Sri Lanka itinerary: surf, Ella, Kandy and remote work from the beach

I flew to Sri Lanka without a big plan. I only had a few certain things: a base in the south by the sea, surfing, working from the beach and then trips around the island. This is not an article by an experienced traveller, but an honest record of where we went, what cost what and what I would do differently.

Where did we go and how much time does it take?

I had my base on the south coast near Matara the whole time. From there I went on trips: a safari in Udawalawe, to Ella, on the night climb of Adam's Peak and to Kandy. Then back to the sea.

It is worth taking at least two weeks for the island. We were there almost four, so we managed surfing, work and trips without rushing. If you have a week, choose either the south and beaches, or the hill loop of Ella and Kandy, you can't do both in one.

Where did I stay and surf?

I stayed at the surf camp Sea You House in the coastal village of Meddawatta near Matara. It is a few metres from the beach and about 5 km (3 miles) from the town of Matara. It is run by the Czech school Surf Trip, so lessons are in Czech.

There are two- to three-bed rooms with a bathroom, a 3×8 m pool, a yoga terrace and a coworking space. The beach is sandy, so you don't have to worry about rocks or sea urchins, and the waves suit both beginners and advanced surfers. They have a board rental on site.

I surfed as part of their camp, but you can join them in other ways too: accommodation and half a day of surfing can be bought separately, you don't have to go with the whole group. According to the website accommodation starts from 1,200 CZK (about EUR 48) per night in a double room and the camp for a week costs 12,490 CZK (about EUR 500) (these are prices for the 2026/27 season). The season in the south is November to April.

Surf Trip also offers trips as an add-on (safaris in Yala and Udawalawe, a tea factory, whales, snorkelling). I arranged my trips myself, so I don't know their offer from my own experience.

What to see in the south around Matara?

You can spend a week in the south just relaxing, but a few places are worth a stop.

• Dondra Head Lighthouse - a white lighthouse on the southernmost tip of the island.
• Buddhist temples around Matara - colourful paintings inside. You enter temples with your shoulders and knees covered.
• Polhena - a quiet beach, also good for snorkelling.
• Mirissa - Parrot Rock, fish sold right on the beach and whale-watching boats.

What was the safari in Udawalawe like?

We went to Udawalawe by jeep straight from the south. Udawalawe is a park known for its elephants, and we saw one on the shore of a pond, plus lots of monkeys.

Entry prices change every year and sources disagree, so check them before the trip (information line 1919) and ask whether the jeep price includes the tickets.

On the way from Udawalawe to Ella it is worth stopping at Buduruwagala: Buddha rock reliefs carved straight into the rock. It is peaceful and there is hardly anyone there.

What to do in Ella?

Ella is a mountain town in the middle of tea plantations and a tourist magnet. Three things I did there, and none of them disappointed me:

• Little Adam's Peak - a short climb with a view of the valley and a small shrine with a Buddha. According to the guides, entry is free.
• Nine Arches Bridge - a stone railway viaduct with nine arches. People walk along the tracks, trains run several times a day, so find out the times. Entry is free.
• Flying Ravana - a zipline across the valley. It costs roughly 25 to 40 USD (about EUR 22 to 35), depending on where you buy it.

How did the night climb of Adam's Peak go?

Adam's Peak is a sacred mountain with a giant footprint in the rock at the top. The climbing season runs roughly from December to May, and the most people come around the March full moon. And that is exactly when we were there.

We set off at night, when the mountain fills with pilgrims. On the screenshot below you can see the start of the trail: a few hours before dawn, flags above the gate and lots of people.

According to the guides the trail has around 5,000 to 5,500 steps, about 7 km (4 miles) one way and 3 to 4 hours up. Most people set off between midnight and 2 a.m. But around the full moon tens of thousands of people move up there at night and the upper part turns into one long queue.

It was the same for us. We went for sunrise, but after two hours of waiting in the queue we turned back just below the summit. We spent sunrise in the queue and in the mist, so we only have it on our phone. We didn't reach the top, so I'll have to go back. If you want an experience without the crowds, choose a weekday night away from the full moon instead.

What to bring: a headtorch or torch, layers of clothing (it is cold at the top), sturdy shoes and small change. There are stalls with tea and food along the way. If it rains, expect leeches. Out of season (roughly June to November) it is monsoon time, the summit is often covered in cloud, the trail is not lit and the stalls are closed.

How do you take the train from the hills to Kandy?

We took the train from Hatton to Kandy and it was one of the nicest experiences of the trip. You can lean out of the window and photograph the hills and tea fields.

In Kandy it is worth visiting the giant Buddha statue on the hill above the town (Bahirawakanda).

What to eat and drink?

Food was one of the best parts of the trip. The basis is rice and curry, plus lots of fresh fruit and the local Lion beer. A few tips:

• Lamprais - rice with vegetables and meat, wrapped and baked in a banana leaf. In Kandy we ate it at Midland Deli, where the sign gave the price as 350 rupees, so about EUR 0.90.
• Home-style curry in the south - rice with several side dishes, as served in small places.
• Fruit at the market - pineapple, papaya, bananas, watermelon.
• Smoke & Bitters in Hiriketiya - a cocktail bar and smokehouse on Pehebiya beach. According to Time Out it is open daily from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. and booking in advance is recommended. According to a press release from June 2026 it is among the best bars in Asia.

I couldn't fit all the food in here, so I'll write about it separately.

Can you work remotely in Sri Lanka?

Yes, and quite well. I worked from here the whole time and lots of people go there mainly for that. If you have a laptop job and flexible hours, the south of Sri Lanka is almost ideal: surf in the morning, work in the afternoon, beach in the evening.

Time difference

Sri Lanka is on UTC+5:30. Compared with Czechia it is 4 hours 30 minutes ahead in winter (CET) and 3 hours 30 minutes ahead in summer (CEST). Practical consequences:

• Morning in Czechia, afternoon there. A call at 9:00 Czech time is 13:30 there (in winter).
• Surf early in the morning, when the waves are best and you don't have calls yet. In the afternoon and early evening you have work for people in Czechia.
• Late calls from Czechia (after 18:00) mean you will be working until after 10 p.m. Arrange them earlier.

Internet and SIM card

Wi-Fi is common in accommodation and coworking spaces. I didn't find any reliable speed figures, so ask the accommodation for a speed test before booking and keep mobile data as a backup.

• Dialog - the most widespread network. According to websites, a tourist package costs from 1,400 rupees (about EUR 3.70) for 20 GB to 2,450 rupees (about EUR 6.50) for 50 GB for 30 days. The SIM card costs 150 rupees (about EUR 0.40) and is free if you buy a package at the airport.
• SLT-Mobitel - according to Ookla it tends to have the fastest mobile network. It is more useful in the mountains.
• Registration - you have to have the SIM card registered with your passport right when you buy it.

If you don't want to deal with a SIM at the airport, there are also eSIMs. For example Airalo offers them. An eSIM usually has no local phone number or SMS, and calls go through WhatsApp.

Prices of SIM cards and packages change, so check them before the trip.

Sea You House has a coworking space on site. You will find information about the accommodation and the surf camp at surf-trip.cz.

How much does it cost? Prices in rupees and euros

I converted at roughly 0.066 CZK per rupee and 21.8 CZK per dollar (and 25 CZK to the euro). Prices are approximate and change, so check them before the trip.

Where to stay in southern Sri Lanka?

I stayed at Sea You House, which I wrote about above. If you don't feel like going with the camp, here are the places with the best ratings on Booking around Matara. I didn't stay in them, I chose them by score and number of reviews.

For backpackers, the hostels in Hiriketiya and Weligama make the most sense. On Hostelworld the scores are around 9.5 and bed prices roughly from 8 to 16 USD (about EUR 7 to 14).

Where to stay in Ella, Kandy and near Adam's Peak?

I had no fixed accommodation on the trips around the island, so here are the places with the best ratings on Booking. I didn't stay in them, I chose them by score and number of reviews.

Ella

• Winwood Ella - a guesthouse with a score of 9.6 from 731 reviews.
• Divine View Homestay - 9.5 from 672 reviews.
• Green Village - 9.2 from 1,249 reviews, cheaper, guests praise the breakfast and the location.
• Backpackers Hostel Ella - for backpackers, Hostelworld 9.9 from 185 reviews, a bed from roughly 6 USD (about EUR 5).

Kandy

• The Golden Crown Hotel - a score of around 9.3 to 9.5 from more than a thousand reviews.
• Kandy View Stay - 9.8 from 106 reviews, from roughly 25 USD per night for two (about EUR 22).
• Bunkalow - a hostel, Hostelworld 9.5 from 454 reviews. It is about 3.7 km (2 miles) from the centre.

Adam's Peak (Nallathanniya / Dalhousie)

• Hugging Clouds - a score of around 9.0 to 9.1, guests praise the staff and the food.
• Wathsala Inn - 8.9 from 695 reviews, guests write that it is right at the start of the trail.

If you want to start the mountain in the dark, it pays to stay as close as possible to the start of the trail in Nallathanniya (Dalhousie).

Colombo (first or last night)

If you fly into Colombo and don't want to head straight south, one of the classics by the sea is The Mount Lavinia Hotel in Mount Lavinia. It is a white colonial building with a green roof above a golden sandy bay. It was built in 1806 as a governor's residence and has been a hotel since 1947. I didn't stay there, the information about the hotel comes from its description. Check the price and availability on Booking.

The links above lead to a search by name on Booking. Scores, review counts and prices change, so check them before booking.