OUR 3 WEEK SRI LANKA ITINERARY: BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN SRI LANKA
Sri Lanka is an exciting destination with a great nature, diverse culture and beautiful architecture. Add delightful Sri Lankan cuisine to this equation and it makes a dream trip. This Sri Lanka travel guide is our 3 week itinerary for a Sri Lanka trip. It is the ideal time to see big cities like Colombo and Kandy, relax on the beaches, visit Unesco heritage sights, dive into tea plantations and do the world famous Sri Lankan train ride. We hope you will find our Sri Lanka route inspirational and use it to design your own trip!
Day 1-2: Discovering Colombo
Most visitors arrive to Colombo, Sri Lanka's capital to start their trip. Even though Colombo is not loved by most tourists, we found a beautiful tropical vibe in this busy city. There are tons of cool cafes with Insta-worthy gardens and designer items for sale, narrow streets with traditional Sri Lankan houses tht intersect with main busy roads with high rise modern buildings, there is a city beach with street food stalls in the evening, where you can watch a marvelous sunset. The culture in Colombo is also very diverse with Buddhist temples, Muslim neighborhoods and colonial churches.
Day 3-4: Unawatuna
Unawatuna is only 2 hours from Colombo but it is the perfect beach town to start you Southern Sri Lanka route. Although compact, Unawatuna is vibrant and it has the most famous beaches in Sri Lanka. Relax on Unawatuna Beach or Dalawella Beach under the lush trees, hop to a variety of bars once the sun goes down and go shopping on the main street. Make sure to take a day trip to Jungle Beach, with a visit to Japanese Peace Pagoda in the afternoon. Unawatuna is also a great hub to see nearby places like Galle Fort and Koggala.
Day 5: Sightseeing in Galle Fort
A day trip to Galle Fort is an amazing opportunity to experience the coastal colonial city with a diverse history of the Portuguese, Dutch and British. It has many architectural attractions and the Galle Fort Lighthouse is world famous. Enjoy a cold coffee in the backyard of a picturesque colonial building that turned into a boutique hotel, browse the many designer shops for souvenirs and walk the fort walls with locals during sunset. We visited this charming historic town while we were staying in Unawatuna Beach. It only takes 15 minutes by tuktuk from Unawatuna to Galle Fort.
Day 6: Koggala Day Trip On the Way From Unawatuna to Mirissa
Hiring a tuktuk in Sri Lanka for sightseeing is very common and we chose to go to Mirissa from Unawatuna by tuktuk, making it a day trip to discover Koggala. If you trust your bargaining skills, just negotiate with a driver you see on the street and he will take you to see turtle hatcheries in Koggala, famous stilt fishermen of Sri Lanka, the jaw droppingly beautiful Koggala Lake and even a spice garden, where you will be forced to have a massage =D Although your driver will try to sell you things to get commission from the places you visit, it makes a great day trip for a 30 km road.
Day 7-10: Mirissa
Mirissa is one of the best places in Sri Lanka for living the tropic beach life. You can take surf lessons, explore the trendy bars and restaurants in Mirissa Beach, climb the Coconut Tree Hill or find a spot on top of Parrot Rock to watch the sunset. We also visited Secret Beach in Mirissa and spent a day on the shady beach enjoying the pristine waters. You can also hed Weligama Bay for the night and have dinner at the lively Kurumba Bay. Mirissa makes a great hub if you want to go on a safari in Sri Lanka.
Day 11: Bus From Mirissa to Ella
Our Sri Lanka route was to go to Southern region first and then to central Sri Lanka. Even though train travel in Sri Lanka is generally more preferable, there are no train from Mirissa to Ella. Therefore, we chose to take a local bus to Ella and watched the evergreen mountains rise next to us while passing the winding roads between tea plantations. It wasn't the most comfortable journey but it was efficient and cheap, plus we saw amazing scenery.
Day 12-14: Ella and Sri Lanka Tea Plantations
Ella Town was one of our favorite places in Sri Lanka with its laid back vibe, amazing restaurants, cool weather and perfect lush trekking routes. You can take a peaceful walk in nature to a different spot in Ella almost every day. To name a few, Little Adam's Peak, Ella Rock, or Ravana Falls make great hikes. One of the most famous things to do in Ella is to go to the Nine Arch Bridge and wait for the famous blue train of Sri Lanka to pass. Our favorite guesthouse in Sri Lanka was in Ella also, it was overlooking the Little Adam's Peak and had an amazing breakfast every day with freshly brewed tea.
Day 15: Ella to Kandy Train Ride
The train ride from Ella to Kandy with the blue train was the highlight of our Sri Lanka route. This Sri Lanka train journey is considered to be one of the most beautiful train rides of the world and it is literally magical. The train swirls around the tea plantations, passes by villages and rice paddies and the breezy air comes through the windows while you sip your chai with a delicious samosa. You can also hop on this train to visit Nuwara Eliya but we chose to go all the way to Kandy.
Day 16-17: Sightseeing in Kandy
Kandy is a big city with many historic sights as well as mesmerizing temples. You can easily spend a day shopping in the Kandy central market, walking by the gorgeous Kandy Lake, visiting the colonial marvel of Queen's Hotel and having a coffee and cake in The Bake House. However, top things to do in Kandy are to watch the evening ceremony in the Temple of The Tooth and catch a dance show in the Kandy Lake Club House.
We spent more than three days in Kandy and spent one whole day in the Royal Botanical Gardens of Kandy walking on the shady paths between tropic plants and taking Insta shots on the world famous Palm Avenue. Kandy is also a great base to explore nearby elephant sanctuaries, Unesco World Heritage sites and even Sigiriya. We loved visiting the Ceylon Tea Museum on a rainy morning, which was only 4 km's from the Kandy city center.
Day 18: Sigiriya Day Trip From Kandy
One of the Eight World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka is the Lion Rock in Sigiriya. This is a must do in Sri Lanka but you have to go really early in the morning if you want to climb the Sigiriya Rock. Alternatively, you can visit Pidurangala Rock, where you can see the Sigiriya Rock from atop. We chose to watch it from afar while having a fabulous espresso in Hotel Sigiriya. It is an efficient way to make it a day trip from Kandy by hiring a private driver. This way, you can stop by the famous Golden Temple in Sri Lanka and the Hindu temple in Matale.
Day 19-20: Hikkaduwa
In our original Sri Lanka itinerary, Hikkaduwa was not included but when we couldn't find an earlier plane ticket leaving Sri Lanka, we preferred to spend our last days in Hikkaduwa to relax by the beach and it turned out to be the perfect Sri Lankan beach town to stay for a few days. Hikkaduwa parties may be famous but there is also a quiet part of the beach to sip your coconut under the palm trees and take a dip with giant sea turtles. Surfing in Hikkaduwa is also possible. Restaurants in Hikkaduwa Beach were our favorites and this small vibrant hub is only 2 hours by train from Colombo.
Day 21: Back to Colombo Airport From Hikkaduwa for Flight
Since our flight out from Colombo to Kuala Lumpur was at midnight, we chose to take the train to Colombo Airport. The nearest train station to Colombo airport is Katunayaka Train Station. From there we called a tuktuk by Pick Me app. This is the cheapest way from Colombo to the airport but a taxi from Colombo city center to the airport is also very much affordable. It was an enjoyable trip, where the train goes by the ocean and passes through local colorful houses. If you have one or two days in Colombo, make sure to have a coffee in Barefoot Cafe.
Other Must See Places in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is a real travel gem and if you extend your stay or wanna visit different parts of the island, there are many more places to see in Sri Lanka. Especially in terms of heritage sites, North Sri Lanka is very interesting. Some of the most popular places in Sri Lanka that we couldn't see but wanna visit the next time are:
- Arugam Bay
- Dambulla
- Jaffna
- Trincomalee
- Polonnaruwa
- Yala National Park
- Nuwara Eliya
HOW TO TRAVEL SRI LANKA
Getting Around in Sri Lanka
You have three options for transportation in Sri Lanka: train, bus, and hiring a private driver. Our favorite option was the train ride with its routes through the lush tropic interiors of the island and its breezy rides stretching along the blue ocean. Traveling by bus in Sri Lanka is also very efficient in terms of cost/performance but it is not as comfy as the train and due to the recent fuel shortage in Sri Lanka, some of the scheduled buses may not work. If you have the flexibility and budget, you can try this option. We took the bus from Mirissa to Ella and it was right on time, plus it was an ok trip where we got to travel together with the locals.
Hiring a private driver in Sri Lanka is one of the most preferred options. You can either rent a car with a driver for a day trip or you can do it for a multi-day itinerary depending on your needs. They even take your luggage for you to take the Sri Lanka blue train and then meet you at the end of your train ride to take you where you want. It's generally 50 USD per day including the car, the driver and the fuel. It's a very comfortable and flexible way to travel around Sri Lanka but keep in mind that long road journeys can be tiresome. You can find a reliable driver in Colombo Fort Train Station Tourist Information Center Office (Right next to booth 4). They also help plan your Sri Lanka route depending on your interests, budget and time. We can suggest to call or Whatsapp Mr. Linton (+94777372066) to arrange a private driver in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka Visa
It's very easy to get a Sri Lanka visa online. All details can be found on this official page and you can apply for Sri Lanka visa from here. After you fill the form, your electronic visa (ETA) will arrive in your email in a few minutes. Sri Lanka tourist visa costs 35 USD. We applied for the visa 10 days before our trip and it literally arrived in 2 minutes. In the past you could get Sri Lanka visa on arrival but now, all visa applications for Sri Lanka must be made online. Sri Lanka tourist visa gives you 30 days with a double entry. Make sure you have a hotel reservation, your covid vaccination card, a passport valid for at least 6 months more, an exit flight from Sri Lanka, and a health insurance when you are arriving to Sri Lanka. There is also an option to extend Sri Lanka visa to 6 months by applying to the Head Office of the Department of Immigration and Emigration in Colombo.
Sri Lanka Cost of Travel
Traveling in Sri Lanka is generally very affordable. Of course there are luxury hotels in Sri Lanka as well as high end restaurants but food in average restaurants or on the street is really cheap. We found Sri Lanka guesthouses to be really clean, cheap and efficient. The currency of Sri Lanka is Sri Lankan Rupees. Exchange is generally done in local Jewellery stores or in the airport. During our Sri Lanka trip, average costs were like below:
- Hotels/ guesthouses in Sri Lanka cost 10 USD on average including breakfast.
- Meals in restaurants cost around 3-7 USD per person, while street food is around 1-2 USD.
- Intercity train rides cost 1-3 USD.
- Private driver costs 50 USD/day
- Tuktuk prices in Sri Lanka depend on the distance and your negotiation skills. We found Pick Me App very useful and short journeys within towns generally cost around 1-3 USD.
- Entrance fees range from 2 USD to 30 USD.
Sri Lanka Vaccination
As of April 2022, you need vaccination to travel to Sri Lanka. If you are fully vaccinated for covid, you just need to bring your covid-19 vaccination card. If you're not vaccinated, then you need to provide a negative PCR test done within 72 hours prior to your departure. However, travel restrictions for Sri Lanka change rapidly and you can get the most recent updates from here. Other than covid, recommended vaccinations for Sri Lanka are DTP and Heppatitis A but it's not mandatory. It's good to know that there is no malaria risk in Sri Lanka.
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