Pick what you want to do, then see every checked place for it on the map.
What do you love to explore?
Every experience
Beaches
Sri Lanka’s beaches follow the monsoons: the south and west are best from December to April, and the east from about May to September. Pick your coast by the month, then swim only where the flag is green.
Hikes
Sri Lanka’s best hikes are in the hill country and the cultural triangle: Ella Rock, Little Adam’s Peak, Horton Plains to World’s End, the Knuckles range, Pidurangala and the overnight climb up Adam’s Peak. Start early, before the heat and the mist.
Waterfalls
Most of Sri Lanka’s waterfalls are in the hill country, from Ravana Falls on the Ella road to Diyaluma, Bambarakanda, St Clair’s and Dunhinda. They are fullest after rain, but paths are safest in dry weather, so pick your season and go early.
Wildlife
Sri Lanka packs leopards, elephants, whales and birds into a small island. Yala is known for leopards, Udawalawe and Minneriya for elephants, Wilpattu for quiet tracks and sloth bears, and Mirissa for whale-watching; each has its own best months.
Food and street eats
Sri Lankan food is rice and curry at lunch, kottu off a hot griddle at night, hoppers and string hoppers, and short eats from bakery counters all day. Jaffna adds its own crab curry, and Colombo has lamprais from its Burgher kitchens.
Culture and history
Sri Lanka has more than two thousand years of history to visit, from the ancient capitals of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa to Sigiriya, the Dambulla cave temple, the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy and the ramparts of Galle Fort. Many are living places of worship, so dress and behave as you would at any shrine.
Festivals and events
Sri Lanka’s festivals follow the full moon and the Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and Christian calendars, so most dates move each year. The best known are Sinhala and Tamil New Year in April, Vesak in May and the Kandy Esala Perahera in July or August.
Surfing and diving
Sri Lanka’s surf follows the monsoons: the south coast, from Hikkaduwa to Weligama and Ahangama, works from about December to April, and Arugam Bay on the east from about May to September. Snorkelling and diving follow the same pattern, with Hikkaduwa in the south-west season and Pigeon Island off Nilaveli in the east.
Scenic train rides
The train from Kandy to Ella climbs through tea estates, tunnels and misty hills, past Nanu Oya for Nuwara Eliya, then runs on beyond Ella over the Nine Arches Bridge and the Demodara Loop. The coastal line from Colombo to Galle runs right beside the sea.
Nightlife
Sri Lankan nightlife is low-key outside Colombo: rooftop bars, live music and clubs in the city, and beach bars in Mirissa, Hikkaduwa, Unawatuna and Arugam Bay in their seasons. On full moon (Poya) days, alcohol is not sold.