10 top things to do in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is a country full of white sandy beaches, dense green landscapes, exotic animals and sacred temples. Sri Lanka is great for all travellers as you can relax on beautiful beaches or explore sacred relics. It has a bit of everything! It is also a country you can visit all year round, our highlight month would be March.
Here are our 10 Top Things To Do In Sri Lanka
1. Climb Sigiriya Rock
Just one of Sri Lanka’s seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Sigiriya Rock (Lion’s Rock) is a 180m high rock-top fortress that dates back to the fifth century AD. From the summit, the views are incredible; you have panoramic views across a dense green jungle landscape. The climb to the top isn’t too tricky, en route, you’ll pass the famous colourful wall paintings and carved galleries called ‘Sigiriya Damsels’ that is over 1,600 years old.
2. Explore the ruins of Polonnaruwa Mediaeval Kingdom
The Polonnaruwa Mediaeval Kingdom is one of the ancient capital cities of Sri Lanka. The city dates back to the 9th and 14th centuries. The ruins hold well-preserved temples, statues, stupas and tombs to explore; it has been listed at a World Heritage archaeological park. Monkeys (Toque Macaque) run around freely, causing entertainment and, on occasion, causing mischief.
3. Get up close to wild elephants in Minneriya National Park
Minneriya National Park is a fantastic place to visit in the North Central Province. You’ll get to spot sloths, elephants, leopards and birds. You can sport wildlife throughout the year but over 300 endangered animals visit the Minneriya Lake from September to the end of October. This is because the lake water dries out, creating a rich grassland for all animals. In the dry season (June to September), one of the largest meetings of Asian Elephants with herds of up to 300 elephants. If you’re a bird enthusiast, over 2,000 cormorants are known for passing through the area and Pelicans and Herons are often found near the canals.
Best time to go: We recommend May to September for the dry season OR September and October for the elephant migration.
4. Explore Dambulla Cave Temple
Visit cave temples that date back to the 1st Central BC; the Dambulla Cave Temple is the largest complex in Sri Lanka and comprises of five caves filled with beautiful paintings and statues illustrating the Buddhist faith. The Golden Temple is the most renowned due to how well preserved the colourful statue is due to being in the dark interiors of the cave.
The climb up to the cave has long winding paths up 364 steps but it’s well worth the trip to the top. Once you’ve caught your breath, the views across the landscape are incredible! At the summit, you’ll have to take your shoes off to enter the temple and explore..
5. Experience a close encounter with whales
We all know how much we love whales at Travelling Whale. So, of course, we had to included it in our top 10 things to do in Sri Lanka! (Did you know we donate 1% of our profits to the conservation of whales?) You can see up to ten different species of whale off the Sri Lankan coast, including humpback, blue, sperm and minke! The best time to spot the magical blue whale is between February and March, but for most other species they can be spotted between late November and April. These glorious mammals can be spotted along the south coast in Mirissa or Galle, which can be easily accessed by taking the famous coastal train from Colombo to Galle
6. Spot Leopards in Yala National Park
On Sri Lanka’s southern coast lies Yala National Park and if you are an animal lover like us at Travelling Whale, this is a must-see thing to do in Sri Lanka. The leopards are based in a sanctuary that thrives with the highest density of Leopards in the world, which makes seeing one extremely high. Yala National Park in Sri Lanka is the place for those hoping to see one of these big cats up close and personal!
7. Explore the city of Kandy
Situated in Sri Lanka’s central highlands, Kandy is a beautiful place to escape the heat. Our top things to do, are to visit the Sacred Temple of Tooth, a UNESCO listed World Heritage site housed in Kandy’s temple complex and the Royal Botanical Gardens, one of the oldest botanic gardens globally. You can learn all about the unique paintings and vibrant variety of plants. They even have an orchid collection of over 300 varieties. Another fantastic thing to do is to visit Arthur’s seat viewpoint. Located 550 metres above sea level, where you’ll get panoramic views over Kandy Lake.
8. Hike Little Adams Peak
Best enjoyed either at sunrise or sunset, this is a must top ten thing to do in Sri Lanka, especially for those who enjoy a relaxing hike. The trail starts by winding through beautiful tea plantations and takes no longer than an hour to reach the top. It’s a well-marked trail with plenty of stairs thrown in for good measure. Once at the top, you’re surrounded by the beautiful hills of Ella; you can then continue the hike onwards to Nine Arch Bridge (another popular Ella attraction) or hike back to Ella.
9. Explore Sri Lanka by train
What better way to see parts of Sri Lanka than by train? You can relax in your seat and see flowing hills of tea, banana, rice plantations and Buddhist temples – One of the top ten things to do is admire this beautiful, unique scenery. We highly recommend the train to Ella, renowned for being one of the most beautiful train rides in the world.
10. RELAX ON ONE OF SRI LANKA’S MANY BEACHES
Sri Lanka beaches are renowned for their palm-backed coastlines and long powder-white sandy beaches with bright blue seas. A picturesque postcard, we recommend taking some time to rest and recuperate at the end of your adventure.
