Kandy is a beautiful city that sits in the center of a range of mountains declared as a World Heritage by UNESCO. It was the last kingdom of Sri Lanka which was only colonized by the British unlike the other areas of the country (which were colonized by the Dutch and Portuguese). The sooting weather and cultural uniqueness has made it stand out from the rest of the country.
Enroute to Kandy you could visit the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage where you could watch rescued elephants bathing in the river and feed, and Gadaladeniya, Embekke, and Lankathilaka temples which depicts the architectural advancement in the ancient days.
Right when you are entering the city you would find the Royal Botanical Garden which is also the National Herbarium of Sri Lanka where you could enjoy a nice picnic. You will also find a Gem museum around the corner.
Upon entering Kandy, you could visit the sacred Temple of Tooth Relic which is believed to house the the Right Molar of Lord Buddha in a golden casket. Despite it being a place relating to Buddhism and visitors from any faith are welcome here. This compound has a few interesting museums which would be interesting – Temple of Tooth museum, Open museums of Sri Dalada Maligawa, Tusker “Raja” Museum, and World Buddhist museum and maybe enjoy a boat ride in the lake in front. The best month to visit the Temple of Tooth Relic is when the world-famous possession – Esala Perahera is hosted. Vibrant traditional dancers, elephants, drummers, and other instrument players make it a spectacular must-see event in Sri Lanka.
Other interesting attractions in Kandy include the Kandy viewpoint – to get a panoramic view of the entire city, Bahirawa Kanda Buddha statue (you will spot this status from anywhere in the city), and Udawaththa forest reserve located right in the center of the city.
Ella is a small town that is guaranteed to blow your mind away. Mystical places written in Indian epics, captivating waterfalls, adventurous activities, the perfect weather, picturesque environment – Ella has got it all!
Even the train traveling to Ella has become a sensational ride where travelers get to enjoy different landscapes and also interact with fellow travelers (just like a party train).
If you have read the Ramayana (the Indian epic), it is believed that King Rama hid Sitha in a cave near a waterfall which is believed to be Ravana Caves and Ravana waterfall, both found in Ella.
If you are a nature lover we recommend you to trek through Little Adam’s peak, climb Ella rock, and a walk on the Nine Arches Bridge!
Ziplining (Flying Ravana), archery, air rifling, ATV riding, abseiling, bungee jumping, and mountain biking are offered at Ella to all the adventurous seekers at a very reasonable cost.
While you are at Ella, you could also pack up a nice picnic and enjoy it beside a captivating waterfall!
Sinharaja Forest Reserve is identified as a biodiversity hotspot in Sri Lanka and has been designated as a Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
The best time to visit Sinharaja Forest reserve is between January to May and August to December, as it would be quite challenging to visit the forest during heavy rainfall season.
Sinharaja Forest reserve has over 139 endemic species including Leopard (Panthera pardus), Indian elephant, endemic, and purple-faced Langur.
The prime location of Sri Lanka,near the equator has blessed the country with rich biodiversity. Sri Lanka has over 20 main wildlife reserves and some of these are biodiversity hotspots.
While Sri Lankan National Parks have their unique features, the common feature is guaranteed best experience.
Asian elephants, leopards, wild boars and Sambars are common animals you would see in all of these National Parks.
The only request from us is to have the best experience during these Safaris but to leave behind nothing but good memories.
Colombo is the commercial hub of Sri Lanka and as you might expect is quite busy. The best way to explore this busy city would be on foot or a tuk tuk ride.
You could explore the cultural side of the city by visiting the Temple of Ganagarama and Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque and also some great snapshots to your social media account!
If you are a shopaholic, the best places to visit would be Arcade Independence square, One Galle Face Mall, Marina mall, but if you are willing to bargain Pettah Market is the place to be! You will find almost anything you need including souvenirs for your beloved.
The Lotus tower which is also the tallest tower in Sri Lanka would be a great place to get a panoramic view of the commercial city of Colombo.
Another place you cannot miss out on Galle face green. A walk along this stretch while tasting some street food is a must have experience for anyone visiting Sri Lanka.
In case you want to explore a little bit about the history, the recommended place is the Colombo National Museum which is also Sri Lanka’s largest museum. The Colombo Planetarium and the Dehiwala zoo are some of the suggestives to add-on if you are visiting with family.
The Sigiriya rock fortress is an architectural wonder built by King Kashyapa I in the 5th century that attracts visitors from all over the world. In an attempt to hide from his brother, King Kashyapa built this fortress on an isolated rock which is 180 M (590 ft) tall.
Today you can see the foundation of the palace, well-preserved frescoes and irrigation systems which you might find quite astonishing!Most of the visitors climb in the morning and evening to watch the breathtaking view of the sun rising and setting from the top of the rock and also to avoid the warm during the day time.
The climb would take an hour at the most, but make sure you stop at the relevant places and explore the mind numbing structures which would remind you of the pyramids in Egypt!
If you have time left, you could also climb Pidurangala hill, an adjoining hill that would give a perfect view of Sigiriya rock fortress and a whole different experience.
Dambulla Cave Temple is the largest and most well preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka, dating back to 22 centuries. It has 5 caves each containing pure wonderment of the skills and advanced technology used in the ancient days.
There are over 150 Buddha Statues sculptures in the cave and murals painted on the cave ceiling spreaded across 2100 square meters during the reign of King Valagambahu.
Few important tips to remember when you are visiting Dambulla Golden Temple is to avoid wearing revealing clothes and avoid taking photographs with people in it.
While you are here don’t forget to check out the other attractions in the vicinity such as Popham’s Arboretum, Golden Temple of Dambulla, and Ibbankatuwa Megalithic Tombs
The little England of Sri Lanka or Nuwara Eliya is the perfect destination for honeymooners but that does not mean that they will not have a great family trip here!
The cold weather, tea estates, pine trees forests, and vegetable nurseries are key factors that come to anyone who has visited Nuwara Eliya.
Gregory lake is one of the locations that offer an array of activities such as horse and pony riding, jet skiing, boat riding, and boat peddling. You could also enjoy a nice warm cup of Ceylon tea whilst overlooking the scenic lake.
Then hop step and jump away to Victoria Park with beautiful meadows and flower beds.
Other great places in the vicinity are Lover’s leap waterfall, Hakgala Botanical Gardens, Sita Amman Kovil, Ambewela farm, and Strawberry farms.
April is the best month to visit Nuwara Eliya as it is the month when flowers everywhere bloom, making you wonder whether this city is one whole flower Garden!
If you are a Golf fan, you are in luck as Nuwara Eliya has one of the finest Golf courses in Sri Lanka!
Kithulgala is the ideal place to experience adventurous white water rafting. Kelani river flowing by and the surrounding Makandawa rain forest has created the perfect environment to appeal to the adventurous you!
In addition to the exhilarating activity of white water rafting, you could also try abseiling, bungee jumping, canyoning, camping, bird watching and follow a nature trail through the rain forest.
It is highly recommended to add at least 2 days at this location to your itinerary to try out all of these activities and also visit the prehistoric caves – Belilena, that is believed to hold secrets to a generation that was lost 12,000 years ago.
Top of Sri Lanka or Jaffna is a coastal town with beautiful white sand beaches and enriched culture by our neighboring country – India. Ending a war that lasted for 30 years, Jaffna is once again welcoming guests to enjoy the delights it has to offer.
On our exploratory tour to Jaffna make sure you enjoy the special “Jaffna fish curry” made from freshly caught fish from the sea.
In addition to exploring the different culinary experiences you could also enjoy a day out in any of the white sand beaches – Casuarina Beach, Charty Beach, Kovalam Beach, Thiruvadi Nilai Beach, KKS Beach, Akkarai Beach, Savukkadi beach, and Pullianthurai beach
As mentioned earlier, Hinduism plays a major role enriching the culture of Jaffna, and visiting the Nallur Kovil will give you the perfect experience!
Other attractions in Jaffna includes – Nagadeepa Temple, Jaffna Market, Jaffna fort, and Delft islands.
Galle is extremely different from a normal town in Sri Lanka! The influence gained through the colonial times of the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British is very well preserved, making Galle a must visit vintage town.
The best part of visiting Galle is you could explore all the main sites on foot!
Starting from the Galle fort, lighthouse you could continue the day exploring the vintage city right next to it. You could visit the National Maritime museum, National museum – Galle, Old Dutch Hospital, Historical Mansion museum, Dutch Reformed Church and check out the shops in the Pedlars street. Towards the nightfall you can order your favorite cocktail and sip it while enjoying the beauty of Galle fort at night.
Polonnaruwa is a UNESCO-declared world heritage site filled with archeological sites that showcase the brilliance of the founding monarchs. It is the second most ancient city of Sri Lanka. You will observe architectural differences to that of Anuradhapura (which was the first kingdom of Sri Lanka) due to the invasion of Cholas from India. However, you could still see the magnificent irrigation system developed which helped the kingdom to spawn back to prosperity.
When you are touring this medieval city these are places that you can not miss out on – The archaeological museum of Polonnaruwa, The Royal Palace of King Parakramabahu (the audience hall, the royal bathing poo) The Sacred Quadrangle (Dalada Maluwa), The Polonnaruwa Vatadage, The Hatadage, The Atadage, Pabalu vehera stupa, Rankoth Vihara, The Lankathilaka temple, Gal Vihara Buddha statue carved on to a rock, Pothgul Vihara.
Since these are religious places you will be requested to remove your shoes. This is a very warm area, hence it is recommended to wear cotton clothes and also lots of sun block. It is advisable to avoid visiting this historic city in April as it can be extremely warm during this month.
Enjoy an authentic Sri Lankan lunch overlooking a man-made lake and afterwards if you got time, you could end the day with a wonderful jeep safari to Minneriya National Park which is only half an hour away!
Anuradhapura is another city in Sri Lanka declared as a World Heritage City by UNESCO. It is the first kingdom of Sri Lanka, which has many places of historical, religious and architectural importance such as Ruwanveli stupa, Jethawanarama stupa, Isurumuniya temple, Thuparama stupa, Sri Maha Bodhi temple, and Ritigala forest monastery to name a few.
Something you will notice is the abundance of man-made lakes such as Nuwara wewa, Basawakkulama, Thisa wewa, and Kala wewa. You can swim in these places but make sure you ask a local first and make sure it is not too deep.
An hour away from Anurashapura is Wilpattu National Park where you could enjoy a jeep Safari. The best time to visit Wilpattu National Park is the drought season (i.e from May till early October) where animals come out from hiding and gather around water bodies.
Kataragama is a pilgrimage town bearing equal importance to Buddhists and Hindus. Buddhists are drawn to this place because of Kiri vehera which is believed to built by King Mahasen to enshrine Buddha’s relics. However, Buddhists together with Hindus visit the Hindu Kovil also known as “Kataragama Devalaya” which built to venerate the Guardian Deity of Sri Lanka, Skanda Kumara also known as “Kataragama deviyo”.
Annually the Katharagama Devalaya organizes a great procession in the honor of this deity with different types of traditional dancers dressed in vibrant colors, drummers, elephants dressed in their colorful outfits in the month of August. Therefore, this is the best month to visit Kataragama so as to not miss this grand spectacle.
Don’t forget you could still enjoy a jeep safari at the second largest National Park in Sri Lanka – Yala National Park, which is only 45 min away!
Negambo situated just 15 min away from the Bandaranaike International Airport is a town that never sleeps. The locals here love to party and eat out, so you will find many food joints here.
Lobster and Prawns bred in the lagoon are a specialty served in most eateries. If you are keen to know about other fish served here, the best place to visit is “Lellama” where the fresh catch is sold.
Talking about the culture of Negambo, it was heavily influenced during the colonial era of Portuguese and the Dutch so you will notice these in the architecture of the old buildings and churches.
You could also try-out a boat ride in the Hamilton Canal which was used as a mode of transport in the olden days.
In the evening you could enjoy a swim in Browns beach and maybe afterwards a nice cocktail at a pub on the beachfront.
Snorkeling, boat rides are also offered in this coastal city.