Sri Lanka is a backpacker’s paradise. Not only is it one of the few places in the world where you can still see wild elephants (and I promise you; you will see them), but it is a country of perennial summer populated by some of the most friendly people you will ever meet.
We visited Sri Lanka in July, when the north and east of the island are experiencing summer. Although the south and west were technically in monsoon season, we found that apart from a heavy shower at some point in the day the weather was still infinitely better than what we would call “summer” here in the UK. Remember when visiting any religious site that you must cover up appropriately. I would also recommend keeping a pair of socks in your bag as the temple floors get scaldingly hot after baking under the sun all day.
All recommendations are based solely on my own experience and I do not receive any financial rewards or rewards in kind for sharing them.
Day 1: The Sacred City of Anuradhapura
Days 2-4: Trincomalee
Days 5-6: Sigiriya Rock and Dambulla Cave Temples
Days 7-8: Kandy
Days 9-12: Ella
Days 13-18: Arugam Bay
Days 19-departure: The South: Mirissa, Galle Fort, Unawatuna
Day One: Arrival & Anuradhapura
Get out of the city. We opted to hop on a bus as soon as we arrived to take us to Anuradhapura. When you’ve already been travelling for 16 hours, 3 more makes little difference. Don’t be fooled by the locals telling you you cannot take a bus there – find more detailed instructions here. The best way to get around Sri Lanka is on public transport – the 4 hour journey cost us 362LKR each – or £1.62.
Once here spend a day getting over the jetlag, then rent bikes from your hostel to cycle around the UNESCO World Heritage site – the Sacred City of Anuradhapura. Entrance is 4,500LKR (£20.35) and once you buy your ticket you’ll be given a site map – be sure to go to Sri Maha Bodi. Planted in 288BC it’s believed to be the oldest living tree planted by humans and is said to be the tree under which Buddha achieved enlightenment! Don’t forget to pack loads of suncream and water.
Where to stay: Fig and Gecko Hostel is a lovely hostel whose owners also run Give A Fig, NGO. Supporting Fig and Gecko helps to support locals & make rural living sustainable. They also make delicious kottu for £3 which is more than enough for 2!
Where to eat: Mango Mango offers a mix of mouth watering Sri Lankan food as well as other world cuisine for a reasonable price.
Days Two, Three and Four – 3 nights in Trincomalee
Trincomalee is a city with plenty to offer whether you’re a historian, adventurous soul or beach bum. Get here by taking a bus from Anuradhapura to Horowpothana (100LKR), walk up to the main road and turn right for about 100m before hopping on a bus to Trincomalee (86LKR). Again, ignore tuk-tuk drivers telling you there is no bus.
While you’re here:
- Scuba Dive at Scuba Safari’s. If you’re here in the right season you can see whales and whale sharks.
- Snorkel at Pigeon Island with basking sharks and turtles – expect to pay around 4,000LKR (£18.13). Not only is this an incredible experience, especially if you don’t fancy diving, but it’s a lovely day out at a national park. Put extra sun cream on your back and legs or risk not sitting down for a week.
- Visit Crocodile Swamp. Arrive in time for sunset and you may also be treated to a herd of wild elephants. Please remember that these majestic creatures are wild animals and keep far away from them.
- Visit the old Portuguese fort, Fort Frederick (Trincomalee Fort) & see the deer as well as the little wooden cradles women hang in the trees when they pray for a child. At the top of the hill stands the rebuilt Koneswaram temple, a colourful Hindu monument to Shiva. On the way down, stop at one of the stalls to enjoy a cool coconut and stunning views over Trinco town.
Where to stay: Wanderers Hostel offers a tranquil haven with good atmosphere, hammocks and a friendly owner (Kiko) who organises trips with his guests. It was Kiko that brought us to Crocodile Swamp and we saw far more there than on our £60 safari to Yala National Park!
Where to eat: Try Trinco Lanka for delicious seafood, kottu and iced coffee milkshakes, Nina’s for budget local food or Café 18th for western smoothie bowls and hipster vibes.
Days Five and Six- Sigiriya Rock and Dambulla Cave Temples
After visiting Fort Frederick, hop on a bus to Inamaluwa for 150LKR and from here get a tuk-tuk to your accommodation. Get an early night and set your alarm – the best way to avoid the heat while climbing is to start before sunrise! We opted to climb Pindurangala Rock instead of Sigiriya as we wanted the views of Lion Rock, and also wanted to avoid the tourists and another steep entrance fee. Pindurangala was 500LKR (£2.28) as opposed to £25 for Sigiriya.
After a bit of a scramble we made it to the top of the rock and watched as slowly everything was bathed in golden sunlight. Despite it being crazy o’clock it was a truly magical experience and the views over to Sigiriya were incredible.
After a leisurely coffee back at the hotel, head on to Dambulla Cave Temples. Entrance to the temples came in at 1500LKR (£6.85). The caves are situated at the top of a hill, and the 364 step climb is loud with the chatter of monkeys. The 2000 year old World Heritage Site’s ceilings and walls have been elaborately painted and filled with 153 intricate Buddha statues. From here get some lunch and then jump on a bus at the bus station to Kandy.
Where to Stay: We opted to stay at Thal Sewana Lodge as when we arrived the hotel we had booked was empty! Although slightly pricier than we would usually book (4,350LKR per room, £20), we felt it was worth it to not have to source a tuk-tuk in the morning. The landlady was extremely helpful and a fantastic cook too!
Days Seven and Eight – two days in Kandy
I’m not going to lie, you could definitely skip over Kandy. This busy city was by far my least favourite place in Sri Lanka. However, it’s a good place to base yourself if you want to explore the hill country on day trips and has some interesting spots to visit.
While you’re here:
- Take a tour of a spice garden – we visited Ranveli Spice Garden. Spice gardens are free to visit and in our experience, despite talking us through the products they offered there was no pressure to buy. However seeing as cinnamon is my all-time favourite spice, it would be rude not to…
- Visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth – a beautiful buddhist temple believed to hold the tooth of Buddha!
- Take a trip up to Bahirawakanda Vihara Buddha Statue or the Big Buddha. Nestled into the surrounding hills and nearly 23m high, the Buddha can be seen from nearly everywhere in Kandy.
Days Nine, Ten, Eleven and Twelve – 4 Days in Ella
I can’t help but get excited every time my chromecast shows me pictures of Nine Arch Bridge – I’ve been on that train! Ella is one of the most incredible places in Sri Lanka and I would happily have spent an entire week here. You might notice I’ve skipped out Nuwara Eliya, Adam’s Peak and The Knuckles Mountain Range – sadly there is not enough time to do everything and due to the altitude all of these areas must be seen for sunrise before the mist comes down. Why is it when I travel my bucket list gets longer not shorter?
Try and get the earliest train from Kandy to Ella for the same reason. Heralded as one of the world’s most beautiful train journeys, you do not want your views to be clouded. Read this guide for where to sit and which tickets to buy.
While you’re here:
- Watch the sunrise from Little Adam’s Peak.
- Climb Ella Rock.
This hour long hike (two hours from the town) offers views for miles over the local tea plantations and farms. At the top there is a local stall offering simple food and cold coconuts to enjoy while you soak up the view. I recommend downloading maps.me as the route is clearly marked there. Alternatively follow a local dog to the top…
- Visit 9 Arch Bridge to catch the train going across over the rice plantations. With Harry Potter vibes, this architectural gem is reminiscent of the Glenfinnan Viaduct in Scotland.
- Visit a tea plantation – Lipton’s Seat is a popular trip for Ella’s visitors.
- Ella town reminds me of Pai in Thailand, filled with cute little shops and hipster cafés and restaurants. While definitely catering to western tastes, there comes a point in your trip where all you want is avocado on toast.
- Rent a scooter (if you have an international license) and go chasing waterfalls. Diyaluma Falls appear after a short hike through the trees, striking against the mountainous backdrop. Again, use maps.me and ignore locals telling you that you need a guide. Being the second highest falls in Sri Lanka isn’t the only appealing thing about Diyaluma – at the top of the falls there are numerous pools that would rival any fancy hotel’s infinity pools.
Where to eat: Matey Hut serves delicious Sri Lankan cuisine and even offers cooking classes. There’s often a queue to get in here but it is well worth the wait.
Days Thirteen-Eighteen – 5 Days in Arugam Bay
Ain’t no bae like A-Bay. Arugam Bay is a surfer’s paradise, and backs onto Kumana National Park, also known as Yala East. Arugam is also home to some of the most incredible sunsets I have ever seen in my entire life.
While you’re here:
- Learn to surf. Kerry and I are both beginner surfers, having surfed a couple of times before in Bali.
We took 5 days of lessons with Dylan’s Surf Company and Chuchu had us pretty much catching our own waves by the end of it. The 5am starts were hard but sitting atop your board as the sunrises and the waves lap makes it all worth it. 5 days of 1-2 hour lessons (depending on conditions) worked out at 15,550LKR (£71.30) including rentals and tuk-tuk fees.
- Go to a beach party at Mambo’s or Whiskey Point.
- Watch the sunset at Elephant Rock – but stay out of the river as there are crocodiles there. From these heights, you can marvel over the insane local surfers doing headstands as they catch waves!
- Rent a tuk-tuk and control your own safari in Kumana National Park. We saw numerous elephants from our tuk-tuk on the way to surfing spots.
- Relax and reset. Sometimes you can end up needing a holiday after your holiday and A-Bay is just the place to rectify this. Rent a beach lounger, buy an iced coffee and play on the beach bars’ slack lines. And breathe…
Where to stay: Hipster’s Hideout offers comfortable shared dorms with private bathrooms. We paid about 1,375 LKR (£6.30) for a bed in a 4 bed dorm. The café serves delicious iced coffees and smoothie bowls and is the perfect place to relax.
Where to eat: AR Restaurant has a fantastic hummus wrap which goes down a treat after a long surf. Don’t shrug off the food trucks either – we got many delicious samosas from local vendors for pennies. There’s also a truck on one of the side streets near Mambos which sells guac & toast to start your day right.
Days Nineteen-Twenty Three – South Coast
From A-Bay we headed south to Mirissa. The south coast is traditionally more touristic than the east and was in monsoon season so we concentrated the least of our time here. However, the south still has a lot to offer, from white beach sands to leopard safaris, beach swings to dutch forts.
While you’re here:
- Go on a safari. I’ve saved this for last as we opted for Yala National Park (the largest, busiest and most expensive safari) as we had been lucky enough to see a whole herd of elephants in Trincomalee, so wanted the best possible opportunity to see leopards. Nearly £60 later we’d seen some boars, buffalo and crocodiles; not an elephant or leopard in sight. Now this is not everyone’s experience – safaris are luck of the draw but my advice would be to go to whichever safari suits your budget and itinerary as there is no guarantee you will see what you want. We also felt Yala was too busy with there being traffic jams when our driver had word of a leopard nearby.
Visit Galle Fort and wander about the colonial buildings with ice cream in hand. See the blinding white lighthouse flanked by coconut trees and walk the walls of the fort.
- Visit Coconut Hill in Mirissa.
- See the wild turtles in Hikkadura (do your research before visiting the sanctuary, we felt it was not as ethical as advertised) – there is a local man who will try to give you seaweed for the turtles and encourage you to get close although he does discourage you from touching them or entering with sun cream as this can harm the turtles.
- Get a massage (we paid 3,000LKR for a 90 minute massage)
- Enjoy some beers and play on the rope swing at Unuwatuna Beach (500LKR for 5 swings).
Chat to the owners of the bar – while we were there they had collected all the turtle eggs that had been laid on the beach and hatched them. They were waiting for the babies to be strong enough to be released collectively into the ocean. Seeing baby turtles is not an experience I’m likely to forget soon!
- Cry because you’re going home.
Where to stay: During off season the south is very quiet. We opted to take advice from fellow travellers who had just been down south and stayed at JJs hostel in Mirissa then Rockstel in Unawatuna.
Where to eat: R&R in Mirissa does delicious kottu and roti, as does Dewmini Roti Shop.
I have to say that Sri Lanka is probably my favourite trip to date. We found that in general the locals were extremely welcoming, the food was delicious and our daily expenses were cheap. I also loved navigating the country on local transport – in many other Asian countries it’s unsafe or challenging to do so. And Sri Lankan buses are a treat – the multicoloured lights, colourful decoration and blaring music make you feel more like you’re on a party bus than a local bus. They can be very crowded so it’s wise to travel against peak times to ensure room for you and your backpack.
Planning a trip to Sri Lanka? Let me know your trip plan in the comments!
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Dusky Footprints 