Sri Lanka Travel Guide

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Top Things to See

• Be amazed by Sri Lanka’s best-known attraction, UNESCO-listed Sigiriya Rock Fortress. This stunning fifth-century palace-fortress perches atop a towering rock outcrop above the plains in the country’s center. Steps lead up from water gardens below and past murals of heavenly nymphs.

• Ramble around coastal ramparts, colonial villas and atmospheric streets in the striking Dutch fort of Galle, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. Galle is also a center for crafts that include lace-making, ebony-carving and gem-polishing.

• Visit Kandy, a picturesque town that was the last stronghold of the Kandyan Kings. It is now a cultural sanctuary where age-old customs, arts, crafts, rituals and ways of life are well preserved. Its fabulous UNESCO-listed Temple of the Tooth (Dalada Maligawa) (website: www.sridaladamaligawa.lk) shelters the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha.

• Go underground. The Dambulla Cave Temples in the island’s center are an intriguing collection of temples tucked away beneath a massive rock outcrop. They shelter an extensive collection of religious murals and exquisite statues.

• Wonder at the extraordinary civilization that ruled from the ancient capital of Anuradhapura thousands of years ago. Its majestic remains testify to an advanced city carefully planned and filled with beautiful palaces, temples and giant stupas.

• In Colombo, root out bargains in the Pettah market, marvel at the blossoms in the Vihara Maha Devi Park between March and early May, and sample the offerings of some of the country’s best restaurants.

• See the huge reclining Buddha at Polonnaruwa, an ancient capital and another UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its remains of royal palaces, temples and stupas. It also has a superb museum, one of the country’s best.

• Explore Sri Lanka’s most popular wildlife-viewing destination, Yala National Park, on the southeast coast. It is home to the world’s highest density of leopards, as well as a wealth of other species - from elephants to birds.

• See Sri Lanka’s oldest and best-known fishing village, Negombo, also a popular resort near Katunayake International Airport. It stands on a strand separating the sea from a lagoon. The seafood here, particularly the shellfish, is superb.

Top Things to Do

• Spy on Sri Lanka’s abundant wildlife (much of which is found nowhere else on earth) in the country’s various sanctuaries and national parks. Birdwatching is superb, and as well as the famous elephants there are also leopards, deer, bears, wild boar, porcupines and monkeys to see.

• Ride an elephant; it’ll make you feel like Asian royalty rolling from side to side and looking down on the passing scenery. Wild elephants can be seen in sizeable numbers in several national parks, and there is a well-known elephant orphanage at Pinnawela.

• Enjoy sunbathing and swimming along Sri Lanka’s 1,600km (1,000 miles) of beautiful palm-shaded beaches. Good resorts include Beruwela, Bentota, Mount Lavinia Negombo and Hikkaduwa. Meanwhile Unawatuna in Galle claims to be among the top 15 beaches in the world.

• Go diving (website: www.divesrilanka.com) or snorkeling to glimpse the country’s thriving coral reefs and their myriad multi-hued inhabitants. Colorful diving spots include Bentota and Hikkaduwa, which also have underwater caves and shipwrecks to explore.

• Catch some waves surfing: recommended locations include Hikkaduwa, Midigama and particularly Arugam Bay (near Potuvil), which also offers waterskiing and yachting. Alternatively, try your hand at windsurfing; facilities are located in Bentota, Beruwela, Kalutara and Negombo.

• Go hiking through diverse landscapes, especially the rainforest and cloudforest of the hilly interior. Popular trekking destinations include Adam’s Peak, Sri Lanka’s highest point at 2,243m (7,358ft), World’s End in the highlands, near Nuwara Eliya, and the Knuckles wilderness area near Kandy.

• Join in a game of cricket; impromptu games are always striking up on the beach and in the street, and the cricket-mad locals are always happy for an extra pair of hands.

• Immerse yourself in one of Sri Lanka’s many colorful festivals. Most involve huge processions of glittering elephants, dancers and drummers. The best-known is Esala Perahera in Kandy; Vel Festival in Colombo is also spectacular.

• Trail your morning tea to its source in Sri Lanka’s highlands: inhale the delicious aromas of Victorian-era tea factories, drink their finest and roam the lush tea plantations. The Nuwara Eliya hill station is a popular destination.

• Head to the village of Kitulgala, tucked away amid ravines in the hill country, to enjoy both beginners-standard and high-adrenaline white-water rafting.