Audio stories

The short answer

Srilor audio stories are narrated stories for well over a hundred places in Sri Lanka, told in chapters by a natural voice, in several languages. The first chapter of every story is free. The Island Pass opens every story in full and keeps places on your phone with their stories, for the days without signal.

Srilor’s audio stories tell you about the place in front of you, in chapters, by a natural voice. Press play, put the phone in your pocket and look at the place rather than the screen.

Audio stories

Hear every story, right where it happened.

Stories told in chapters by a natural voice, in several languages. Play one where it happened and listen as you walk. The first chapter of every story is free.

The Painted Women, Sigiriya
Chapter 3 of 5 · a 6-minute story

Srilor app: the Sigiriya audio story in five chapters; chapter one is free

What are Srilor audio stories?

Each story is a narration about one place: what happened there, who built it and what to look for while you stand in front of it. Stories are told in chapters by a natural voice, and they are made to be heard on site, with your eyes on the place rather than the screen.

There are stories for well over a hundred places, from temples, forts and ruins to viewpoints and national parks. Local editors check every place a story belongs to.

How do I play a story at the place?

Open the place in the Srilor app and press play. The story keeps playing with the screen off, so your phone can go back in your pocket.

You can play a story anywhere: before you go, to decide what to see, or afterwards, to remember it. It works best on site, with the place in front of you.

Is the first chapter of every story free?

Yes. The first chapter of every story is free to play, so you can hear how a story begins before you decide anything.

To hear every story in full, you need the Island Pass. It is one payment, with nothing monthly and nothing to cancel. It opens every story in full, in every language recorded, keeps places offline with their stories, and adds every new story at no extra cost. Planning your trip stays free, with or without it.

Can I listen to audio stories offline?

Yes, with the Island Pass. It keeps places on your phone with their stories, so they play without signal. That matters in the hill country, in national parks and at remote temples, where coverage can drop.

Keep the places you plan to visit offline while you still have Wi-Fi, before you leave your guesthouse rather than at the gate. Without the pass, play the free first chapter where you have signal.

What languages are the audio stories in?

Stories are told in several languages, and you choose yours in the app. Where a place’s story is not yet recorded in your language, you hear the English one.

How do I get the most from a story at the place?

A few habits make the stories work better on the ground. Most of them are about respect as much as sound.

  • With the Island Pass, keep the places you plan to visit offline while you are on Wi-Fi
  • Use earphones, or one earbud so you can still hear traffic and other people
  • Keep the volume low at temples and shrines, or step outside to listen
  • Carry a charged phone or a power bank, because maps and audio use battery

Every place with a story

128 places with a story

Colombo & West Coast 22

  1. 01Alankuda BeachAlankuda · 1.2 min
  2. 02Anawilundawa Wetland SanctuaryAnawilundawa · 1.3 min
  3. 03Attanagalla Raja Maha ViharaAttanagalla · 1.2 min
  4. 04Baththalangunduwa IslandKalpitiya · 1.2 min
  5. 05Bellanwila Raja Maha ViharaBellanwila · 1.2 min
  6. 06BeruwalaBeruwala · 1.1 min
  7. 07Brief GardenBeruwala · 1.2 min
  8. 08ColomboColombo · 1.1 min
  9. 09Colombo Fort and PettahColombo · 1.2 min
  10. 10Colombo Lotus TowerColombo · 1.1 min
  11. 11Dolphin Watching KalpitiyaKalpitiya · 1.2 min
  12. 12Galle Face GreenColombo · 1.2 min
  13. 13Gangaramaya Temple and Seema MalakaColombo · 1.2 min
  14. 14Henarathgoda Botanic GardenGampaha · 1.3 min
  15. 15Independence SquareColombo · 1.2 min
  16. 16KalpitiyaKalpitiya · 1.2 min
  17. 17Kalpitiya Dutch FortKalpitiya · 1.3 min
  18. 18Kalpitiya LagoonKalpitiya · 1.2 min
  19. 19KalutaraKalutara · 1.1 min
  20. 20Kalutara BodhiyaKalutara · 1.1 min
  21. 21Kande ViharaAluthgama · 1.1 min
  22. 22Kelaniya Raja Maha ViharaKelaniya · 1.2 min

Cultural Triangle 20

  1. 23Abhayagiri MonasteryAnuradhapura · 1.3 min
  2. 24Aluvihare Rock TempleMatale · 1.1 min
  3. 25Ancient City of PolonnaruwaPolonnaruwa · 1.3 min
  4. 26AnuradhapuraAnuradhapura · 1.2 min
  5. 27Arankele Forest MonasteryArankele · 1.2 min
  6. 28Aukana Buddha StatueAukana · 1.2 min
  7. 29Dambadeniya Ancient KingdomDambadeniya · 1.2 min
  8. 30DambullaDambulla · 1.1 min
  9. 31Dambulla Cave TempleDambulla · 1.1 min
  10. 32Dimbulagala MonasteryDimbulagala · 1.2 min
  11. 33Dolukanda MountainDolukanda · 1.2 min
  12. 34EthagalaKurunegala · 1.2 min
  13. 35Gal ViharaPolonnaruwa · 1.2 min
  14. 36Ibbankatuwa Megalithic TombsDambulla · 1.3 min
  15. 37IsurumuniyaAnuradhapura · 1.2 min
  16. 38Jathika Namal UyanaGalkiriyagama · 1.2 min
  17. 39Jaya Sri Maha BodhiAnuradhapura · 1.2 min
  18. 40JetavanaramayaAnuradhapura · 1.2 min
  19. 41Kala WewaKekirawa · 1.2 min
  20. 42Kaudulla National ParkHabarana · 1.2 min

East Coast 11

  1. 43Arugam BayArugam Bay · 1.2 min
  2. 44BatticaloaBatticaloa · 1.1 min
  3. 45Batticaloa FortBatticaloa · 1.2 min
  4. 46Batticaloa LagoonBatticaloa · 1.2 min
  5. 47Dutch Bar BeachBatticaloa · 1.1 min
  6. 48Elephant RockArugam Bay · 1.2 min
  7. 49Fort FrederickTrincomalee · 1.2 min
  8. 50Gal Oya National ParkInginiyagala · 1.3 min
  9. 51Kalkudah BeachKalkudah · 1.1 min
  10. 52Kallady BridgeKallady · 1.2 min
  11. 53Kanniya Hot SpringsKanniya · 1.1 min

Hill Country 44

  1. 54Adam’s PeakNallathanniya · 1.1 min
  2. 55Adisham BungalowHaputale · 1.2 min
  3. 56Alagalla MountainIhalakotte · 1.2 min
  4. 57Ambuluwawa TowerGampola · 1.2 min
  5. 58Asupini EllaAranayake · 1.2 min
  6. 59BadullaBadulla · 1.1 min
  7. 60Bahirawakanda BuddhaKandy · 1.1 min
  8. 61Baker’s FallsOhiya · 1.1 min
  9. 62Bambarakanda FallsKalupahana · 1.2 min
  10. 63Batadombalena CaveKuruwita · 1.2 min
  11. 64Batatota LenaKuruwita · 1.1 min
  12. 65Belilena CaveKitulgala · 1.2 min
  13. 66Bible RockAranayake · 1.2 min
  14. 67Bogoda Wooden BridgeHali-Ela · 1.2 min
  15. 68Bopath EllaKuruwita · 1.2 min
  16. 69BuduruwagalaWellawaya · 1.2 min
  17. 70Ceylon Tea MuseumKandy · 1.2 min
  18. 71Dambana Vedda VillageDambana · 1.3 min
  19. 72Dambegoda Bodhisattva StatueMaligawila · 1.3 min
  20. 73Demodara LoopDemodara · 1.2 min
  21. 74Devon FallsTalawakele · 1.1 min
  22. 75Diyaluma FallsKoslanda · 1.2 min
  23. 76Dunhinda FallsBadulla · 1.1 min
  24. 77Elephant Transit HomeUdawalawe · 1.3 min
  25. 78EllaElla · 1.1 min
  26. 79Ella RockElla · 1.1 min
  27. 80Embekka DevalayaEmbekka · 1.1 min
  28. 81Gadaladeniya TemplePilimathalawa · 1.1 min
  29. 82Galway’s Land National ParkNuwara Eliya · 1.2 min
  30. 83Gem Museum and Gem Market RatnapuraRatnapura · 1.3 min
  31. 84Govinda HelaSiyambalanduwa · 1.2 min
  32. 85Gregory LakeNuwara Eliya · 1.2 min
  33. 86Haggala Garden – Nuwara Eliya Sri lankaHakgala · 1.2 min
  34. 87Handapanagala LakeWellawaya · 1.3 min
  35. 88Hanthana Mountain RangeKandy · 1.2 min
  36. 89HaputaleHaputale · 1.2 min
  37. 90Horton Plains National ParkOhiya · 1.3 min
  38. 91IdalgashinnaIdalgashinna · 1.2 min
  39. 92KandyKandy · 1.1 min
  40. 93Kandy LakeKandy · 1.1 min
  41. 94KataragamaKataragama · 1.2 min
  42. 95Kiri VeheraKataragama · 1.1 min
  43. 96KitulgalaKitulgala · 1.2 min
  44. 97Knuckles Mountain RangeHunnasgiriya · 1.2 min

North & Jaffna 12

  1. 98Adam’s Bridge ViewpointTalaimannar · 1.3 min
  2. 99Casuarina BeachKarainagar · 1.1 min
  3. 100Dambakola PatunaKankesanthurai · 1.2 min
  4. 101Delft FortDelft · 1.1 min
  5. 102Delft IslandDelft · 1.2 min
  6. 103Elephant PassElephant Pass · 1.2 min
  7. 104JaffnaJaffna · 1.1 min
  8. 105Jaffna FortJaffna · 1.2 min
  9. 106Jaffna Public LibraryJaffna · 1.2 min
  10. 107Kandarodai ViharaChunnakam · 1.2 min
  11. 108Keerimalai SpringsKeerimalai · 1.2 min
  12. 109Kokkilai Lagoon and Bird SanctuaryKokkilai · 1.3 min

South Coast 19

  1. 110AhangamaAhangama · 1.1 min
  2. 111Ambalangoda Mask MuseumAmbalangoda · 1.3 min
  3. 112BentotaBentota · 1.1 min
  4. 113Bundala National ParkHambantota · 1.3 min
  5. 114Coconut Tree HillMirissa · 1.1 min
  6. 115Dalawella BeachUnawatuna · 1.1 min
  7. 116Devinuwara TempleDondra · 1.1 min
  8. 117Dondra Head LighthouseDondra · 1.2 min
  9. 118GalleGalle · 1.1 min
  10. 119Galle FortGalle · 1.2 min
  11. 120HikkaduwaHikkaduwa · 1.1 min
  12. 121Hikkaduwa National ParkHikkaduwa · 1.2 min
  13. 122Hiriketiya BeachDickwella · 1.1 min
  14. 123Japanese Peace Pagoda UnawatunaUnawatuna · 1.2 min
  15. 124Jungle Beach and RumassalaUnawatuna · 1.2 min
  16. 125Kalametiya Bird SanctuaryKalametiya · 1.2 min
  17. 126Kanneliya RainforestUdugama · 1.2 min
  18. 127Kirinda Temple and BeachKirinda · 1.2 min
  19. 128Koggala LakeKoggala · 1.1 min

Questions people ask

Do I need an internet connection to play audio stories?

Not with the Island Pass, if you keep the place offline first while you have Wi-Fi; its story then plays without signal. Without the pass, play the free first chapter where you have signal.

Are Srilor audio stories free?

The first chapter of every story is free. The Island Pass, one payment with nothing monthly, opens every story in full.

Are the audio stories available in other languages?

Yes. Stories are told in several languages. Where a place’s story is not yet recorded in yours, you hear the English one.

Are Srilor audio stories told in chapters?

Yes. Each story is told in chapters by a natural voice, and the first chapter is always free.