2 or 3 weeks in Sri Lanka Itinerary

Sri Lanka is simply awesome. From deserted beaches, wildlife parks, and whale watching, through to timeless ruins, delicious food, and scenic train rides. Whether you are spending 2 or 3 weeks in Sri Lanka, you will have plenty of options to have an amazing trip.

And it’s Lonely Planet’s Number One Country to Visit in 2019!

Sri Lanka has something on offer to suit every type of traveler, and the locals are truly some of the friendliest people I have come across.

With Sri Lanka now clear of recent troubles, this is a great time to visit. I feel very fortunate to have visited Sri Lanka before the inevitable tourism infrastructure impacts too greatly on the country.

I’ve included below a few tips on visiting Sri Lanka. Or you can skip straight through to the 3 weeks in Sri Lanka Itinerary.

 

How long do you need for your Sri Lanka trip?

We found that for visiting Sri Lanka 3 weeks was the ideal time? This allows you to visit the main tourist areas and to spend two or three days in each destination so that you are not rushing too much. It also allows for some flexibility in case you would like to visit the north or the less visited eastern coast.

On the other hand, if you have 2 weeks in Sri Lanka, you can still see all the best places to visit in Sri Lanka, but you will need to be on the move a bit more.

However, with the small size of the island, and depending on how many days in Sri Lanka you have, a well-planned 10 days in Sri Lanka or one week in Sri Lanka trip is certainly possible. Just don’t try to fit everything in. 

What is the best time to visit Sri Lanka?

The main Sri Lankan tourist season is between the months of December to April. For our three weeks in Sri Lanka, we travelled in the second half of March and finished mid-April.

As this was at the end of the tourist season, the crowds were down and we had no trouble getting seats on trains or hotel rooms. However, on our last few days the monsoon season was beginning.

 

What are the Visa Requirements for Sri Lanka?

You will need a visa to enter Sri Lanka, unless you are a citizen of Singapore, Seychelles, or the Maldives.

The process is online, and is very simple to follow. All you need to do is apply online for an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before you travel and your tourist visa is valid for 30 days. Extensions are possible once inside the country.

For more details and applying for the ETA, visit here.

 

Is it safe to travel to Sri Lanka?

At no point did we feel our safety was threatened regardless of where we went or the time of day.

We did, however, read about instances where it may not be safe for solo women to travel in some of the more remote areas of Sri Lanka.

Also, when visiting Jaffna, we saw slightly heightened levels of security but this didn’t impact our trip. We didn’t raise the subject of the recent troubles with any local.

As always, refer to your country’s safety warnings before you travel.

 

How to get around Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a very easy place to get around. Options include tuk-tuks, taxis, buses, trains, minivans, hiring a car and driver, and even hiring your own car or motorbike.

Tips for getting around:

• Download the ride sharing app “Pick Me”. It is the Sri Lankan version of Uber and can be used throughout the country. “Pick Me” has tuk-tuks and cars available and the cost is similar to metered tuk-tuks.

• Uber is available in Colombo and is very convenient.

• In Colombo, there are many metered tuk-tuks and I found that generally they are happy to turn on the meter.

• Outside of Colombo, negotiating tuk-tuk fares with the drivers is a fairly pain-free process and always inexpensive ($1 to $3 for short trips) so no need to “sweat the small stuff”.

• The most practical way to travel between cities/towns is to hire a car with a driver. We were able to organize these through the hotels/guesthouses we stayed at. Hiring a driver in Sri Lanka costs will depend on whether you hire for a destination trip or a multi-day trip.

• Trains were our favourite method of transportation and you cannot miss the Ella to Kandy route. More details below in the itinerary.

• Buses are the cheapest form of getting around but can be crowded and will take the longest time due to frequent stopping.

 

Is Sri Lanka Expensive?

Sri Lanka uses the rupee (LKR) and as at April 2018 the exchange rate is 155LKR to 1USD.

Sri Lanka can be a cheap country to travel. It is possible for a couple to get by on less than $50 per day if you stay in guest houses, eat predominately local food, and travel by public transport. It can be even cheaper if you are backpacking Sri Lanka or if you plan to travel Sri Lanka alone.

Our budget was closer to $100 per day for 2 and we enjoyed the occasional stay in a hotel with a pool and ate a few meals at high-end Sri Lankan seafood restaurants.

Note: Sri Lanka operates largely using cash (rupees and sometimes USD or Euro). Most guesthouses, some hotels, and budget restaurants accept cash only. You will need to keep plenty of cash on or around you. 

A further breakdown:

Accommodation:

• Guesthouses – reasonable room prices start from around $25 and will include A/C and breakfast. I found the breakfasts provided at guesthouses not only very tasty but also very generous. We were never able to eat everything provided. For us, Sri Lanka’s guesthouses were often the best places to stay in Sri Lanka.

• Hotels – basic hotels with A/C and breakfast (and sometimes a pool) will be more expensive and prices range from $30 to and can rise to $80+ especially in Colombo.

Food

• The cost of food in Sri Lanka is very cheap. Local staples, such as rice and curry, kottu, and hoppers cost only a few dollars for a filling meal. Even fresh seafood is relatively cheap. The times where we spent most money on food was enjoying delicious lagoon (mud) crabs at restaurants. An indulgence, but worth it for us given our love of crab.

• Delicious fresh fruit-based juices are freely available however it is worth mentioning to beer lovers that beer (and other alcoholic drinks for that matter) are not always freely available.

Sightseeing

• Most sights in Sri Lanka are either free, or relatively cheap, and therefore not limiting your options on where to go in Sri Lanka. There are, however, exceptions to the rule such as the entry price to Sigiriya which comes in at $30pp.

Our 3 weeks in Sri Lanka Itinerary

This was the itinerary for our 3 weeks in Sri Lanka. This itinerary can be completed in reverse order. Following our 3 week Sri Lanka route, I have listed a few suggestions on what to leave out/where to travel quicker through, if you are planning 2 weeks in Sri Lanka.

Summary:  COLOMBO to MARISSA • MARISSA to UDA WALAWE • UDA WALAWE to ELLA • ELLA to KANDY • KANDY to SIGIRIYA • SIGIRIYA to JAFFNA • JAFFNA to NEGOMBO

 

COLOMBO (3 nights)

 

We started our trip in Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is a 30 to 60-minute drive from Bandaranaike International Airport, and we found 3 nights enough time to visit the key attractions and wander through the markets at a slow pace.

Things to do: Take a late afternoon stroll along Galle Face Green (and eat some of the local snacks for sale along the walkway), visit the bustling Pettah Market, and spend some time at a temple such as Gangaramaya Buddhist Temple.

Where to stay: We stayed at A One Hotel in the beachside suburb of Wellawatte. There were a couple of beachfront restaurants set up on the sand close by.

Click here for availability and rates for A One Hotel

Eat: For an indulgence try lagoon (mud) crab at Ministry of Crab.

Drink: Try different styles of Sri Lankan tea at The t-Lounge by Dilmah.

 

 

MIRISSA (3 nights)

 

There are a number of towns in southern Sri Lanka that are worth visiting. We decided to base ourselves in Mirissa for 3 nights as it was not only central to most other towns, it was also where the whale watching boats leave from.

Things to do: Spot a majestic whale, go surfing, or try an oily Ayurvedic Massage, visit a turtle conservation project near Galle.

Stay: If possible find accommodation on the beach side of the main road running through town (Matara Road). We stayed in Hotel A1 which was well priced and had a big pool we used a lot. 

Check here for availability and rates of Hotel A1

Eat: The main beach at Mirissa is, by night, lined with display tables filled with fresh seafood (picture above). Choose your dinner of crab, tuna, jumbo prawns, squid, and a host of other seafood delights.

 

UDAWALAWE (2 nights)

 

From Mirissa, we chose to visit the Udawalawe National Park. Although we spotted a range of wildlife on our half-day tour, the elephants are the main attraction. Further east is the Yala National Reserve, where you can spot a wider range of animals.

Tip: Although we stayed 2 nights, you can easily stay one night, complete a morning safari, and then head off to your next destination.

Things to do: Join a half-day or full-day safari of Udawalawe National Park.

Stay: Adambari Safari Villa. We organised our safari through the guest house and it was terrific with a very informative and nice guide.

Click here for availability and prices for Adambari Safari Villas 

Eat: The eating options outside of the guesthouses are limited. We visited a hotel near our guesthouse  where we had an average meal so therefore I won’t recommend it.

 

ELLA (3 nights)

 

We really enjoyed our stay in Ella and were happy we chose to stay 3 nights. Not only did we find Ella an interesting and beautiful location, it was also where we found our favourite guesthouse in Sri Lanka.

Things to do: Tour a tea production facility, hike in the picturesque mountains, visit the 9 arch railway bridge, and generally relax a bit more as the weather in Ella is slightly cooler than the rest of the country.

Take a tour: This tour takes in 3 sites including the 9 arch bridge, Little Adam’s Peak, and Ella Rock

Stay: Tunnel Gap Homestay was our favourite homestay in Sri Lanka. The views were breathtaking, the family so nice, the rooms cosy but comfortable, with a lovely garden for exploring. Highly recommended.

Click here for availability, prices, and photos of the garden and view at Tunnel Gap Homestay

Eat: The Remo’s Restaurant

 

ELLA to KANDY TRAIN JOURNEY

 

In my opinion, if you are only going to take one train ride in Sri Lanka then this is the one. The 7-hour trip between Ella and Kandy rolls through some of the most amazing scenery in Sri Lanka. For the entire trip you will see tea plantations, rolling hills, waterfalls, and catch glimpses of sleepy towns along the way.

We booked our second class reserved seats, which were very comfortable, 2 days in advance from Ella Railway Station. 

 

KANDY (3 nights)

 

We arrived in Kandy after the amazing Ella to Kandy train ride to find a small city busting with activity. We needed a quick mindset adjustment after the relaxing time we had just spent in Ella and the beaches of Mirissa before that.

Things to do: Visit to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, take an afternoon stroll around Kandy Lake, watch a Dances of Sri Lanka show at the Performing Arts Theatre, and browse the stalls at Kandy Market.

Eat: Devon Restaurant serves local and Chinese fare in comfortable surrounds.

Stay: We stayed at the Green View homestay outside of town which was easily accessible by taxi. The rooms were comfortable, the view over the hills (and indeed green), with a super friendly family. 

Click here for availability and prices of the Green View Homestay

Drink: We enjoyed a few drinks overlooking the courtyard at the recently renovated Royal Bar and Hotel.

 

SIGIRIYA (2 nights)

 

Sigiriya is home to perhaps the most impressive sight we experienced whilst in Sri Lanka. The imposing “Lion’s Rock” rises vertically out of the ground and requires a tough climb up to the top.

Tip: To avoid the heat (the last and hardest part of the climb has no shelter from the sun) and to avoid the crowds (the walkway is narrow and it’s nice to walk at your own pace), get there early from between 7am and 8am.

Things to do: Sigiriya can be used as a base to explore other ancient cities in the region. 

Stay: We stayed at The Lion Rock Hotel, which is a 10 minute tuk-tuk ride from the site. The hotel has a pool which was great to relax in after the morning’s climb.

Click here to check for availability and prices for The Lion Rock Hotel

Eat: We ate all our meals at the hotel which happened to have an awesome chef running the kitchen. We arranged a local breakfast of string hoppers and curry for the second morning.

 

JAFFNA (3 nights)

 

After Sigiriya we headed up north to visit Jaffna, the home of Tamil culture. Jaffna has a different feel to the rest of Sri Lanka and the locals were more than happy to go out of their way to help us. Even the tuk-tuk drivers generally quoted prices that didn’t require any negotiation!

We also were lucky enough to bring in Sri Lanka’s new year whilst in Jaffna and we helped celebrate by eating one of their best known dishes, Jaffna Crab, at the beautifully appointed Jetwing Jaffna Restaurant after enjoying a pre-dinner drink on the rooftop bar that has amazing views of the city and beyond.

Things to do: Visit the ruins of Jaffna Fort (do so early or late afternoon as there is no cover from the sun), take a walk around Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil, a significant Hindu complex, and roam through one of the clothing or wet markets located in the centre of town near the main bus station. 

Stay: We stayed at the Green Grass Hotel which had a decent restaurant attached serving Jaffna Curry Crab.

Click here for availability and prices for Green Grass Hotel

Eat: The Rolex Hotel is located in the middle of town and serves great local food.

 

NEGOMBO (2 nights)

 

The last stop on our trip was the seaside town of Negombo, which is a short ride to the airport. Negombo is one of the places to visit in Sri Lanka within one day of the airport.

We would have stayed at Negombo anyway as they are home to something we love to do every chance we get. And that is to visit awesome fish markets like we did here. More about our trip to the fish market here.

Tip: to see the boats offload the large fish such as tuna and shark, you’ll need to get to the market by 5am.

Stay: We stayed at a very relaxing Maple Leaf Hotel with a lovely and private pool. We were able to eat breakfast by the pool as well, which was a pleasant start to the day.

Click here to check availability and prices of the Maple Leaf Hotel

Things to do: Negombo Fish Markets, take walks along the beach at sunset.

 

Suggested 2 weeks in Sri Lanka Itinerary

What would we do if we wanted to cover the same or similar territory over a 2-week period? Following are a few suggestions to turn our 3 weeks in Sri Lanka itinerary into a 2 weeks in Sri Lanka itinerary.

• Reduce time spent in Colombo to 2 nights. It would be easy to take in the key sights in less time than we did. (-1)

• Reduce time spent in Uda Walawe to 1 night. There isn’t really much else to do in Uda Walawe other than the safari so arriving at night, completing the safari in the morning, then heading off to the next destination is a good option. (-1)

• Not visit Jaffna. The travel time (all day car or train trip) required to visit Jaffna means that just visiting for 1 or 2 nights isn’t that practical. (-3)

• For us, Negombo was a place we wanted to visit to see the fish markets and we needed the extra day to fit it in. You could reduce the time spent in Negombo to 1 night, or if you have a late flight it would be easy to arrive at the airport from your last destination and not stay in Negombo at all. (-2)

• If we had the trip again, I would swap one night in Kandy for an extra night in Ella, or another night along the train route, such as Nuwara Eliya. The rest of the country is hot and an extra day in the cooler hill country would have been nice. (0)

 

Conclusion to our visit Sri Lanka travel guide

Despite Sri Lanka receiving many glowing reports from recent travellers, we were still surprised at the natural beauty, the ease of getting around, the delicious food, and best of all, the incredibly friendly locals.

We were very happy we allowed 3 weeks to visit and recommend you spend as much time as you can to visit this special country.