Sri Lanka

Tourist seasons in different locations in Sri Lanka vary with the monsoon rains.To get into many of the tourist sites in Sri Lanka, you, as a foreigner will be charged up to x10 more than locals. For people of SAARC countries, the price is less than/half for “foreigners”.

Go to Kandy to see the Sri Dhalada Maligawa and Peradeniya Botanical Gardens. Also don’t miss out on the traditional Sri Lanka dance performance held every day at 17:00 in the city hall.

Go to Matale and climb the Sigiriya or Pidurangala Rock, see the ancient frescoes and enjoy a panoramic view of the area.

Go to Raththota, Matale and climb Riverstone, see the Mini Worlds’ End and directly travel to Wasgamuwa.

Go to Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa to see ancient temples, ruins which are very beautiful.

Go to Nuwara Eliya to see beautiful villages which look like England. There are many tea estates and Hakgala botanical gardens too.

Go to Unawatuna, Galle, Trincomalee (Nilaweli Beach), Pasikuda and north areas to see extremely beautiful beaches.

Go to Mirissa and Kalpitiya and watch whales and dolphins with privately operated boat tours. Update dec 2019. Or maybe don’t. Most people won’t see anything. This is just marketing. You’ll see only a column of air when the whales get out breething and then every boat speed tor the place where the whale showed up. No reason to do it , and when u answer they cannot provide an inteligible answer. The picture with blue whales are not made there, some of captains didn’t even saw one. They not use the inteligence and tey to intercept the wales when they come up next time. I ‘ve spoke with about 50 people and none of them saw anything except the air colums 300-400 m away. If u still want to go the ticket price is 9000 but u can buy it everywhere with 7000 and if u are bargaining a bit 6500.

Go to Jaffna to see the Portuguese built Fort (1618) it was later expanded by the Dutch (1795), Nallur Temple, Keerimalai natural fresh water pond just 10 feet from the sea and the islands in the Northern Province (Delft, Kayts, Leyden, Middlburg and many more) to see unexplored Sri Lanka.

Go to Yala National Park the best location to do it is Kataragama not Tissamaharana.,Wilpattu , Wasgamuwa for the best wildlife Safari experience. Udawalawe to see elephants and Kumana (Yala East) for birdwatching.

Go to Kithulgala for whitewater rafting in the Kelaniya River.

Go to Galle Face Terrace . It is located next to Colombo center and next to the old parliament complex on the Galle road near to the sea. It is a place for locals to gather to spend their evening. At the end of the terrace is 150 years old Galle face hotel. In the morning it is a place for walking and jogging. (0.18Km). In the evening it is a place for to see the fantastic sun setting with different colors. Street vendors sale local food, Coca Cola, Pepsi and mineral water. During season you can view different kinds of kites being flown over there. Also you can purchase one of them and can fly it. There is a viewing stage built in to the ocean you can walk up to the guard railing at the end. Also there is a flag post and in the sun rising and setting time you can watch colorful flag ceremony by the armed force. t is a nice place to capture different kinds of images.

Go to Independence square arcade , Colombo. Fine dining, entertainment and shopping for International brands.

Go to Floating market at the Bastian Mawatha (Close to Fort Railway Station), for local products shopping and dining on a floating restaurant.

go to Kalametiya Eco Bird Watching. A lovely and uncrowded wetlands area with a vast variety of bird life. This is a good alternative to the other busy national parks in Sri Lanka. Spend the morning sitting on the boat, drinking coconut milk, and having Buddhi the guide explain to you about all the wildlife. The park itself is a 25 minute tuk-tuk ride north of Tangalle Lagoon.

Events

The TukTuk Tournament Every October, TukTuk Rental Sri Lanka hosts the annual TukTuk Tournament, with over 100 competitors taking part in an island-wide race in authentic Sri Lankan three-wheelers. TukTuks are sourced from local owners, who provide a comprehensive driving lesson before sending the teams out onto the roads. Over the course of the tournament, teams take part in challenges designed to create immersion into the local culture in Sri Lanka. There is no fixed route and teams are encouraged to leave the traditional tourist routes and destinations. The Tournament features a three-day festival at the beginning of the tournament, as well as a Mid-Gathering and End-Gathering for all participants. In addition, a comprehensive range of inclusions (Local Driving Licence, comprehensive insurance, SIM Card etc.) make this a popular choice for those looking to experience the real Sri Lanka as part of a fun, well-organised event.

Outdoor Activities

Surfing from November to April you can surf in the western and southern coast. Best place for the beginners is Weligama and Hikkaduwa on the southern coast. You can rent a board for LKR1500 per day or LKR400 per hour. Lessons cost LKR2500 for 1h, but bargain. From April to October the surf shops move to Arugam Bay which then is the best place

Kite / Wind surfing from April to September and from December to March you can kitesurf on the northwestern coast. Best place for beginners is in Kalpitiya (Sethawadi and Kappaladi lagoons), where you can find kite & wind surfing schools.

Diving Scuba Diving can be carried out in Sri Lanka’s South coast from Nov – April, and April till October in the East coast.There are many diving stations and schools that offer equipment hire and lessons. Divers can explore many sites with ship wrecks, marine life, coral garden and caves.

Trekking / Hiking Sri lankan hill country offers excellent opportunities for trekking and hiking .The popular spots are Lakegala , Ella , Bandarawela, Sinharaja forest etc.

Rock climbing Sri lanka has rocky mountains throughout the highlands suitable for climbing ,Popular spots are located in Bambarakanda, Ella, Habarana , Buttala, Pidurangala etc.

Hot air ballooning Hot air ballooning is available in the Dambulla area. It is seasonal, from November to April. Sri-Lankan-certified pilots operates them during the morning time.

White water rafting White water rafting in scenic flowing waters of Kelani river in Kitulgala rain forests is suitable for adventurous adults and is not recommended for younger kids.

Sport fishing/ Game fishing

Sport fishing/ Game fishing tours are conducted by many operators along the coast and lagoons in Negombo ,Bentota,Mirissa etc.Season starts from November to mid-April.The common fishes found on the coastal and deep waters of Sri lanka are Grouper, Snapper Emperor, Bonefish,Indian Mackerel, Spanish Mackerel, Seerfish, Kingfish, Barracuda, Baramundi, Jackfish, Trevally, Tuna ,Sailfish, Swordfish, Marlin and Shark.

• Gamefishing Asia (Lake Fishing), 26 Ruskin Island, Diggala Road, Panadura, 10400, Sri Lanka (From Colombo head south on Galle Road / A2, turn left at Keselwatta Junction onto Diggala Road, take the ferry to Ruskin Island. Fishing trips are run from Bayou of Bolgoda which is about 650 meters from the ferry landing point on Ruskin Island). 08:00 – 16:00. Lake Fishing Trips on Bolgoda Lake. Luring, Float Fishing & Fly Fishing for Barramundi, Mangrove Jack and other lake species. Trips run throughout the year except when the rains are heaviest. 

Catamaran / Sailboat cruising A few tour operators offer luxury Catamaran / Sailboat cruising along the coastline of Sri Lanka. The popular season is from October to April(south coast)and May to October(east coast).

Wildlife

Bentota beach is famous for its sea turtles farm and hatchery along with lot of water sports activities.

Elephant Ride Elephant ride is mainly available at Pinnawala close to the elephant orphanage, Sigiriya, Minneriya, and Habarana areas. (riding elephants is more and more becoming controversial)

Elephant sanctuary If you want to see happy elephants who are absolutely not being ridden by tourists you can visit The Sanctuary, home for elephants. They aim to give captured elephants the best life possible.

Elephant transit home By far the most ethical and animal-friendly place for captured/orphaned young elephants. Tourists can watch activities like the 4 x per day bottlefeeding but only from a decent distance, as the young ones once grown up will be released in the wildlife park and should not get used to interaction with humans.

Whale and Dolphin Watching. Sri Lanka has become a major spot for watching Whales and Dolphins.The season starts from December to April along west & south coast of sri lanka and June to September in Trincomalee on the east coast. Sri Lanka is situated within international whaling commission’s protected zone in Indian Ocean. West coast in locations from Alankuda beach in Kalpitiya, Mirissa or Dondra Point of down south, east coast off Trincomalee are the main ports of Whale and Dolphin watching in Sri Lanka.(Not recommended for people with seasickness) Rs 6500 for a morning trip.

Spiritual

Ayurveda Although neighbouring India is the most well known destination for Ayurveda in the world, Ayurveda is also practiced extensively in Sri Lanka. Offerings range from small clinics to large Ayurveda Resorts catering to an international clientele.

Monastery Visit The island is full of Buddhist monasteries, but not all are equipped to welcome international visitors. Many of the large monasteries in the Mahamevnawa tradition will be able to provide a tour, give instructions on Buddhism and meditation, and answer any questions you may have. There is never any charge for these things and the monks are quite friendly.

Volunteering

Sri Lanka offers many different opportunities for volunteering and giving back, such as community or educational work, and wildlife conservation with the gentle giants that have been harmed due to elephant riding. There are many ways to get in contact with the desired volunteer project, one of which is a comparison platform. On Volunteer World. for example, you can search and compare all volunteering options in Sri Lanka.