Top Ten BEST places to visit in Sri Lanka in 2022!

In 2021 I visited Sri Lanka twice and got to explore most of the country except its East Coast. Needless to mention I absolutely loved the country, its people, food and culture, and so I made this list of Ten BEST places to see in Sri Lanka. I am also sure I will keep adding more locations to this list as I visit Sri Lanka again and hopefully it'll be helpful to you all as well.

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Ten BEST places to see in Sri Lanka

COVID-19 requirements for Sri Lanka

Whether we like it or not, Covid-19 is a part of our life and one has to consider restrictions related to that when traveling abroad. Thankfully, Sri Lanka is one of the most welcoming countries in this regard. This video below will give you all the details about planning your trip with regards to covid-19 restrictions. 

Needless to mention, the four key hallmarks for this are:

  • Vaccination
  • Testing
  • Wearing a mask
  • Social/ physical distancing

 

Also, the best way to get to Sri Lanka would be to fly into Colombo and your best airline would be Sri Lanka Airlines. They have excellent connectivity and direct flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai. I traveled with them on both my trips and my experience was flawless.

1. Sigiriya

Let’s start this list with the one place that’s been on my dream destinations to visit in the world for the past many years. Also, Sigiriya is one of those places which have a huge hype but does not disappoint at all. Sigiriya is a an old citadel located on top of a large rock outcrop and is accessible only by steps which lead all the way up. It is a hike, but not a tough one, unless it’s a hot day. We took about 2 hours to climb all the way up with some mini-breaks on the way.

How to reach: Reach the Habarana village by taxi or bus (we came here via Anuradhapura)

Where to stay: Habarana village by Cinnamon 

 

2. Nuwara Eliya

Nuwara Eliya was a complete surprise to me as I didn’t even know about the place before I actually visited Sri Lanka. It’s a gorgeous little town located up in the mountains and was settled by the British as they found the weather here similar to England. It’s cool, but not very cold and the kind of place where you can spend many days without doing much.

How to reach: Taxi is the best way to come here. You can come by a bus also but it’ll be much slower.

Where to stay: Blackpool resort 

 

3. Anuradhapura

Anuradhapura was the first capital city of Sri Lanka and is a place full of stories, myths and legends. Some believe Ravana’s father’s palace once stood here, while others believe that this place is also a portal to travel to other parallel universes. However, it’s old history is seen through many other historical monuments here - the first ever Buddhist Stupa of Sri Lanka was built here. The oldest Bodhi tree (the sapling for which came from India) is also located at Anuradhapura and to see it with your own eyes is quite an experience.

How to reach: Reachable by train, taxi and bus

Where to stay: Uga Ulagalla 

 

4. Jaffna

Frankly Jaffna is a huge region in Sri Lanka and often not on the map of tourists, and I really think that should change. Also, it’s unfair to put the entire region as one destination as there’s so much to see and do there. I would recommend three places in Jaffna that I especially liked - Nagadeepa Island, Dutch Fort and Jaffna Public Library. The Nagadeepa Island has some of the oldest and most important Hindu and Buddhist temples and really gives a glimpse of Jaffna hundreds of years ago.

The Dutch Fort is a great way to get close to the colonial history of the region which was ruled by Indians, Portuguese, Dutch and finally the British. The Jaffna Public Library is important to visit because it really gives us some understanding to the difficult war years of Jaffna and how it impacted this wealth of knowledge. Things have certainly improved a lot in the region since the war ended in 2009 and my hope is that tourism can really transform the region and bring it back to its past glory.

How to reach: Reachable by train, taxi and bus

Where to stay: Jetwing Jaffna

 

5. Weligama

Now Weligama is just a town in Sri Lanka on the west coast but is one of the most famed one there. Most of its popularity comes from the the surfers who come here in large numbers - some to learn and others to just surf and enjoy. As you walk the streets of the town, you’ll come across numerous surfing schools and most of them offer a week long course. Unfortunately, I only had a day there so learning wasn’t an option and I spent the day on the beach and looking at life go by. 

How to reach: Reachable by train, taxi and bus

Where to stay: Weligama Bay Marriott Resort & Spa  

 

6. Yala National Park

Yala National Park is the largest national park of Sri Lanka and is one of the most popular places to visit in the country. The Park was first established in 1938 by the then British colonial rulers and is home to one the largest population of leopard in the world. Leopard is the top predator in the country and Yala is its kingdom. Apart from leopard, the park also has a large population of elephants, peacocks, crocodiles, bears and many more animals. The safari usually takes place in two slots - one in the morning and the other in the evening. We did the morning one and that starts at about 6am and ends by 9.30am.

How to reach: Best is to reach here in your own taxi or car

Where to stay: Jetwing Yala

 

7. Galle

Galle is an old and historical town and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site (one of the eight such sites in Sri Lanka). It was originally established by the Portuguese but it was the Dutch who built the current structure and developed the town. The place has largely remained unchanged from the Dutch times and that’s what makes Galle such an interesting place to visit - going there is like going back in time. There are numerous boutique hotels in the fort area, and also some fantastic cafes and restaurants. If you love slow travel, this is a great place to visit and explore.

How to reach: Reachable by train, taxi and bus

Where to stay: The Galle Fort Hotel

 

8. Kandy

Kandy was a city which was not on my plans at all, and I ended up going there when the train route to Ella was closed due to a landslide. I had to make a choice at the railway station and I decided to pick Kandy. It’s a decision that I am so happy about because Kandy is such a wonderful place, and is also hugely underrated. It’s most famous for the tooth relic temple, but the city has a lot more to offer. Visit the tea gardens, hike the mountains, go check out the tea museum, but more than anything else, sit on the balcony and watch the dance of clouds over the city. It’s a city not to be missed.

How to reach: Reachable by train, taxi and bus

Where to stay: The Summit 

9. Colombo

Almost everyone who comes to Sri Lanka enters through Colombo, yet not many spend much time there. Frankly I never heard great things about the city so my own expectations with it were limited, but the city really surprised me. It’s a very well planned city with neat roads, temples, places, great cafes and some excellent night life too. We actually even went clubbing there on my last trip to Colombo. I would recommend spending at least two days here before heading out to the other parts of the country.

How to reach: Reachable by train, taxi and bus (and airplane when you enter Sri Lanka)

Where to stay: Taj Samudra

 

10. Negombo

Negombo is typically the city where visitors spend their last couple of days before flying out - the airport is right next door. It has some decent beaches, but what really surprised me was the local life there. Make sure you visit the fish market, the numerous vibrant churches, go for an authentic ayurvedic massage and generally detox before flying back home to regular life. For many of us, Negombo is the end of the journey to Sri Lanka and we try to take a little bit back home with us - there are many souvenir shops just for that in the city.

How to reach: Reachable by train, taxi and bus

Where to stay: Jetwing Beach

Comments

  1. Thanks .You share usefull information for us.

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  2. What a 10 wonderful places in Sri Lanka. The most interested is Nuwara Eliya, the nature and the city are amazing. Want to feel that place. Great sharing this and keep sharing us interesting blog.

    ReplyDelete
  3. You share usefull information for us.

    ReplyDelete

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