Sri Lanka
Ancient civilisation and endless beaches
By Vidya Balachander & Robin McKelvie
From ancient ruins to a vibrant and welcoming contemporary culture; from lazy afternoons on glorious beaches to hikes through the rolling hills of tea country and wild elephant spotting in untouched national parks; this is a destination that truly has it all.
Despite having its hard-won stability rocked by the tragic events of Easter 2019, Sri Lanka's tourism infrastructure is developing in leaps and bounds. Hospitality is warm and abundant, transport is convenient, and accommodation — particularly in the independent boutique sector — is world-class.
Sri Lanka undiscovered
An essential guide to seeing Sri Lanka's non-touristy side
From ancient ruins to a vibrant and welcoming contemporary culture; from lazy afternoons on glorious beaches, to hikes through the rolling hills of tea country and wild elephant spotting in untouched national parks; Sri Lanka is a destination that truly has it all. Despite having its hard-won stability rocked by occasional political disputes, Sri Lanka's tourism infrastructure is developing in leaps and bounds. Hospitality is warm and abundant, transport is convenient, and accommodation – particularly in the independent boutique sector – is world-class...read more
16 days
Sri Lanka Cultural Triangle and Maldives beaches
Luxury Sri Lanka and Maldives adventure
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Tangalle
Laidback Tangalle in Sri Lanka’s south is one of the region’s more relaxed beach destinations, combining simple guesthouses and some upmarket hotels... -
Yala National Park
Southeast Sri Lanka’s Yala National Park is the country’s most visited wilderness reserve... -
Polonnaruwa
Polonnaruwa was the medieval capital of Sri Lanka, a thriving centre of commerce and religion... -
Udawalawe
Sri Lanka’s finest national park is home to herds of elephants, wild buffalo, crocodiles and leopards... -
Colombo
Cosmopolitan Colombo is more than just the gateway to Sri Lanka... -
Haputale
The hillside town of Haputale is a little-visited stop on the train route into tea country from Kandy to Ella... -
Knuckles Mountain Range
The Knuckles Mountain Range – also known as the Dumbara Mountain Range – is home to 34 peaks and offers plenty of treks for hikers to explore, with waterfalls, tiny villages and elusive mountain animals part of the experience... -
Galle
The historic fort town of Galle is best explored on foot, allowing you to take in its grandiose colonial buildings, ancient temples and mosques and many quirky side streets... -
Kandy
Central Kandy is one of Sri Lanka’s most significant religious sites, being home to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic – a tooth from Buddha himself... -
Gal Oya National Park
Gal Oya is the most untouched of all of Sri Lanka’s national parks and is the only one where you can take a boat safari... -
Wilpattu National Park
Wilpattu translates as ‘natural lakes’ in Sinhala and ‘10 lakes’ in Tamil, so it’s no surprise what the main attraction is in this national park... -
Trincomalee
The port city of Trincomalee is best-known as a gateway to the beaches and resorts on Sri Lanka’s east coast... -
Batticaloa
Batticaloa has only recently started to attract tourists again with the colonial buildings, Old Dutch Fort and the vibrant blue and white St Mary’s Cathedral... -
Jaffna
Jaffna, in Sri Lanka’s far north, offers an insight into the country’s Tamil culture... -
Anuradhapura
One of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, Anuradhapura is a world heritage site with historical highlights including the Anuradhapura Maha Viharaya, the Jetavanaramaya stupa and the Abhayagiri Vihāra... -
Mihintale
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Paramakanda Rock temple
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Ella
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Dambulla
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Minneriya National Park
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Horton Plains National Park
Primarily made up of cloud forest and montane grassland, Horton Plains National Park is in the central highlands of Sri Lanka, accessible from Nuwara Eliya... -
Bundala National Park
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Mirissa
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Negombo
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Bentota
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Sigiriya
Sigiriya is one of Sri Lanka’s main attractions, a natural rock formation that erupts from the surrounding forest and topped with an ancient fortress... -
Pigeon Island National Park
Named after the rock pigeon that can be found on Pigeon Island, the national park is one of the two marine national parks in Sri Lanka... -
Kalpitiya
More recently developing a tourism industry, Kalpitiya is made up of fourteen islands mostly populated by fishermen... -
Arugam Bay
Tucked away on the eastern edge of Sri Lanka and with only a handful of local hotels and guesthouses, Arugam Bay is regarded as one of the top surfing destinations in the world... -
Nuwara Eliya
Capital of its namesake district, Nuwara Eliya, sometimes referred to as ‘Little England’, is one of the key tea making cities in Sri Lanka... -
Unawatuna
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Places to go in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka Tours
Highlights of Sri Lanka Luxury Tour
14 day luxury tour visiting the highlights of Sri Lanka
14 daysFrom £3,175| Yala National Park, Kandy, Minneriya National Park | |
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Custom itinerary, Private guided tour |
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Safari, Luxury, Honeymoon, Family, Adventure, Nature & Wildlife, Photography, Birdwatching, National Parks, Culture, Spiritual, History |
Off the Beaten Track Sri Lanka Tour
17 day tour exploring the Sri Lankan outskirts
daysFrom $3,275| Kandy, Gal Oya National Park, Anuradhapura, Ella | |
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Custom itinerary, Private guided tour |
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Safari, Luxury, Honeymoon, Family, Adventure, Water Sports, Kayaking, Active, Walking, Cycling, Culinary, Food |
Sri Lankan Family Summer Holiday
16 day family friendly tour across Sri Lanka
16 daysFrom £2,180| Colombo, Kandy, Wilpattu National Park, Dambulla, Minneriya National Park, Negombo, Sigiriya | |
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Custom itinerary, Private guided tour |
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Safari, Beach, Family, Adventure, Nature & Wildlife, Photography, Birdwatching, National Parks |
Sri Lanka Ultimate Honeymoon
15 day Sri Lankan luxury honeymoon tour
15 daysFrom £4,335| Yala National Park, Kandy, Minneriya National Park | |
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Custom itinerary, Private guided tour |
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Safari, Luxury, Honeymoon, Adventure, Nature & Wildlife, Photography, Birdwatching, National Parks, Culture, Cities, Culinary, Food |
Sri Lanka Wildlife Wonders
21 day tour exploring the national parks of Sri lanka
21 daysFrom £3,800| Tangalle, Yala National Park, Galle, Gal Oya National Park, Horton Plains National Park, Bundala National Park | |
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Custom itinerary, Private guided tour |
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Safari, Luxury, Beach, Nature & Wildlife, Photography, Birdwatching, National Parks, Culture, Spiritual, Cities, Indigenous Tourism, Culinary, Food |
Family Summer Holiday Sri Lanka Tour
14 day family friendly summer holiday tour in Sri Lanka
14 daysFrom £2,900| Tangalle, Kandy, Gal Oya National Park, Arugam Bay | |
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Custom itinerary, Private guided tour |
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Safari, Beach, Family, Adventure, Water Sports, Active, Nature & Wildlife, Photography, Birdwatching, National Parks, Culture, Spiritual, Indigenous Tourism |
Sri Lanka Travel Companies
Yonder
Tailor-made luxury holidays to Asia
| South Asia, Southeast Asia | |
| Custom itinerary, Private guided tour | |
| Safari, Luxury, Beach, Family, Nature & Wildlife, National Parks, Culture, Spiritual |
Experience Travel Group
Immersive Holidays That Give Back
| Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia | |
| Custom itinerary, Private guided tour | |
| Safari, Luxury, Honeymoon, Beach, Family, Adventure, Hiking & Trekking, Active, Walking, Nature & Wildlife, Photography, Birdwatching, National Parks, Culture, Cities, Museums & Galleries, History, Culinary |
Bespoke India Travel
Making India incredible!
| South Asia | |
| Custom itinerary, Private guided tour | |
| Safari, Luxury, Honeymoon, Beach, Family, Adventure, Hiking & Trekking, Water Sports, Active, Walking, Nature & Wildlife, Photography, Birdwatching, National Parks, Culture, Archaeology, Spiritual, Festivals, Cities, Museums & Galleries, Indigenous Tourism, History, Culinary, Food, Wine |
Rickshaw Travel
Independent and tailor-made holidays worldwide
| South Asia, Southeast Asia | |
| Custom itinerary, Private guided tour | |
| Cruise & Sailing, Safari, Luxury, Honeymoon, Beach, Family, Adventure, Hiking & Trekking, Mountain Biking, Water Sports, Winter Sports, Active, Walking, Overlanding, Camping, Yoga, Cycling, Horseback Riding, Road Trips, Diving, Snorkelling, Swimming, Nature & Wildlife, Photography, Birdwatching, National Parks, Culture, Archaeology, Spiritual, Festivals, Cities, Museums & Galleries, Indigenous Tourism, History, Culinary, Food, Wine |
Indus Bound
Bespoke & authentic travel to the sub-continent
| South Asia | |
| Custom itinerary, Private guided tour | |
| Safari, Luxury, Honeymoon, Beach, Family, Active, Nature & Wildlife, Photography, Birdwatching, National Parks, Culture, Archaeology, Spiritual, Festivals, Cities, Museums & Galleries, History, Culinary, Food, Train |
SkyHaven Tours
| Sri Lanka | |
| Custom itinerary, Private guided tour | |
| Cruise & Sailing, Safari, Luxury, Beach, Family, Adventure, Active, Nature & Wildlife, Culture |
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