Sri Lanka | What to see in Sri Lanka: 5 places worth it

Sri Lanka is full of places you want to see, and hardly anyone has time for everything. Here are five I would put on the list. I visited four of them myself, and for the fifth I say so explicitly.

The Sri Lankan flag with a lion and a wooden sign reading Sri Lanka, Beach, Koggala on the beach, with waves in the background — The Sri Lankan flag and a sign on the beach at Koggala.

1. Ella and Nine Arches Bridge

A mountain town in the middle of tea plantations. In a day you can do Little Adam's Peak, the stone Nine Arches Bridge viaduct (free entry, people walk along the tracks and trains run several times a day) and the Flying Ravana zipline for roughly 25 to 40 USD.

Sri Lanka: Lukáš standing with arms outstretched on the tracks on the bridge — Right on the bridge.

A red train crossing the stone Nine Arches Bridge viaduct above the tea fields — A red train on Nine Arches Bridge.

A blue train crossing the stone Nine Arches Bridge viaduct among green forests — A blue train on the same bridge.

2. Udawalawe: safari with elephants

A jeep safari in the national park, where you meet elephants and lots of monkeys. A private jeep for half a day costs roughly 11,000 to 15,000 rupees (about EUR 29 to 40), and park entry is paid separately.

Sri Lanka: An elephant by a pond in Udawalawe National Park — An elephant by the lake.

A monkey sitting on a gravel track in the park — A monkey by the road.

3. Adam's Peak

A night climb up a sacred mountain. It didn't work out for us because of the crowds, but it is still an experience. You will find the details in the separate article about Adam's Peak.

Sri Lanka: People in raincoats and mist by the flags on Adam's Peak — Adam's Peak: mist and a queue.

4. Kandy

The capital of the hills, a giant Buddha statue on a hill above the town and the train from Hatton with open windows. According to sources, the Temple of the Tooth (Dalada Maligawa) is open daily from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., entry for foreigners costs 2,000 rupees according to most sources (about EUR 5), and you must cover your shoulders and knees.

Sri Lanka: Lukáš leaning out of the window of a blue train — The train to Kandy.

Lukáš with two monks in orange in front of a Buddha statue — With monks in Kandy.

A giant white statue of a seated Buddha above Kandy, with red and black steps and flags in front of it — The giant Buddha statue on the hill above Kandy (Bahirawakanda).

5. Sigiriya

Sigiriya is a rock with a fortress that you climb by steps. According to the latest sources a foreign adult pays 35 USD (about EUR 30), and tickets can be bought online on the Central Cultural Fund portal. It is best in the morning or afternoon, because of the heat. A cheaper alternative is Pidurangala rock with a view of Sigiriya, for about 1,000 rupees according to sources (about EUR 2.60).

Sri Lanka: Sigiriya rock above green trees and a sandy path under a blue sky — Sigiriya rock.

Bonus: beaches in the south

The south of Sri Lanka is full of beaches and one of them is Mirissa, where I was. In the background you can see Parrot Rock, which I climbed. Main tip: go to Parrot Rock at low tide.

Stilt fishermen are also a typical picture of the south. They sit on a crossbar (locally called a petta) tied to a pole stuck into the seabed a few metres from the shore, and catch fish with a rod made from kithul palm. It is fishing without a boat: the fisherman gets further into the water, where the fish are, and doesn't need expensive equipment. According to sources, the tradition is mainly from Unawatuna to Weligama and the catches are small, and many fishermen use it to earn extra on top of another job. Their numbers are shrinking today and some let themselves be photographed for money, so when taking photos expect that a fisherman may ask for money.

Sri Lanka: People on a sandy beach in Mirissa with palm trees and Parrot Rock in the background — The beach in Mirissa, Parrot Rock on the right.

Fishermen sitting on wooden stilts in the waves by a sandy beach with palm trees — Stilt fishermen in the south of Sri Lanka.

And one more tip: Galle Fort

Galle Fort is a UNESCO site and the best place in the south for a walk among colonial houses and along the ramparts by the sea. You can get there by train from Matara in about an hour.

Entry: the fort is free to enter. According to most sources it is open around the clock, only the shops, cafés and museums inside have their own opening hours.
Ramparts: the walk along them is about 3 km (2 miles) long and is nicest at sunset.
Lighthouse: it is a popular stop, but according to sources you can only admire it from outside, you can't go up.
Flag Rock: the most popular sunset spot. During the day local divers jump from it into the sea.
Dutch Reformed Church (from the 18th century): entry is free, and inside are gravestones and a pulpit made of calamander wood.
Museums: they have their own admission and opening hours, check them on the spot.

Allow 2 to 4 hours for a visit, so you have time to stop at a café too.