Best of the Best places to visit in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, the jewel of the Indian Ocean, is renowned for its stunning landscapes, rich history, and vibrant culture. Whether you’re a nature enthusiast, history buff, or looking for pristine beaches, this tropical paradise offers something for everyone. In this post, we’ll explore some of the best places to visit in Sri Lanka, from awe-inspiring UNESCO World Heritage Sites to tranquil beach escapes.
1. Sigiriya – The Majestic Lion Rock Fortress
Ranking #1 on the Best Places to Visit in Sri Lanka is Sigiriya.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sigiriya is an ancient rock fortress that rises 200 meters above the surrounding plains. The climb up Lion Rock takes visitors past ancient gardens, murals, and frescoes, ending with breathtaking views from the summit. The ruins of a royal palace sit atop the rock, giving a glimpse into Sri Lanka’s architectural brilliance. This is one of the country’s most iconic sites. There’s around 1,200 steps to the summit but personally I’ve enjoyed this climb many times and always found something extra and WOW to wonder about.
The reason why it’s called Sigiriya is still debatable. Many believe it’s because of the Lion Paw-like structures at the mid-entrance. You can notice this on the image above where two lion-like structures give the idea that there was a Lion-Mouth entrance to to the peak of this rock. However, recent arguments come that it can’t be a lion as there’s only 3 fingers or nails to each paw and lions have 4. There’s also myths that this was King Ravana’s Kingdom before the King Kashyapa made this his own palace.
Best time to visit: Early mornings around 6 AM as it avoids the heat and sometimes let’s you enjoy a beautiful sunset moment too.
Price: USD 30.00 net per non-Resident
2. Galle Fort – Colonial Charm on the Southern Coast
Galle Fort, built by the Portuguese in the 16th century, is a cultural treasure trove. Its charming streets are lined with Dutch colonial architecture, boutique shops, and restaurants. Stroll along the fort walls at sunset for spectacular ocean views. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Galle Fort is a must-see for history lovers.
Why is it on the Best Places to Visit in Sri Lanka list? It’s completely a city-within a city. The architecture is still as old as the Fort, the refurbishments that follow the same design patterns, the stone-paved roads are all making the visit to Galle Fort amazing. The many cafes and restaurants inside the Galle Fort really make the visit worthwhile and so does the many souvenir and boutique shops for everything you want to purchase.
Don’t miss the sunset views from the Flag Rock Bastion inside the Galle Fort for the most scenic sunsets you’ll ever see.
Best time to visit: Generally November to April because of the Monsoon Weathers.
Price: Free to enter but there are Museums you can visit at extra tickets. (It’s worth it)
3. Ella – Lush Hills and the Famous Nine Arch Bridge
Nestled in Sri Lanka’s hill country, Ella is known for its picturesque landscapes and hiking opportunities. it’s a small town but definitely makes it to the Best Places to Visit in Sri Lanka due to the popularity among the new tourists who love a mix of adventure, nature, hippie-vibes altogether.
The Nine Arch Bridge, surrounded by tea plantations and jungles, is an engineering marvel. Visitors can also hike to Little Adam’s Peak or take a scenic train ride from Kandy to Ella, often regarded as one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world. There’s many things to do in Ella like renting a motorcycle, go Waterfall visiting (Ravana Falls), hiking to the Little Adam’s Peak or the Ravana Rock, or even visiting a Tea Plantation and Factory. The new attractions like the Ravana Pool Club and Flying Ravana are also popular among the tourists.
Best time to visit: Mostly in January to March due to the dry-weather but Ella is visited all year round by tourists.
Price: There are tickets to the extra activities you will do in Ella.
4. Mirissa – Whale Watching Paradise
Thinking of the best place for Whales, Dolphins, Surfing, and then Sunsets with beach time? Then Mirissa is definitely a must-visit place for you in Sri Lanka. This small town in the South Coast of Sri Lanka – near Galle, is a famous town among the tourists for the seasonal Whale and Dolphin watching boat rides and also the Surfing.
A new famous experience in Mirissa is the Coconut Tree Hill images for Instagram where you can capture this beautiful image of you looking at the Indian Ocean, surrounded by Coconut Trees (picture above).
Now that Mirissa is considered a famous beach, a best place to visit in Sri Lanka, it has also become a place for Yoga, Surfing, backpacking as well. You can notice the many road-side food stalls and cafes offering some amazingly delicious breakfasts and meals for anyone. Another highlight of Mirissa is that it’s a well-known place for the Digital Nomads. There’s a few places that offer High-Speed Internet and a cool working environment where Digital Nomads could spend the day working, while enjoying Sri Lanka.
Best time to visit: November to April during the Monsoon Season. Best for Whale Watching, Surfing, and Beach Weather.
Price: There are tickets to the extra activities you will do in Mirissa.
5. Yala National Park – A Wildlife Haven
If you are searching for Sri Lanka’s most famous Wildlife Park or Safari Experience, Yala definitely ranks on the Top. Yala is one of the best places to visit for a complete Wildlife Experience in Sri Lanka as it’s one of the rare National Park that has the spotting of Sri Lankan Leopard, Asian Elephant, and also the Sloth Bear – all in one place. This makes Yala National Park a place where you can complete 3/5 of Sri Lanka’s Big Five and the 2 Whale types can be seen in the Mirissa town – which is just a couple of hours drive.
There safari timings are the usual as in to many safari rides of Sri Lanka. The Morning, Afternoon, or the Full day. There were a few times which the Yala National Park was closed due to the dry weather in September but this has not happened for the last couple of years though.
Best time to visit: Throughout the Year
Price: Jeep Safari up to 06 people is Approx USD 50 + Entrance fee ticket per person is USD 50
6. Kandy: The Cultural Capital
Sri Lanka’s last Kingdom to be ruled under the Kings and Queens is the Kingdom of Kandy. A place of many experiences and locations to visit, the most famous in Kandy and a best place to visit is the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. This holy temple which is respectfully housed at the King’s Palace is believed to be a Tooth of the Lord Buddha – founder of Buddhism.
Kandy is also added with many more interesting places to visit such as the Kandy Lake, the Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens, the Cultural Dance Show, the Cooking Demonstrations at a Local House, the Pekoe Trail for starters. Another symbolic event in Kandy is the Annual Esala Perahera which is usually happening in either the months of July or August. For 2025, the Esala Perahera will be from the 30th July 2025 to the 08th August 2025.
Best time to visit: Throughout the Year
Price: Depends on the places you visit.
7. Nuwara Eliya – The Heart of Tea Country
Nestled in the central highlands, Nuwara Eliya is known for its cool climate, lush tea plantations, and colonial charm. It’s often called “Little England” due to its British-style architecture.
For tourists as well as Sri Lankans, Nuwara Eliya holds a prominent place of visit in regards to Tourism. Especially for the April’s Sinahala and Aluth Awurudu celebrations, Sri Lankas flock to Nuwara Eliya to celebrate the Spring. The beautiful road from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya, covered with lush-green tea gardens on the both sides, the many locations such as the Sri Bhaktha Hanuman temple, the Gayathri Peedam, Seetha Amaan Kovil – locations related to Ramayana tale are also connected to Nuwara Eliya.
Best time to visit: Throughout the Year
Price: Depends on the places you visit.
8. Polonnaruwa: Ancient City
Polonnaruwa, the second oldest of Sri Lanka’s kingdoms, boasts 12th-century ruins and impressive architecture. This UNESCO World Heritage site is a testament to the country’s rich history. After the fall of the Anuradhapura Kingdom with invasions, failures of the kings, Polonnaruwa became one of the most decorated Kingdoms of Sri Lanka.
The rich history with Temples, Shrines, Palaces and many artifacts still remain for the visitors to explore.
Also the high population of Monkeys in Polonnaruwa became a sensation after the Disney’s Money Kingdom Documentary of 2015.
Best time to visit: Throughout the Year
Price: Depends on the places you visit. Usually a USD 25 Ticket to visit the Ancient Ruins.
9. Jaffna: Northern Culture
Jaffna became a Tourism hotspot for many travellers to Sri Lanka after the end of the Civil War in 2009. Even though the Kingdom of Jaffna is also more than a 1000 years old, it was not very famous among the tourists due to many reasons. However, the influence of the South Indian migrants, invasions, the people, culture, food, language is different from the rest of Sri Lanka.
If you are visiting Jaffna, it’s more of an unexplored Destination of Sri Lanka. Of course, it’s a vast area to visit and it’s recommended to at least stay 2 nights so you can explore Jaffna and it’s interesting places to visit.
Best time to visit: Throughout the Year
Price: Depends on the places you visit.
10. Colombo – the Capital City
As far as the invasions of Sri Lanka go, starting with the European colonies of the 15th Century, Colombo has been a major city. Today, Colombo is considered the Commercial Capital of Sri Lanka with all the most important offices, institutions, businesses, Ports, Airports are within the close proximity to Colombo.
Since it was a Fort for the Portgueuse, and now with the upcoming Port City Developments of Colombo, there is no better location in Sri Lanka to witness the Old-Ancient Buildings against the most recent upcoming Constructions too. Did you know that South Asia’s Tallest Tower, the Lotus Tower is also in this list for the Best Places to visit in Sri Lanka and can be a place where you can see almost all parts of Colombo, and even the distant outskirts too.
Best time to visit: Throughout the Year
Price: Depends on the places you visit.
Sri Lanka’s diverse attractions offer something for every kind of traveler. Whether you’re drawn to the country’s rich cultural heritage, its stunning natural beauty, or its warm beaches, these must-visit destinations will provide an unforgettable experience. Plan your Sri Lankan adventure today, and immerse yourself in the wonders of this beautiful island nation. This wraps up our list of Best places to visit in Sri Lanka as a post but this doesn’t even cover the tip of the iceberg. Sri Lanka has many places you can visit and enjoy, and we are here to help you do just that.
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