Sri Lanka is an incredibly beautiful country with many things to do for every traveller! We visited Sri Lanka for almost 3 weeks and loved every minute of our time there. For those who love exploring outdoors, Sri Lanka has many beautiful attractions and landscapes that will simply put you to awe while you take in your surroundings.
Below we have listed 10 amazing things that you should do while visiting Sri Lanka! We hope that you enjoy your trip there just as much as we did!
1. Go for a Sunrise Hike at Sri Pada (Adam’s Peak)
This was my FAVOURITE thing that we did in Sri Lanka. In order to reach the top by sunrise, you’ll need to start the climb around 2:00am. The hike will take approximately 3-4 hours depending on how many stops you take as there are little rest areas and tea stops along the way. Be sure to wear layers as when you reach the top it will be quite chilly, and we even saw some people with blankets at the top. Watching the sunrise was simply incredible. After the sun rises, most tourists leave and begin the trek downward. At the top you’ll be able to see Buddha’s footprint, and as well after the sun rises there is a ceremony.
2. Explore the Cave Temple Dambulla
Dambulla is located fairly close to Colombo and was one of our first stops on our trip. The temple is located inside a cave, and it takes about a fifteen minute hike to reach it. There are a few different areas to explore inside the cave and overall was very interesting! We would consider it a “must” while visiting Sri Lanka!
3. Hire a Tour Guide and Hike Sigiriya
We hiked Sigiriya early in the morning, beating the heat and the crows alike. When we arrived, we hired a local guide, and enjoyed learning about the history of Sigiriya throughout our hiking journey. You will buy your ticket onsite, and there are usually local guides waiting around to offer tours to tourists.
Pro Tip: In general, be sure to always count your change after paying for something. I was short changed after purchasing my ticket for Sigiriya. After noticing this, my tour guide talked to the ticket person, and I was given back the correct amount of change. Although this can happen anywhere, just wanted to give a heads up!
5. Go Whale Watching in Mirissa
I was able to cross off a bucket list item while whale watching in Mirissa. As we were in Sri Lanka in December, this meant that there were blue whales in the waters. We left around 7am in the morning and we arrived back in the afternoon. Although we caught a few quick glimpses of a blue whale, we were fortunate to see a pod of pilot whales that were travelling through the area. Overall this whale watching excursion was pretty interesting and worth a visit if you have the time!
5. Have a Relaxing Beach Day at Hikkaduwa
This is a fun area for beach goers. In this area we saw more foreigners than other parts of Sri Lanka. As we were on a tight schedule we actually only stayed for a meal and then continued on our way to Mirissa. From my understanding this is a popular beach area and something to consider for a relaxing day in the sun.
6. Explore the Street of Colombo
Colombo is a busy city, filled with many great eats and shops! Spend a day or two in the city enjoy exploring!
Colombo is an interesting city with some fantastic eats! Although I won’t spend a ton of time in Colombo, it is certainly worth a visit and do some shopping!
7. Go on a Safari at Yala National Park
I went on my first safari at Yala National Park! It was a very cool experience and you’ll begin your journey quite early in the morning. You’ll see many safari trucks line up along the road, waiting to enter the gates when they open. Inside the park you’ll mainly see some elephants, water buffalo, birds, and if you’re lucky – a leopard.!
8. Go for a Hike at World’s End
The hike at World’s End was pretty flat and overall was an easy trail. There are three main viewing points; World’s End, Small World’s End, and Baker’s Falls. All three areas offer beautiful natural landscapes for hikers to enjoy. It total, we spend about an hour and a half taking our time and walking along the trail.
9. Go Dolphin Watching on the West Coast
While travelling our way south along the west coast back to Colombo to stayed at the Omeesha Beach Hotel. While staying there for the night, the owners offered to take us out on the boat to go dolphin watching. This was an unreal experience. There were hundreds of dolphins and I was in awe the whole time. We dipped our gopro underwater and the footage we got was so awesome – it was a whole other world under the water! If you get this opportunity – definitely go!
10. Enjoy the beautiful beaches in Trinco
Trinco is located along the east coast of Sri Lanka and is generally a less busy area. The beaches here were quite stunning and less touristy as well. I would highly recommend heading this way if you’re looking for a tranquil beach escape!
Overall you can’t really go wrong when it comes to exploring Sri Lanka! It is an absolute incredible country and we had an amazing time exploring!
