Sri Lanka is one of my top destinations in Asia – not only does it combine amazing cities with beautiful beaches and mountains, but it is also rich in culture and good food. This island is amazing for every traveler, and I am sure that every single person, whether a nature lover or a city person, can have the best time in Sri Lanka. That is why this blog is about the 13 best things you can do around the diverse island.
1. Sri Dalada Maligawa
The Sri Dalada Maligawa Temple in Kandy is one of the most important Buddhist temples 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.
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 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 top of a hill and is easily accessible by Tuk-Tuk. 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 the city center, one can reach the royal garden of Kandy, which is totally worth the visit since it’s 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 the beautiful views. I would totally recommend making 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 crowded, and the availability of seats is limited. There is a special tourist train that 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 big in the rainy season 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 higher than other experiences. Different types of tea are served, and savory 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 the beach club near the hike.
9. Nine Arches Bridge in Ella
The nine arches bridge in Ella is a small hike from the city center. 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 tracks. If you want to avoid bigger crowds, it is also a good idea to head to the bridge 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 to 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 afterward. 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 5 pm.
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 finding a spot that is suitable for your skill level, as well as the season in which you are visiting Sri Lanka (as a ballpark, we went surfing at the end of July in Weligama as beginners who had 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 a nice visit since it has a beautiful old town with many cute shops selling clothes and jewelry. 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
– Tuk-Tuk is the easiest way of traveling; 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 organized and want to make more money. Normally, you can also bargain the price of a ride; however, sometimes you will need to have more than one try to find a suitable price, and sometimes the drivers will not accept any lower offers – do not let this discourage you
– The bus system seems chaotic, but if you use buses, especially from one main bus stop to another, the driver or ticket officer will help you to find the right bus. Furthermore, I highly recommend using the buses since it is an experience
Accomodation:
– We booked all the accommodations on Booking.com or Airbnb, which works perfectly fine
– Please make sure that the location is suitable for your plans, especially in the inner parts of the country, which are within the mountains, so you might have some elevation to your hotel, homestay, etc. from the city center
– Special Recommendation: In Ella, we stayed with Chamodiya Homestay (booked via AirBnB), which was amazing since you have a beautiful view and also get free breakfast (either local or English)
Food:
– I highly recommend trying the local food since it is amazing. However, be careful with the spice level since some dishes include chili.
– Recommendations for restaurants and cafes:
Kandy:
– Balaji Dosai
– Buono
Nuwara Eliya:
– Taste Lab
Ella:
– Matey Hut Ella Sri Lanka
Tissamaharama:
– Smoky Kitchen