How should I plan a trip around Sri Lanka?
Think in towns rather than sights. Your trip is a line of towns to sleep in, from the airport and back, with the places to see near each one. Choose the towns first, then fill each day with what is close to where you sleep that night.
Ancient cities, tea country, wildlife and beaches pull in different directions, and the island is slower to cross than the map suggests. Leave a region out rather than rush through it.
The free Srilor planner works the same way. Fill in when you land, how long you have, your pace and what you love, and Suggest a plan drafts the towns, the nights in each and the places for every day; then change anything you like.
How many nights should I spend in each town?
Nights are always one fewer than days, so a ten-day trip has nine nights. Count them before you book anything; it is easy to plan a night too many.
Two nights in one town gives you a whole day there with no packing. One-night stops are fine on the way somewhere, but a long run of them means packing every morning and seeing the island through a car window.
- One night: a break in a long drive, or a late arrival near the airport
- Two nights: one whole day for the places near town
- Three nights or more: a base for day trips, or a beach where you stop moving
How long do drives between towns take in Sri Lanka?
Longer than the distance suggests. Away from the expressways, roads are narrow and shared with buses, tuk-tuks and animals. As a guide, allow about 4 hours by car from Colombo to Sigiriya.
Treat any drive time as a typical time by car, without bad traffic. Allow extra in the rain and anywhere near Colombo; times by train, bus and tuk-tuk are estimates, not timetables.
Should I travel by car and driver, train, bus or tuk-tuk?
A car and driver is the most common way to get between towns, and the easiest. Agree a daily rate that covers fuel and the driver’s meals and room. Many places to stay have a room for drivers, so ask when you book.
The train from Kandy to Ella climbs through the tea country and is one of the loveliest rides anywhere. It takes about 6–7 hours, so let it fill most of the day, and book reserved seats as soon as your dates are set, because they sell out fast in season.
Buses are cheap and go almost everywhere, but they are slow and often crowded: hard work with big bags, fine for a short ride. Tuk-tuks suit short hops around town; use PickMe or Uber where they work, or agree the fare before you get in.
How much can I fit into one day?
Less than you think. Start early, when it is cool and the sites are quiet, keep the middle of the day slow, and leave room for the heat, a long lunch and a rest.
It helps to give every day a word before you go. If a day comes out as too much, move a place to a day when you sleep closer, rather than squeezing it in.
- Easy day: time to wander
- Full day: busy, but it works
- Moving day: a long drive to your next town, so plan little else; one place on the way is plenty
- Free day: nothing planned, to rest, swim or follow your nose
- Too much for one day: it will not all fit, so something has to move
Where should I book my stays?
Choose your towns first, then book where you like, on any booking site or with the hotel directly. Book busy dates early: Christmas to New Year on the south coast, and Kandy during the Esala Perahera in July or August.
Keep each booking reference with the night it belongs to, so it is to hand at check-in. In the Srilor app you add each booking to its night; the app suggests towns to sleep in but does not book hotels.
Questions people ask
How many days do you need in Sri Lanka?
Ten days covers the cultural triangle, the hill country and the south coast at a steady pace. With fourteen days you can add a stretch of the east coast or Jaffna.
Is a car and driver worth it in Sri Lanka?
For most trips, yes: it is the easiest way to get between towns. Agree a daily rate that covers fuel and the driver’s meals and room before you start.
How far ahead should I book the Kandy to Ella train?
As soon as your dates are set. Reserved seats sell out fast in season, especially from December to April.