Things to Do in Sri Lanka: The 17 Best, by Region, from a Local Driver

What are the best things to do in Sri Lanka, and how many can you really fit in?

The short answer: there are 17 things I would put on a first-timer's list, and you will not do all of them. Pick eight to ten, group them by region so you are not driving back and forth, and leave one empty afternoon.

I am a Sri Lankan driver, and this is the list I give guests who ask for the top attractions, the best experiences, or just "what should we do?". Think of it as a Sri Lanka travel guide for the activities. For where to base yourself, see our destinations pages.

The 17 best things to see and do in Sri Lanka at a glance

When to go for what

Sri Lanka has two monsoons that hit opposite coasts. Roughly, the south and west coast and the hill country are best from December to March, and the Cultural Triangle is driest and clearest around January to March. The east and north are best from about May to September. Rain can surprise you anywhere.

I left the east and north out of the 17 because most first trips run December to March. Travelling mid-year? Try Trincomalee, Arugam Bay or Jaffna. For winter, see Sri Lanka in November, December and January.

Cultural Triangle: ancient cities and rock climbs

The north-central part of the island, roughly three to four hours from the airport side. Base yourself near Sigiriya and everything here is a short drive. Our Cultural Triangle guide covers the history.

1. Climb Sigiriya Rock

A fifth-century royal citadel on a rock around 200 metres high, UNESCO-listed, with frescoes and the lion's paws at the last stairway. Sigiriya is your base for this section.

Driver tip: Go roughly 6:30 to 9 a.m. or late afternoon. From about 10 to 2 the heat, crowds and hot metal stairs are miserable. Carry a litre of water each and ignore any "helper" at the entrance.

Roughly: 2 to 3 hours. The climb is about 45 to 75 minutes up around 1,200 steps.

2. Pidurangala Rock, for the view of Sigiriya

The rock next door looks straight at Sigiriya, the photo you cannot take from Sigiriya. It is quieter but harder: the last stretch is a real boulder scramble.

Driver tip: Many go for sunset or sunrise, so check current opening times. Bring water and grip shoes, as there are no shops or toilets. Do it the day after Sigiriya, not both at noon.

Roughly: 1.5 to 2 hours.

3. Dambulla Cave Temple

Five caves of Buddhist murals and statues, some over 2,000 years old, under a big rock. It is a working temple.

Driver tip: Buy your ticket at the lower entrance, as there is no booth at the top. Cover your shoulders, no shorts, shoes and hats off, and watch for monkeys. See the Dambulla page.

Roughly: 1 to 2 hours plus a 10-minute uphill walk. I do Sigiriya in the cool morning, Dambulla in the afternoon.

4. Polonnaruwa, the medieval capital

Sri Lanka's capital from roughly the 11th to the 13th century: palaces, stupas and the rock-cut Buddhas of Gal Vihara. It is spread out, so go by car, tuk-tuk or bicycle. Polonnaruwa is more compact than Anuradhapura, so it is my first-trip pick.

Driver tip: Take a site guide, as the ruins are hard to read alone, and reach Gal Vihara before the buses. Dress modestly.

Roughly: 3 to 4 hours. It is close to Minneriya, so pair them.

Hill country: trains, tea and early mornings

The hills are cooler, slower and cloudier. The roads are narrow and twisting, so allow more time than the map says. See our tea country guide.

5. Temple of the Tooth, Kandy

The most sacred Buddhist site in the country, holding a tooth relic of the Buddha beside Kandy Lake. Kandy is a handy overnight stop.

Driver tip: Come for a puja (dawn, midday or evening) for the drumming, as the relic casket is only glimpsed then. Cover shoulders and knees, take shoes and hats off, and never turn your back to a Buddha statue to pose. See our Temple of the Tooth guide.

Roughly: an hour or two, longer with the evening dance show.

6. The Nanu Oya to Ella train

Widely called one of the most scenic train rides in the world. The full Kandy to Ella run is roughly six to seven hours, so I would ride the shorter stretch from Nanu Oya (the station for Nuwara Eliya) to Ella.

Driver tip: Reserved seats open about 30 days ahead and sell out fast in December to March and July to August, so book Ella train tickets early. Your driver takes the bags and meets you in Ella. Ignore touts saying the train is "full". See also train vs private driver.

Roughly: shorter than the full run, so check the timetable.

7. One tea factory, around Nuwara Eliya

Nuwara Eliya, the cool "Little England" town northwest of Ella, is ringed by tea. A factory tour takes the leaf from withering to grading, with a tasting at the end.

Driver tip: One factory is enough, as the process is the same everywhere. A tuk-tuk driver steering you to "a factory" of his choice is usually heading for a commission shop.

Roughly: about an hour.

8. Horton Plains and World's End

A plateau above 2,100 metres ending at the World's End cliff, a drop of roughly 870 metres with views to the lowlands on a clear day. See the Horton Plains page.

Driver tip: Leave around 5 a.m. to reach the gate near 6, as cloud usually covers the view by mid to late morning, and nobody honest can promise it clear. Bring layers and stay back from the unfenced edge. Ohiya station is not the park entrance.

Roughly: about 3 hours walking, plus the early start.

9. Nine Arch Bridge, Ella

A colonial-era railway viaduct curving through tea and jungle, best with a train crossing. Ella is the base.

Driver tip: Train times slip, so allow a 20 to 30 minute buffer, and go early for softer light. It is about 10 minutes by tuk-tuk (agree the fare first). Never stand on the tracks when a train is due.

Roughly: 1 to 2 hours.

10. Little Adam's Peak

An easy walk to a viewpoint at about 1,141 metres, with wide views over valley and tea. It is far gentler than Ella Rock.

Driver tip: Sunrise is busiest, so bring a torch and wear proper shoes, not sandals. From the first viewpoint it is about 40 to 45 minutes on foot to the Nine Arch Bridge, so the two make one morning. See three days in Ella.

Roughly: 1 to 2 hours return.

Wildlife: elephants, leopards and honest crowds

The parks differ a lot, so pick by what you want to see, not by fame. More on our safari page.

11. Elephants at Minneriya or Kaudulla

Two reservoir parks near Habarana and Polonnaruwa, famous for "the Gathering", when up to several hundred wild elephants come to the shrinking water in the dry months, roughly May to October. If Minneriya's water is high, Kaudulla is often better.

Driver tip: Keep the choice of park open until near the date and ask which has had recent sightings, as they have separate tickets. Never ask a jeep driver to chase an elephant. See Minneriya.

Roughly: 3 to 4 hours.

12. Udawalawe, the reliable elephant park

If elephants are the point, Udawalawe is my pick: open grassland around a reservoir, very likely sightings and far fewer jeeps than Yala. It sits on the road from Ella to the south coast.

Driver tip: Be at the gate around 6 a.m., as weekdays are quieter. Use a licensed jeep with a tracker and keep away from mothers with calves.

Roughly: usually half a day.

13. Yala, for leopards, with your eyes open

One of the highest leopard densities in the world, plus elephants and sloth bears. It is also the most crowded park: travellers describe "leopard jams", with dozens of jeeps around one cat. Some say it is still worth it with a private jeep, especially outside the December rush. See Yala.

Driver tip: Gates open around 6 a.m., and the first two hours after sunrise are best. Choose an operator who will not join a ten-jeep scrum, and get a written quote. Leopards are never guaranteed. Check for the usual closure around September and October.

Roughly: 4 to 5 hours for a half-day drive.

South coast: whales, forts and one proper beach day

The south coast is best roughly December to March, and rough in the middle of the year. Our southern beaches guide splits it bay by bay.

14. Whale watching from Mirissa

Mirissa is one of the few places in the world with a good chance of blue whales fairly close to shore. The season is roughly November to April. I am careful about recommending it, as some travellers say a crowd of boats around one whale felt more like a chase than wildlife.

Driver tip: Take the earliest boat, usually leaving around 6 to 7 a.m., and a seasickness tablet an hour before. Choose an operator that follows whale-watching guidelines and does not race to join a crowd.

Roughly: usually 4 to 6 hours.

15. Galle Fort

A 17th-century Dutch and Portuguese fort town, UNESCO-listed, with cobbled lanes, cafés and ramparts above the sea. People still live there, so ask before photographing. See Galle and our Galle Fort guide.

Driver tip: Sunset on the ramparts near Flag Rock is the classic. Decline "free tour" offers and "gem museum" invitations, as both end in shops.

Roughly: a relaxed half day.

16. A proper beach day

Choose the beach by what you want to do. Unawatuna is a reef-protected bay near Galle and the easiest swim. Weligama is the gentle place to learn to surf. Hikkaduwa has a reef and turtles, so look but never touch them. Tangalle has long empty beaches, but strong currents and usually no lifeguards.

Driver tip: Swim where locals or lifeguards are, check the flags, and never swim alone.

Roughly: a whole day, left unplanned.

Colombo: one half day is enough

17. Colombo in half a day

Most people see Colombo on the first or last day. Four stops fit in a half day once you count the traffic: Gangaramaya Temple (modest dress, shoes off), Galle Face Green at sunset (try the isso wade fritters), Pettah market and the National Museum.

Driver tip: Go to Pettah on a weekday morning, as many stalls close on Sunday, and keep bags zipped. Beware "duty-free" gem touts. Check the museum's closing day. Our Colombo guide goes further.

Roughly: half a day.

What to skip, shorten or combine

Skip these

• Gem "museums", "free" tours and spice-garden stops. They are commission shops.
• Roadside turtle hatcheries. Many buy eggs and keep hatchlings in tanks for photos. If nobody can say they go to the sea the same night, skip it.
• Stilt-fisherman photo stops. Most are posed, and ask for money afterwards.

Shorten these

• Anuradhapura. A magnificent sacred city, but vast: half a day at the least, a full day with Mihintale. On a short trip I would pick Polonnaruwa. Heading north? Anuradhapura deserves its own day.
• Ella Rock. A steep 3 to 5 hour climb where a stranger may say you are lost, then demand a tip. Little Adam's Peak gives a similar view for far less effort.
• Sinharaja rainforest. Superb for birds, but a day trip from Galle is roughly 4 to 5 hours on the road. Add Sinharaja only with a spare day.

Combine these in one day

• Sigiriya early, then Dambulla in the afternoon.
• Polonnaruwa in the morning, then a late-afternoon Minneriya or Kaudulla drive.
• Little Adam's Peak at sunrise, then the Nine Arch Bridge, then a slow breakfast.

We drivers plan one big thing a day and one smaller thing around it.

Is this list right for you?

• Go for the Cultural Triangle and hills if you like history, viewpoints and walking.
• Choose Udawalawe and Minneriya if elephants are the point, and Yala only if leopards matter more than quiet.
• Pick the south coast if you want slow last days with a fort, a swim and maybe whales.
• Look east or north instead if you travel roughly May to September.
• Skip Horton Plains and Pidurangala if you hate early starts or scrambling.

Planning your list with a driver

Send me your dates, how many days you have and the five things from this list you cannot miss. We will tell you honestly what fits, in what order, and what to drop. For money, see our private driver cost page and the trip cost calculator. Then request a quote, or message us on WhatsApp.

For visas, health and current safety, check your own government's travel advice and the official Sri Lankan sites, because rules change. Our things to know before visiting Sri Lanka lists what to check.

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