- Unawatuna: Beach swings, partying, and its proximity to Galle (6 km) make this one of the most popular beaches in Sri Lanka.
- Weligama: The ultimate beach for beginner surf lessons.
- Mirissa: Lively and picturesque, Mirissa is famous for its whale-watching tours.
- Tangalle: A relatively quiet beach with a laid-back vibe.
- Yala National Park: Spot leopards and elephants in the wild.
- Arugam Bay: One of the best surfing spots in the world.
- Ella: Entry point for Sri Lanka’s hills. It has some nice hikes and tea plantations.
- Nuwara Eliya: A misty English colonial hill station with tea plantations till the eyes can see.
- Adam’s Peak: Climb to the top of Sri Lanka’s most revered pilgrimage site for an epic sunrise view.
- Kandy: This second-largest city in Sri Lanka is a cultural and religious centre that houses the famous Temple of the Tooth Relic.
- Dambulla: The Dambulla cave temple located here is the largest cave complex in Sri Lanka.
- Sigiriya: Climb up to the Lion’s Rock Fortress for a view of the vast expanse of Sri Lanka’s greenery.
- Polonnaruwa: Ride a bike through this fascinating ancient city.
- Anuradhapura: Tour Sri Lanka’s erstwhile capital that still thrives as a cultural hotspot.
- Trincomalee: Temples, beaches, and whale watching from March to August.
- Jaffna: Jaffna is non-touristy as it is far from all other places. It is known for its Tamil culture, war history and ancient sites.
- Colombo/Negombo: Absorb Colombo’s city vibe or chill on Negombo’s beaches.
We would suggest spending more time at the beach towns and hill country as there is plenty to do there. Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura, Adam’s Peak are places that have one central attraction and are worth a day or two at max.
For the more detail on these best places to visit and things to do there read our Sri Lanka Travel Blog Post – The 15 Most Incredible Places to Visit in Sri Lanka. This will help you decide which of these places to visit based on your interests.
You should spend at least two-three weeks in Sri Lanka, if not more, to see all it has to offer properly. That said, we obviously understand that it is not always possible to spend such a long time in the country. So we have drawn up Sri Lanka Travel itineraries spanning 1-4 weeks to help you plan your holiday depending on your intended duration. If you’re travelling with family, read this 8-day Sri Lanka with kids itinerary.
What to Eat in Sri Lanka
In Sri Lanka, do not opt for western food, as it is not only expensive but it also isn’t that tasty everywhere. Instead, go for Sri Lankan food. It is so delicious you’ll be blown away. Here are some of the foods of the Sri Lanka Cuisine that you’ll find everywhere.
- Rice or Roti with Curry: A Sri Lankan meal typically consists of vegetable or meat curry served with rice or roti. Our favourites were Mango Curry and Okra in Coconut Milk Curry.
- Sambal: Sambal is a condiment served on the side. It can be of different types – coconut, caramelized onion, raw onion, Gotu Kola (vegetable), etc.- and is absolutely delicious. We relished it so much that we had sambal with every meal.
- Hopper: Hopper is rice and coconut bowl-shaped crispy crepe which is usually had with an egg broken inside the hopper but is equally delicious without the egg or with vegetables.
- String Hopper: String hopper is a rice noodle cake that can be had with curries and sambal.
- Rottis: Rottis are flatbreads stuffed with filling of different kinds – egg, cheese, veggies, etc.
- Kottu: Kottu is a dish made of a mixture of roti, vegetables and/or meat.
As you can see, even if you’re a vegetarian, you will also find delicious food very easily. In fact, most of the food we ate in Sri Lanka was vegetarian and lip-smacking.
Note that Sri Lankan tolerance for spice is really high. If you’re visiting restaurants popular with tourists, then you’ll be okay as the spice quotient is usually adjusted. But if you go to a restaurant that only locals frequent, then you should mention that you can’t handle a lot of spice.
Try the restaurants Ceylon Curry House in Mirissa and Matey Hut in Ella for some of the best Sri Lankan food.
Cost of Travel to Sri Lanka
If you’re from a western country, you’ll find Sri Lanka inexpensive. If you’re from a South Asian country like India, you probably won’t. I went to Sri Lanka after reading blogs by travellers from western countries and all of them said it was very cheap. So, I took only about 20,000 LKR. It was quite stupid of me; I had to withdraw cash quite a few times there. Luckily, I had a credit card that didn’t charge me a lot for these transactions. So, be prepared even if you’ve paid for accommodation already.
We are only going to be mentioning budget and mid-budget travel costs as costs of the luxury type of travel with high-end hotels, flights, etc. can go up to any price.
Accommodation Cost
Budget: Hostels in Sri Lanka are basic and cheap with prices ranging from (LKR 400-1700) $2-$15 a night.
Mid-Budget: We spent around LKR 3000 ($16) per person per night on triple sharing hotel rooms with complimentary breakfast. At this price, we even stayed at two hotels that had luxurious swimming pools.
There are three hotels that we stayed at and highly recommend:
- Colombo – Stay at Drift B&B for a well-located simple setup or at the 5-star Jetwing Colombo Seven for the infinity pool.
- Sigiriya– Stay at the Sigiriya Village for private and spacious cottages in a village setting. It has a beautiful pool overlooking the Sigiriya Rock.
Transport Cost
Budget: LKR 300 per person per day considering you travel by bus, train and tuk-tuk.
Mid-Budget: LKR 2000 per person per day considering you travel between cities by private taxi mostly (shared between 3 people) and by train a few times. This is how much we spent per day.
Your transport cost would depend on your route and the mode of transport. We are also sharing with you the approximate costs of different modes of transport below based on what we spent.
Bus
Busses are the cheapest at about LKR 200-250 between cities that are approx. 100 km of distance. You can approximate AC bus ticket prices to be about double the amount of non-AC busses. Read about some routes and their prices here.
Train
Trains cost about the price of an AC bus or more depending on the route. This was the cost of two trains we took.
Colombo to Weligama – LKR 500 (2nd Class unreserved)
Ella to Kandy – LKR 2600 (2nd class reserved on Scenic Train Route)
Taxi and Tuk-tuk
Taxis can get rather expensive. Given below is what we paid as a group of three. If you are in a group, the cost will get split so it won’t turn out to exorbitant.
Colombo Airport to Drift B&B (Uber-37 km) – 1400 LKR
Sigiriya to Colombo -10000 LKR
Kandy to Sigiriya – 7500 LKR
Mirissa to Ella – 11000 LKR
Tuk-tuks should cost about LKR 150 per kilometer.
Food Cost
As I mentioned earlier, the cost of food in Sri Lanka is not much. At LKR 200-500 per person, you can have a grand meal.
Budget: If you stick to only Sri Lankan food, you will spend about LKR 800 per person per day.
Mid-Budget: If you eat mostly Sri Lanka food but also a bit of western food then you will spend about LKR 1100 per person per day.
Alcohol in Sri Lanka is not cheap. If you want to save money and still consume a bit of alcohol, then stick to Lion Beer and buy some alcohol at duty-free. We splurged on drinks a few times and ended up pending about LKR 700 per day.
Activity Cost
Nearly all activities in Sri Lanka have an entrance fee attached to it, including some hikes like the Horton’s Plains (World’s End) hike. The cost slowly adds up. So much so that we did not enter the Dambulla Caves to save money as our trip was going over our estimated costs.
Budget: LKR 300 per person per day if you mostly do free activities and a few paid ones.
Mid-Budget: LKR 500-1000 per person per day if you do paid activities and splurge on one higher-priced one. If your trip duration is short and you do paid activities on a daily basis, then obviously the per day activity cost will be higher.
Costs of some main attractions are given below:
- Sigiriya Fort – LKR 2700 for SAARC and USD 30 for all other countries
- Dambulla Cave – LKR 1500
- Tooth Relic Temple – LKR 1000 for SAARC and LKR 1500 for all other countries
- Whale Watching – Approx. LKR 9000
So, what is the total cost of travel to Sri Lanka (minus airfare)?
Budget: You would spend around LKR 2500- 3000 ($13-16) per person per day assuming you’re living in hostels, eating only Sri Lankan Food, not splurging on too many drinks, taking only public transport like buses and trains, and not spending on expensive activities.
Mid- Budget: You would spend around LKR 6000-8000 ($ 32-43) per person per day. This includes a few western meals, few drinks, inter-city taxis and some high-priced paid activities.
Things to Pack for Sri Lanka
- Sarong – Keep a sarong or stole with you at all times. You never know when you may need to cover up to visit a religious site, when you feel cold, etc.
- Swimwear– For all your beach adventures and relaxation in hotel pools. I have swimwear from The Beach Company India and CUPSHE USA. Both of which I love.
- Packing cubes– Packing in cubes makes organising and finding clothes on long trips much easier. Check out this helpful video on how to pack like a pro with packing cubes.
- Sunscreen – So sunburns don’t ruin your outdoor fun. Here are our favourites – face sunscreen and body sunscreen.
- Insect Repellent– Tropical climate equals mosquitoes and other pesky insects. Get a good insect repellent to keep these irritants away.
- Reusable Water Bottle or Water Bottle with Filter- Tap water is not drinkable in Sri Lanka. Carry a water bottle with a filter or a regular reusable water bottle and ask for it to be refilled at your accommodation or at restaurants. We never had to purchase bottled water.
- Hiking Shoes/Sandals– This is a must carry in a country with so many beautiful trails. Even easy hikes may require the use of good hiking shoes.
- Portable Cutlery– We were delivered food without cutlery and while eating out given plastic cutlery. To be well equipped always carry portable cutlery. It will also help you cut down on single-use plastic.
- Wet Wipes – Carry a handkerchief or wet wipes to get dirt of off hands and face while travelling. This was a saviour before I ate food on the train and after when my hands were sticky with fruit, ice-cream etc.
It would be best to carry a rucksack to Sri Lanka if you’re going to be taking public transport for two reasons- hard case suitcases are sometimes not allowed on busses as they take up too much space, you may find it more convenient to have your luggage on your back to easily navigate the transport system and carry from it from place to another.
Other Sri Lanka Travel Tips
- If you need to buy a Sim Card for connectivity, get Dialog. Do not get Airtel! I did and suffered the worst 3G/4G connectivity.
- Always have enough cash of you as not places accept cards. We were constantly running to the ATM and about to miss our train to Kandy due to this.
- Be wary of pickpockets in crowded areas.
- If travelling by bus, you might want to get an extra seat in case you have a lot of luggage.
- Dress modestly and not in the colour black when visiting religious sites (especially the tooth relic temple).
- Don’t turn your back to an image of Buddha to snap a selfie.
- Avoid making too much noise or acting disrespectful near temples.
- Avoid wearing clothing with religious themes, especially buddha ones, and cover-up buddha tattoos if you have any.
- Combine the trip to Sri Lanka with one to the Maldives and/or India as both are nearby and you’ll get cheap flights.
That’s bring us to the end of our comprehensive Sri Lanka Travel Guide. Hope you found our tips useful. If you have any thoughts or insights from your travels that you would like to share, we would love to hear from you. Enjoy planning a trip to Sri Lanka!
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