East Coast
The east coast is where to go when the south is wet: dry from about March to September, with the calmest sea from May. Trincomalee, Nilaveli and Uppuveli have long beaches and Pigeon Island’s reef, Pasikuda has shallow water for swimming, and Arugam Bay is the best-known surf town on the island.
Every place on this map has been visited and verified by a local editor. Tap a pin or browse below.
- Yapahuwa Rock Fortress
- Yudaganawa Stupa
- World’s End
- Yala National Park
- Weligama
- Whiskey Point
- Wilpattu National Park
- Wavulpane Cave
- Weherahena Temple
- Wadduwa Beach
- Wasgamuwa National Park
- Viharamahadevi Park
- Vavuniya Archaeological Museum
- Velgam Vehera
- Victoria Park
- Uppuveli Beach
- Ussangoda National Park
- Vankalai Bird Sanctuary
- Udawattakele Forest Reserve
- Unawatuna
- Trincomalee
- Udawalawe National Park
- Tissamaharama
- Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
- Thanthirimale
- Talaimannar Pier and Lighthouse
- Tangalle
- St. Anne’s Shrine Talawila
- St Clair’s Falls
- Sithulpawwa Rock Temple
- Somawathiya National Park
- Sigiriya
- Sinharaja Forest Reserve
- Seruwila Mangala Raja Maha Vihara
- Sacred City of Anuradhapura
- Seetha Amman Temple
- Sembuwatta Lake
- Royal Botanic Gardens Peradeniya
- Ruhunu Maha Kataragama Devalaya
- Ruwanwelisaya
- Ritigala Monastery
- Riverston
- Richmond Castle
- Ridi Viharaya
- Rekawa Beach
- Ravana Cave
- Ravana Falls
- Rambadagalla Buddha Statue
- Ramboda Falls
- Ratnapura
- Puttalam Lagoon
- Rajagala Monastery
- Pottuvil Point
- Polhena Beach
- Polonnaruwa
- Polonnaruwa Vatadage
- Pitawala Pathana and Mini World’s End
- Point Pedro
- Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage
- Pinnawala Open Zoo
- Pigeon Island National Park
- Pilikuttuwa Cave Temple
- Pedro Tea Estate and Lover’s Leap
- Pidurangala Rock
- Pasikuda Beach
- Peanut Farm Beach
- Panduwasnuwara Ancient City
- Parakrama Samudra
- Panama Lagoon
- Panavitiya Ambalama
- Nuwara Eliya
- Pahiyangala Cave
- Nilaveli Beach
- Nine Arches Bridge
- Negombo Beach
- Negombo Lagoon and Dutch Canal
- Negombo
- Nallur Kandaswamy Temple
- Narangala Mountain
- National Museum of Colombo
- Naguleswaram Temple
- Nalanda Gedige
- Nagadeepa Vihara
- Nagapooshani Amman Temple
- Munneswaram Temple
- Muthiyangana Raja Maha Vihara
- Muthurajawela Wetland
- Mulkirigala Rock Temple
- Mullaitivu Beach
- Mount Lavinia Beach
- Muhudu Maha Viharaya
- Moon Plains
- Mirissa
- Mihintale
- Minneriya National Park
- Meemure
- Matale
- Matara
- Medirigiriya Vatadage
- Martin Wickramasinghe Folk Museum
- Mannar Baobab Tree
- Mannar Fort
- Marble Beach
- Maligawila Buddha Statue
- Mannar
- Mahiyanganaya
- Makandawa Forest Reserve
- Maduwanwela Walawwa
- Madulsima Mini World’s End
- Maduru Oya National Park
- Madukanda Vihara
- Madiha Beach
- Lunugamvehera National Park
- Lunuganga Estate
- Madhu Shrine
- Lankatilaka Temple
- Lipton’s Seat
- Little Adam’s Peak
- Kurunegala
- Kushtarajagala Statue
- koneswaram temple trincomalee
- Kudumbigala Monastery
- Kumana National Park
- Kokkilai Lagoon and Bird Sanctuary
- Knuckles Mountain Range
- Koggala Lake
- Kirinda Temple and Beach
- Kitulgala
- Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara
- Kiri Vehera
- Keerimalai Springs
- Kataragama
- Kaudulla National Park
- Kandy Lake
- Kanneliya Rainforest
- Kanniya Hot Springs
- Kande Vihara
- Kandy
- Kalutara Bodhiya
- Kandarodai Vihara
- Kalpitiya Lagoon
- Kalutara
- Kalpitiya
- Kalpitiya Dutch Fort
- Kalametiya Bird Sanctuary
- Kalkudah Beach
- Kallady Bridge
- Kala Wewa
- Jetavanaramaya
- Jungle Beach and Rumassala
- Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi
- Japanese Peace Pagoda Unawatuna
- Jathika Namal Uyana
- Jaffna Public Library
- Jaffna
- Jaffna Fort
- Isurumuniya
- Ibbankatuwa Megalithic Tombs
- Idalgashinna
- Independence Square
- Hiriketiya Beach
- Horton Plains National Park
- Hikkaduwa National Park
- Henarathgoda Botanic Garden
- Hikkaduwa
- Hanthana Mountain Range
- Haputale
- Gregory Lake
- Haggala Garden – Nuwara Eliya Sri lanka
- Handapanagala Lake
- Govinda Hela
- Gem Museum and Gem Market Ratnapura
- Gangaramaya Temple and Seema Malaka
- Galle Fort
- Galway’s Land National Park
- Galle
- Galle Face Green
- Gal Oya National Park
- Gal Vihara
- Fort Frederick
- Gadaladeniya Temple
- Ethagala
- Ella Rock
- Embekka Devalaya
- Elephant Transit Home
- Ella
- Elephant Rock
- Elephant Pass
- Dutch Bar Beach
- Dondra Head Lighthouse
- Dunhinda Falls
- Dolphin Watching Kalpitiya
- Dolukanda Mountain
- Diyaluma Falls
- Devon Falls
- Dimbulagala Monastery
- Demodara Loop
- Devinuwara Temple
- Delft Island
- Delft Fort
- Dambulla
- Dambulla Cave Temple
- Dambana Vedda Village
- Dambegoda Bodhisattva Statue
- Dambakola Patuna
- Dalawella Beach
- Dambadeniya Ancient Kingdom
- Colombo Fort and Pettah
- Colombo Lotus Tower
- Colombo
- Coconut Tree Hill
- Ceylon Tea Museum
- Bundala National Park
- Casuarina Beach
- Brief Garden
- Buduruwagala
- Bopath Ella
- Bible Rock
- Bogoda Wooden Bridge
- Beruwala
- Bentota
- Belilena Cave
- Bellanwila Raja Maha Vihara
- Batticaloa Fort
- Batticaloa Lagoon
- Baththalangunduwa Island
- Batticaloa
- Batatota Lena
- Bambarakanda Falls
- Batadombalena Cave
- Baker’s Falls
- Bahirawakanda Buddha
- Badulla
- Attanagalla Raja Maha Vihara
- Aukana Buddha Statue
- Asupini Ella
- Arugam Bay
- Anuradhapura
- Arankele Forest Monastery
- Ancient City of Polonnaruwa
- Ambuluwawa Tower
- Anawilundawa Wetland Sanctuary
- Aluvihare Rock Temple
- Ambalangoda Mask Museum
- Alankuda Beach
- Alagalla Mountain
- Adam’s Peak
- Adisham Bungalow
- Ahangama
- Adam’s Bridge Viewpoint
- Abhayagiri Monastery
The short answer
Trincomalee, or Trinco, is a harbour city on the north-east coast with a clifftop Hindu temple, an old fort and some of Sri Lanka's best beaches at Uppuveli and Nilaveli. From about May to September the sea is calm and clear, with snorkelling at Pigeon Island. Plan 1–3 days.
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1–3 days · No general admission fee · Culture & History
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1–4 hours · Free entry · Beaches
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1–3 hours · Free entry · Culture & History
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1–4 hours · Free entry · Beaches
East Coast: questions people ask
When is the best time to visit Sri Lanka's east coast?
May to September, for calm sea and surf, with the dry season starting in March. From November to January the north-east monsoon brings rain, heaviest in December.
Where can I snorkel on the east coast?
At Pigeon Island National Park, off Nilaveli near Trincomalee, which has coral and reef fish. Boats go out from about May to September, and there is a park fee, so check before you go.
How do I get to the east coast of Sri Lanka?
By road from the cultural triangle or the hill country, or by train to Trincomalee or Batticaloa. Arugam Bay is reached by road.