There are many places to see in Sri Lanka, a country that stands out for its cultural heritage, its incredible natural landscapes and the friendly people who receive you with a sincere smile. Known as the tear of indiaSri Lanka has remained hidden for a long time on tourist routes, something that greatly surprises when you visit it.
The northern landscapes bathed in tea fields on the slopes of the mountains, the natural parks in which to see elephants and leopards, the Buddhas with fine rock-carved features, the wild beaches of the south or the colonial cities, among many other things , make Sri Lanka a perfect destination for every traveler.
Although any time is good to travel, we could say generalizing that the best time to travel to Sri Lanka is from September to April, months in which you will avoid the monsoon. We recommend making the trip for free by making a circular route, either by renting a car or a tuk tuk, or by hiring a car with a driver.
If you prefer to go organized, you can book this 8-day tour of the best of Sri Lanka with a guide in Spanish.
Based on our experience in the trip to Sri Lanka and Maldives in 24 days, during which we spent 17 days on the island, we have made a list of what we believe are the 10 essential places to visit in Sri Lanka. We start!
1. Polonnaruwa
Polonnaruwa, capital of Sri Lanka from the 11th to the 13th century, is one of the most visited places in the country. This ancient city forms one of the vertices of the cultural triangle of Sri Lanka along with two other important cities of ancient Ceylon, Anuradhapura and Sigiriya. All of them are located in the north center of the island and have been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
In the extensive archaeological site there are several well preserved monuments in which the Buddhas of Gal Vihara stand out. These three great Buddhas perfectly carved in the wall of a rock, in different positions, is one of the most essential places to see in Sri Lanka. To get to Polonnaruwa, if you don't have a car, we recommend renting a car with a driver in Kandy that will make you a route through the Cultural Triangle.
We did it with Chami ([email protected]), a great driver and great person, who we met by chance in Kandy and who accompanied us in this last stage of the trip. A while ago he set up an agency and we know that he has several cars with which different routes are made through the country. Of course, we recommend booking in advance as it is in high demand.
Polonnaruwa
2. She
She is a small town, located in the Highlands of Sri Lanka, with a good tourist infrastructure to enjoy its wonderful mountainous landscapes. We recommend doing a hiking trail at sunrise to the top of Little Adam's Peak, from where both on the road and at the top, you will enjoy excellent views of the entire valley.
Another route that we loved is the one that runs along the train tracks in the direction of Ella Rock and that will not take you more than noon between vegetation and infarct landscapes.
If you have more time you can reach Adam's Peak, a mountain of more than 2200 meters famous as a place of pilgrimage of several religions, since it is said that the rock in the form of a footprint of the top, is the first one that Adam stepped on the Land. To get to the top of the peak, where a Buddhist sanctuary is located, it is advisable to be fit since you have to climb more than 5000 steps.
The best way to get to Ella is from Nuwara Eliya in one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world.
Train from Ella to Nuwara Eliya
3. Minneriya
There are several national parks in Sri Lanka where you can see animals in freedom, especially elephants. Our favorite, because of the surrounding landscape and the amount of elephants you can see, is the Minneriya National Park. In this extensive park, located near the Cultural Triangle, you can make a 4 × 4 safari that will allow you to approach and enjoy the largest land animal, without invading its space and always respecting nature.
If you have hired a car with a driver or have rented a tuk tuk you can reach the entrance of the park and once there negotiate the price with a 4 × 4 driver, who will also guide you. To give you an idea, we paid 5500 rupees for 3 hours of safari, in which everything was already included.
Although any time of the day is good to enjoy the Minneriya National Park, you can keep in mind that twice a day the elephants approach the lakes to drink and take a refreshing swim, so this would be a good time to get to the area with the 4 × 4.
Minneriya National Park
4. Sigiriya, one of the best places to see in Sri Lanka
Sigiriya, also known as the lion rock It is one of the most famous archaeological sites and one of the must-see places in Sri Lanka.
Its most attractive peculiarity is its location on top of a large stone rock of almost 400 meters, product of the eruption of a volcano, where when you reach the top, you will find the ruins of the palace of King Kasyapa, in addition to some Amazing views of the entire environment.
The climb to the top is not as hard as it seems and is done by stairs that begin with an entrance decorated with the claws of a lion.
As an extra we will tell you that if you want to enjoy the best views of Sigiriya, ask your driver to take you to Pidurangala, located a few kilometers away.
Sigiriya views from Pidurangala
5. Beaches of Southern Sri Lanka
The beaches of Southern Sri Lanka with golden sand and palm trees are the perfect place to spend a few days relaxing. Although all are incredible, Unawatuna, Mirissa and Medaketiya are perfect beaches for a swim and expect a beautiful sunset lying in a hammock with a Lion beer.
During our trip we stayed in Mirissa, a small town with little tourism and a leisurely pace of life, where people greet you on the street and enjoy their free time to the fullest, making it one of the places that our part, are advised to make base in this area of the country.
On some beaches you can see fishermen mosquitoes from Sri Lanka, one of the typical images of Sri Lanka, although this activity has become so famous over time, that from what we have read, fishermen now ask for money to take pictures.
It is also worth going to the city of Galle, with a beautiful colonial historic center, located in an old Dutch fortress, which is the most beautiful in all of Sri Lanka.
Beaches of Southern Sri Lanka
6. Dambulla Caves
The Dambulla Caves or Golden Temple, a World Heritage Site, is one of the most amazing places to see in Sri Lanka and spectacular. Located in the central area of the island, near Sigiriya, it stands out for having the temples and statues of Buddha inside a cave complex.
Although the caves are at the top of a rock, it should be borne in mind that the payment is made at the bottom, before climbing some stone stairs that give access to the caves.
In this complex there are the 5 main caves that you will visit and where you can see incredible paintings and sculptures from more than 2000 years perfectly preserved. The huge statues of Buddha, kings, gods and murals that cover almost all the walls of the cave, we are sure, will leave you speechless.
Dambulla Caves
7. Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura, a World Heritage Site, was another of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka where archaeological sites are found in different conservation states.
One of the most impressive is the huge dagoba or stupa of Ruwanwelisaya of white marble, built in the second century BC. C., next to the one of the one of Thuparama of century III a. C., in which inside is a clavicle of Buddha.
Another important place that deserves a visit is the Isurumuniya temple, carved into the rock with many reliefs and sculptures. Here you will see many pilgrims in the temples, since according to tradition a tree cut in which Buddha reached Nirvana is here, in the Sri Maha Bodhi, making it a sacred place for the Buddhist religion.
A little less than half an hour away by car is Mihintale, a complex of temples and stupas located on a hill, where it is said that Buddhism began to spread in Sri Lanka.
Anuradhapura, one of the best places to see in Sri Lanka
8. Nuwara Eliya
Only for the spectacular train journey from Ella, is it worth it to reach Nuwara Eliya. Although this beautiful English colonial city of the Highlands has many other reasons to visit it, such as its tea fields, another of the many reasons to reach this area of the island.
The humid climate and the quality of the lands caused many Britons in the nineteenth century to settle in this area in search of producing the best tea in the world, maintaining today several buildings of colonial architecture, parks and customs of its colonial era , although its greatest attraction is still the surrounding landscape.
We took a tuk tuk in the center of the city to tour the area, which for about 1500 rupees, made us a route through several tea fields to finish in a tea factory in Nuwara Eliya. In our case we chose Mackwoods, although they also recommend Pedro's Tea, where you can learn about the whole tea process.
During the tour of the tea fields you can probably see the women pickers, another of the images of this incredible island.
Nuwara Eliya tea fields
Recommended travel cardsRemember that in order not to pay commissions and always have the current change we recommend you use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot.
You can find more information in this article about the best cards to travel without commissions.
9. Buddha of Aukana
The Buddha of Aukana of 12 meters high and carved in granite rock, is another of the must-see places in Sri Lanka. This huge sculpture of the 5th century, located near the Cultural Triangle, represents the full-length Buddha and although in the enclosure you will only find this size, for us it is one of the most impressive places on the island and even in the world.
Buddha of Aukana
10. Kandy
Kandy, with a colonial past that is reflected in many of its buildings, blends with temples and Buddhist tradition in an incredibly perfect way.
Surrounded by mountains and located in the heart of the island, it is famous for having the Buddha tooth relic, which is located in the Temple of the Tooth of Buddha, the most famous and visited temple in Sri Lanka. This temple is only part of a large complex that includes the Royal Palace, a museum, the library and other minor temples.
Kandy
How to have internet in Sri Lanka?If you want to have internet in Sri Lanka a good option is to buy one Holafly SIM card, with which you will have internet from the moment you land, several GB of data, keeping your WhatsApp number and support service in Spanish.
You can buy your Holafly prepaid SIM card here with a 5% discount for being our reader.
If you feel like helping us expand the list 10 amazing places to see in Sri Lanka, add yours in the comments.
