Best 2 weeks itinerary in Sri Lanka
Welcome to our ultimate 2 weeks itinerary in Sri Lanka! Formerly known as Ceylon, this small island country in the Indian Ocean will amaze you with its cultural diversity, lush nature, rich history – and last but not least – delicious food. All these are shaping it into the colourful, fascinating paradise we discovered. As it’s impossible to cover the whole island in 2 weeks, this article takes focus on the popular tourist ‘ring’ in southwestern Sri Lanka. Let’s see the breakdown of our trip, day-by-day!
Table of Contents
Day 1: Colombo
Accommodation: Trillium Boutique City Hotel (56$/2 people/1 night)
When you first set foot on Sri Lankan soil, it will be in the capital city of Colombo. Despite being the most hectic, loud, and exhausting place you’ll find in all of Sri Lanka, we wouldn’t skip it. Colombo is less about sightseeing, but rather about getting the feeling of a new culture – one day here should be more than enough to catch the vibe.
Start your day at the Pettah Markets and brace yourself for a shock. There’s nothing to prepare you for the chaos reigning over the place – a mix of crowds, merchants, horns, and dried fish odor. Wander the streets of the Pettah neighborhood and notice the Hindu and Buddhist temples at every corner. One caveat: be aware of the friendly scammer claiming to show you around for free! Make it to The Red Mosque and grab some samosas (spicy alert!) from the local vendors, then visit the colonial buildings in the Fort Area.
In the evening head to Galle Face Green, the place to be for sunset. The promenade is packed with couples, families, and friends taking an after-work walk, chatting, or having a picnic on the grass. There are loads of food stalls with spicy traditional snacks and pickled fruits – just leave yourself guided by the smells!
Day 2-3: Kandy
Accommodation: Kandy City Stay (72$/2 people/2 nights)
Day 2: Kandy
For late sleepers catching the 5:55 train from Colombo Fort is no easy task, but will leave you a full day of exploring at the destination, Kandy. The journey is about three hours long and was way more comfortable than one would imagine. Pick first-class tickets (still very affordable) and buy them one day in advance to ensure you get a seat.
While in Kandy don’t miss the Temple of the Scared Tooth (1.5k LKR), walk around the lake, and pay a visit to the Royal Botanic Gardens of Peradeniya (2k LKR).
Day 3: Day trip to Dambulla Cave Temple, Sigiriya, and Polonnaruwa
You’ll need a driver for this day trip, and we just can’t recommend Iroshan enough (+940777171046 / iroshan7771@gmail.com). We really appreciated his punctuality, and most important, felt safe on the road at all times. Bonus, he took us to the most amazing restaurant for our late lunch. If you’re to rent a driver in Kandy, he is your guy!
Dambulla Cave Temple
Dambulla Cave Temple was our first stop. We arrived just after the opening time, at 7 am and got to enjoy the serene atmosphere under the sunrise light, listening to the monks’ prayer chants. Covering your shoulders and knees is mandatory and there is no clothes rental service so make sure you bring some. The Cave Temple visit usually only takes about one hour and costs 12k LKR. Afterwards, you can take the short forest path to the Golden Temple and have your driver pick you up from there.
Sigiriya Rock or Lion’s Rock
Next, let’s climb the picturesque Sigiriya Rock. This is one of the major tourist attractions in Sri Lanka, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site – hence the pricy 30$ entrance fee. Sigiriya Rock or Lion’s Rock is a well-preserved 5th century fortress and it’s considered to be a masterpiece of ancient construction technology. Watch out for the monkeys on your way up! There are over 1200 steps to the top, so bring plenty of water to cope with the heat.
The Ancient City of Polonnaruwa
The final stop is another UNESCO Site, The Ancient City of Polonnaruwa – Sri Lanka’s second oldest capital. Before getting to the ruins of the old kingdom, the driver will take you to the Archaeological Museum for a historical introduction to the ruins. Some of the sites are in better condition than others – here are the ones that we found the most appealing: Rankot Vihara, a huge, still standing stupa; Vatadage; Kiri Vihara, the white stupa and Gal Vihara, a temple of four stone-carved Buddha statues.
You’ll be starving by now – Jaga Food is where you’ll have one of the best meals in Sri Lanka. This family-run restaurant offers buffet-style lunch in a cozy, quiet setting – for about 5$ you get to try a wide variety of tasty local dishes. The owner is super nice, he described us each dish and wouldn’t stop encouraging us to try them all and refill our plates.
Day 4-6: Ella
Accommodation: Ella Master Point Luxury Cottage (55$/2 people/2 nights)
Day 4: Scenic train ride from Kandy to Ella
Taking the scenic train ride from Kandy to Ella is another must-do activity while in Sri Lanka. Here are a few things to know beforehand for the best possible experience:
- Buy tickets in advance. This is the most popular route with tourists and the tickets sell up fast. For our peace of mind, we booked the tickets online, as our schedule was already tight. We got them through 12go.asia a month in advance and needed to pick them up in Colombo physically. Bear in mind that although still affordable, online tickets are overpriced (14$) as compared to buying them on the spot.
- Check the schedule here. Make sure you book an Express Train (“speed” train).
- Book seats in 2nd class. The first class has AC so you are not allowed to open the windows or doors – which kind of spoils the whole purpose 🙂
- Sit on the right hand side of the train for the best tea plantation views and pics.
- The train ride takes at least 7 hours, so bring some water and snacks.
Day 5: Nine Arch Bridge and Diyaluma Falls
Start the first day in Ella, by watching the sun rise over the staggering Nine Arch Bridge. Take an Instagrammable picture with the 6:30 a.m. train or find a high spot to watch it pass.
Save the rest of the day for some waterfalls swimming. Dyaluma Falls have some incredible natural pools where you can easily spend a couple of hours exploring its 2 levels.
The falls are about one-hour away from Ella by tuk-tuk – we arranged transport with our host (6k LKR), including the waiting time and a short stop at Ravena Falls on our way back. Once you hop off the tuk-tuk, there’s a 20-minutes easy trek until you eventually reach the two waterfalls:
Lower Diyaluma Falls with their small infinity pools were by far our favorites. The water debit was rather low, so swimming next to the edge was completely safe. Also, the water level in the small ponds is knee-deep, so even non-swimmers can chill out safely.
The upper falls are (in places) deep enough to jump into, so besides being so photogenic, they can be super entertaining for the most adventurous.
Day 6: Little Adam’s Peak, Uva Halpewatte Tea Factory Tour and Cooking Class
Let’s make the most out of our second day in Ella. Hiking in the dark may not be your thing, but half an hour of effort will be generously rewarded once you get on top – experiencing the most gorgeous sunrise from Little Adam’s Peak.
After a well-deserved breakfast, take a tuk-tuk to Uva Halpewatte Tea Factory and join a tour to see how the famous Ceylon tea is produced. Try your best to schedule your tour while the factory is running -unfortunately, the tea leaves crops were out of season during our trip. Although the factory was not operating, the tour was information-packed and we were offered a tea-tasting session at the end.
Our last stop in Ella had to be a cooking class, an activity that we highly recommend. Curries are among our favorite foods and we really wanted to learn the secrets behind that authentic taste. We booked our class with Priya Cookery Class (1500 LKR per person) and were fortunate enough to be the only attendees. As expected, we had a blast cooking but the best part was eating our dishes once they were ready!
Day 7: Safari in Udawalawe National Park
Accommodation: Private Organic House (11$/2 people/1 night)
Is there any better way to observe wildlife and untouched nature than a safari? There are two natural parks to choose from in Sri Lanka – Udawalawe and Yala – the first one fitted better in our plan. Rumour has it you get more chances to watch leopards in Yala, but you may also be lucky enough to spot one in Udawalawe. We were not – however we saw a lot of elephants, buffalos, one alligator, and loads of exotic birds, which turned our first safari into an unforgettable one.
We booked accommodation in a cozy bungalow and Upul, our host, was also our safari guide. His tours are totally recommended as he is very knowledgeable, speaks great English, and cares a lot about the animals in the park. We started the safari at dawn; early hours is when you get the chance to enjoy the park before being flooded with cars and tourists. The tour was 5 hours long but we couldn’t feel the time pass. We paid 11K LKR each, entry fee and picnic breakfast included.
Day 8-10: Mirissa beach
Accommodation: JJ’s Hostel Mirissa (78$/2 people/3 nights)
After one full week of adventure in Sri Lanka, it’s beach time! During our trip, we focused on the beaches southwest of the island.
We decided on two base towns, Mirissa and Unawatuna, and moved around by tuk-tuk or local bus. The bus trips are an experience themselves. We used Google maps for schedules and routes, but keep in mind that everything should be taken rather as a guideline – do not rely 100% on them. The location of the station may vary by a few hundred meters, the times, the prices, everything is relative. Just use your instinct to navigate through this madness, relax and enjoy it.
Day 8: Dikwella and Hiriketyia beach
Dikwella has a local beach vibe. Not much to do, no facilities, and quite a bit of trash around. We just took a walk along the long stretch of sand and stopped in Hiriketyia. Much smaller, cozier, and filled with beginner surfers.
Lying in a horseshoe-shaped bay, with shallow water, Hiriketiya beach is the perfect place to learn to ride the waves or take your surfing skills to the next level. The waves here are among the most manageable so you must give the surfboard a try. We weren’t sold on the idea and chose to just watch from the sideline, but got our feet wet a few days later, in Weligama.
Day 9: Mirissa
Starting the day early in the morning helped us avoid the crowds at the magnificent Coconut Tree Hill. After breakfast, we decided to check out Mirissa Secret Beach – a small, more secluded beach preferred by the locals. Tucked around a cliff and off the beaten path – there was a wild, unspoiled vibe to this place. We lazed around for a few hours, but then felt like getting some cocktails, therefore headed to spend the rest of the day just chilling out at the popular, main beach in Mirissa.
Day 10: Weligama
This stays as a special day in our hearts – we tried surfing for the first time in our lives! I can’t recommend enough this beach for newbies. The shallow waters make it accessible even though you are not the most confident swimmer (like me, for example). We picked Blue Wave Surf School on spot, without any prior research and we are happy we did. The price was only 2000LRK for a one-hour private lesson + surfboard + sunbeds for the day. Don’t expect to master this skill in one hour though, or you may be let down – you’ll have the most amazing time anyways!
In the evening, we celebrated our first-ever surfing experience with some amazing cocktails and tacos at The Hideout bar in Unawatuna.
Day 11-13: Unawatuna
Accommodation: Lara’s place (100$/2 people/2 nights)
Day 11: Dalawella Beach and Unawatuna Beach
Spend a relaxing day at the outstanding Dalawella beach and keep an eye out for the turtles coming close to the shore. We saw a couple on the left side of Parrot Rock. Try some fresh oysters at Wijaya Beach bar for a quick lunch snack.
Don’t miss the palm tree rope at Pearly’s Dream Cabana Swing. Having to pay for it is a bit of a bummer but it’s only 500 LKR and it was really fun – there is a designated guy who pushes you and moves out of the frame quickly enough not to ruin your future Instagram pics 🙂
At sundown, we snapped one more photo at Parrot’s Rock and then moved to Unawatuna beach. Unlike the beach itself, the sunset colors here are crazy beautiful!
Day 12: Galle Fort and Jungle Beach
Take a day trip to Galle Fort to feel the unique fusion of European and South-Indian influences, as seen in the whitewashed Dutch-style buildings lined up along the cobbled streets. Circle the Fort wall and learn how both Portuguese and Dutch colonialists left their marks here. The whole walk is about 2km long, offering beautiful ocean views.
Then get deeper into the old town and check out the main sights: Groote Kerk, the All Saints’ Church, the National Maritime Museum, and the Old Dutch Hospital. Take a break and enjoy an ice-cold beer right inside the old hospital building, at Tap House. Don’t skip the instagrammable Galle Fort Lighthouse!
Just outside the main gate, there’s a cricket field where you might get to watch locals getting involved in a friendly match. If you managed to escape the souvenir tourist traps inside the fort walls, visit the Green Market nearby to buy some fairly-priced, flavourful spices.
Day 13: Hikkaduwa
Hikkaduwa is an aquatic paradise – the coral reefs and an amazing variety of sea wildlife make it the perfect snorkeling and diving place. Giant turtles come ashore so you can get a close-up of these incredible water creatures. Where to find them? Usually, they are found swimming around right in front of the Hikka Tranz by Cinnamon Hotel.
If you are lucky enough, you’ll be able to see the little turtle hatching being released into the ocean at sunset. Ask the Coast Guard Life Saving Post if they are going to release any hatchings that day. As for the turtle sanctuaries in the area – we read terrible online reviews and chose not to visit any of them.
Day 14: Negombo
Accommodation: Lara’s place (100$/2 people/2 nights)
From our own experience, there is not much to do/see here so I would only stay overnight if flying out early the next morning. We spent our last day relaxing by the pool, taking a long walk on Negombo beach, and enjoying Sri Lanka’s amazing food one last time.
Know before you go:
- Plan your trip accordingly to the monsoons. Sri Lanka has 2 monsoons: Southwest monsoon (May – September) and Northeast monsoon (December – February). Depending on your time of visit, you have to carefully choose which part of the island is suitable for beach time.
- Before visiting a temple, expect to be asked to cover your shoulders and knees and take your shoes off. Needless to say, wear socks if you’re uncomfortable walking barefoot on slimy floors.
- Food in less touristy places (e.g. Colombo) is SPICY by default. Most to-go pastries are crazy hot so make sure you ask for mild options.
- Uber is available in Colombo and Kandy. Many times there’s no tuk-tuk available on the app, but you can still use it to find out the fair price for your ride and use it later as a bargain reference.
If you liked this itinerary and need more inspiration for your next holidays, check out our 2 weeks itinerary in Mexico.
