1. Sri Dalada Maligawa
The Sri Dalada Maligawa Temple in Kandy is one of the most important Buddhist temple of the country since it is home to the feline tooth of Buddha. The big area is home to the temple as well as to museums and a palace which are also worth visiting.
ICON
TIP: Make sure to visit the temple while the ceremony takes place since you can have a look at the casket in which the tooth is stored. Be aware that many people are visiting the temple and therefore, it might get a little full in the inside.
Info: All Buddhist temples are visited barefoot and proper clothes covering knees and shoulders are needed to access the temple (cloths can be rented on site).
2. Sri Maha Bodhi Viharaya
The Sri Maha Bodhi Viharaya Temple in Kandy is sitting on a top of a hill and easily accessible with a Tuktuk. The temple is home to a big Buddha statue and offers a great view of the city, especially after climbing the staircase right behind the statue.
Info: All Buddhist temples are visited barefoot and proper clothes covering knees and shoulders are needed to access the temple
3. Royal Garden near Kandy
With a 20-min Tuk-Tuk ride from city centre, one can reach the royal garden of Kandy which is totally worth the visit since its home to many different plants and extremely well taken care of. The garden is also home to different animals such as squirrels, monkeys, bats and cows.
4. Train ride between Kandy and Ella
The train ride between Kandy and Ella is quite outstanding due to beautiful views. I would totally recommend to make this a part of your journey, even if it is not the whole way but only a part of it.
TIP: Make sure to book the train tickets in advance since they get booked quite fast and the ticket counters might only have 3rd class tickets, which are fine too but the 3rd class might get a little bit crowed and the availability of seats is limited.
There is a special tourist train which slows down at the most scenic spots which is worth checking out and can only be booked with a seat reservation.
5. Pedro Tea Estate in Nuwara Eliya
The tea estates in Nuwara Eliya are worth a visit, especially for tea enthusiasts. Often complimentary tea is offered with a tour or the possibility to pick the tea leaves oneself. The Pedro Tea Estate offered a short tour through the production site and showcased all the steps from picking the tea to sorting and finally having the finished product.
Info: Nuwara Eliya is located at a high elevation so it tends to be quite cold and rainy. Most of the tour is located inside, therefore, this might be the perfect activity for an afternoon.
6. Lover’s Leap Waterfall
A short hike from Pedro’s Tea Estate through the tea plantations, the Lovers’ Leap Waterfall can be found. This waterfall is especially in the raining season quite big and totally worth the visit.
Info: Bring water as well as proper shoes for the hike – even though it is not so steep or challenging, the path to the waterfall might be slippery.
7. High Tea in the Grand Hotel
High tea in the Grand Hotel is totally worth a visit, especially, if the weather is bad, even though the prices might be a little bit more expensive than other experiences. Different types of tea are served and savoury as well as sweet snacks and cakes are served. The experience is further enhanced by live music (at least this was the case for us).
8. Little Adam’s Peak in Ella
If you want to hike a little bit, I can recommend Little Adam’s Peak, since it is quite easy to reach and you get an incredible view of the nature surrounding Ella. The hike takes about 15 to 20 min (depending on your starting point) and consists mostly of stairs. You also have the possibility to use a zipline or go to beach club near the hike.
9. Nine Arches Bridge in Ella
The nine arches bridge in Ella is a small hike from city centre. While hiking you might spot some monkeys or similar animals until you reach the bridge. If you are lucky enough you might even have a train passing by, however, since the trains normally are late, this cannot be scheduled. In our visit, we even walked down the path below the bridge a little bit to escape the busy train racks. If you want to avoid bigger crowds, it is also a good idea to head to the brigde right in the morning.
TIP: If you feel comfortable with walking on the train racks, you might even walk a little bit in the direction of the town (or even all the way to town). However, please be aware that there can be trains, so make sure to listen carefully whether one is approaching or not.
10. Cooking Class at Spice Garden in Ella
Another recommendation is to book a cooking class in Ella. Especially, the one offered at Spice Garden is extremely good since you get to see the spices in the garden before processing and even try some. After a short walk you will start to prepare 8 different dishes which you then get to enjoy. The chef is super nice and even gives you all the recipes of the class and some additional ones in a free PDF afterwards. They are easy to follow, so even when cooking at home, you can be quite successful in cooking a tasty meal.
11. Safari in Yala National Park
The nature of Sri Lanka is quite diverse and therefore, another recommendation is to go on a safari. We booked one in Yala National Park which lasted 12h (we booked one on GetyourGuide). This is an amazing experience which also includes local breakfast and lunch at a rest station in the national park. We saw many animals such as elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles and even leopards, however, this cannot be guaranteed. I still recommend booking the full day since we had the most leopard encounters at 4 to 5pm.
Info: Make sure to go to an ATM the day before, since most Safaris do not include the park entrance which is around 11 000 LKR per person and needs to be paid in cash.
12. Surfing
Sri Lanka is also a surf paradise. Please do your research before to find a spot which is suitable for your skill level as well as the season in which you are visiting Sri Lanka (as a ballpark, we went surfing in the end of July in Weligama as beginners which surfed a few times before). I also saw many surfing lessons offered, so if you want to try the sport, you can definitely do so in Sri Lanka.
13. Galle Dutch Fort
Galle Dutch Fort is also quite nice visit since it has a beautiful old town with many cute shops selling clothes and jewellery. It is also home to some nice cafes as well as restaurants and bars which are worth visiting. So it is a great mix of history and relaxation.
Further places to visit
Since our time was limited, we could not visit the whole country, however, we heard from other travellers that some places might be worth having a look at as well:
– Lion’s Head in Sirigiya
– Ella’s rock or Adam’s peak as more challenging hikes
– Safaris in other national parks
– Arugam bay (especially if you like to party)
– Different places in the south of Sri Lanka to surf
Further tips for your travels
Transportation:
– Trains are often late but you can always ask the ticket counter since they might have more information
– TukTuks are the easiest way of travelling, however, depending on your location they can also be quite expensive and apps like PickMe and Uber do not work properly since the Tuk Tuk companies are organised and want to make more money. Normally, you can also