Destinations

Popular Tourists Cities in Sri Lanka

Western Coast

Colombo

Colombo Coastal city in Sri Lanka
Commercial Capital of Sri Lanka.
Beaches, Galle Face Green, Colombo City Centre Shopping, Dutch Hospital Shopping Precinct, Good Market Shopping, Gangaramaya Buddhist Temple, Colombo National Museum, Viharamahadevi Park, Independence Square, National Zoological Gardens, Ape Gama Village Display, Nelum Pokuna Art Street, Crow Island Beach Park

Mount Lavinia

Famous for ‘Mount Lavinia Hotel’.
Beaches, Scuba Diving, Sea Turtles Conservation Center, Sri Lanka Airforce Museum, National Zoological Gardens

Kalpitiya

Fishermen’s village with 14 islands.
Active during seasons only.
Dolphin/whale watching season: 
November to March.
Kitesurfing season: The summer season runs from mid-May to mid-October and the winter season from mid-December to mid-March.
Beach, Water Sports, Kayaking, Mangrove Forest Boat Tour, Reef Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Scuba Diving, Dutch Fort

Negombo

Beach city near the Colombo International Airport.
Negombo Lagoon, Muthurajawela Marsh, Fish Market, Dutch Fort & Canal

Panadura

Good place to stay before the departure (1.5 hrs drive).
Beach, ‘Bolgoda Lake’ River Safari, Sri Lankan Traditional Bakery Experience, Coastal Ride to Galle, Richmond Castle

Wadduwa

Good place to stay before the departure (1.5 hrs drive).
Beach, ‘Bolgoda Lake’ River Safari, Richmond Castle

Kalutara

Good place to stay before the departure (2 hrs drive).
Beach, Thudugala Ella waterfall, Fa Hien Caves, Carving and Batik Museum, Richmond Castle, Wood Burning Art Handcraft

Southern Coast

Beruwala

Beach, Barberyn Island Lighthouse, Brief Garden – Bevis Bawa

Bentota

Beach, Snorkeling, Scuba Diving, Kosgoda Sea Turtle Conservation Project, Deep sea big game fishing, Barberyn Island Lighthouse, Brief Garden – Bevis Bawa, Lunuganga Garden – Geoffrey Bawa, Boat Safari, Water Sports, Arts and Crafts, Ayurveda Center, Village Tour, Country side cycling

Ambalangoda

Home for ‘Traditional Sri Lankan Masks’.
Mask Museum, Traditional Masks shopping, Beach, Sea Turtle Hatchery, Moonstone Mines, Rock Islands Sanctuaries

Weligama

Surf Beach, Kushta Raja Gala, Weligama Bay Dive

Hikkaduwa

Turtle Beach, Scuba Diving, Turtle Hatchery, Tsunami Museum, Narigama Beach, Tsunami Honganji Vihara, Coral Sanctuary, Seenigama Muhudu Viharaya, Water Sports, Naga Viharaya

Galle

A colonial city with 16th-century Dutch fort.
Beach, Galle Fort, Whale Watching Cruise, River Cruise for Birds Watching, Cycling in Galle Fort, Sinharaja Forest Reserve, Sea Turtle Farm, Mahamodara, Old Town of Galle Tour, Rumasalla Mountain, Lankagama Duwili Ella Falls, Maritime Archeology Museum, Flag Rock Bastion, Gal Oruwa Ella Falls, Dalawella Beach,

Unawatuna

One of Sri Lanka’s liveliest beach haunts.
Beach Party, Jungle Beach, Mihiripenna Beach, Rope Swing, Surfing, Scuba Diving

Koggala

Beach, Lake Boat Safari, Sea Turtle Conservation, Stilt Fishermen, Lagoon Herbal Garden, Madol Duwa Island

Mirissa

Whale watching: November to April
Beach, Turtle Point Snorkeling, Coconut Tree Hill, Secret Beach, Paradise Dive Center, Mirissa Deep Fishing Tours, Water Sports

Matara

Weligama Beach, Polhena Beach, Hiriketiya Beach, Snake Farm, Star Fort, Weherahena Buddhist Temple, Matara Paravi Duwa Temple, Medawatta Beach, Kirala Kelle Wetlands

Dikwella

Beach, Mawella Lagoon Kayak Tour, Bundala National Park Safari from Dikwella, Hiri Surf School, Wewurukannala Buddhist Temple

Tangalle

Beach, Surfing, Mulgirigala Buddhist Temple, Birdwatching Boat Ride in Kalametiya Sanctuary, Ridiyagama Safari Park, Goyambokka Beach, Mirijjawila Botanic Gardens, Tangalle Lagoon, Walawe River Safari

Hambantota

Beach, Walawe River Safari, Ridiyagama Safari Park, Birds Research Center & Resort, Mirijjawila Botanic Gardens, Mahapelessa Hot Springs, Kumana National Park

Eastern Coast

Arugam Bay

Surfing Season: April to October
Surfing, Muhudu Maha Vihara Temple, Sangaman Kanda Lighthouse, Pottuvil Lagoon, Kudumbigala Monastery, Sangamankandy Pilliyar Kovil

Kalkudah

Kalkudah Beach, Passikudah Beach, Snorkeling in Bar Reef Marine Sanctuary, Water Sports, Scuba Addicts Dive Center Passikuda, Coconut Cultural Park

Batticaloa

Batticaloa Lagoon, Kallady Beach, Kallady Bridge, Batticaloa Fort, Batticaloa Gate, Batticaloa Lighthouse, Batticaloa Eco Park, Sri Mangalarama Raja Maha Viharaya Batticaloa, Batticaloa Lagoon

Trincomalee

Whale watching: May to September
Beach, Sunset Cruise, Snorkeling in Pigeon Island, Marble Beach, Fort Frederick, Uppuveli Beach, Kanniya Hot Springs, Arisimale Beach, Lanka Pattuna, Trincomalee Crocodile Lake, Sandy Bay, Dutch Bay, Scuba Diving, Water Sports

Nilaveli

Beach, Pigeon Island National Park, Scuba Dive Centre, Scuba Diving, Whales & Dolphin watching

Arisimale Beach

Beach with rice like sand and awesome views

Hill Country

Kandy

Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Kandy View Point, Udawattekele Sanctuary, Kandy Lake, Bahiravokanda Vihara Buddha Statue, Lankatilaka Temple, Ceylon Tea Museum, Spice Garden, Esala Perahera Festival, Alagalla Mountain Range, Hanthana Mountain Range, Ranawana Purana Rajamaha Viharaya, Galmaduwa Temple, Embekka Devalaya, Chariot Path, Temple of the Gadaladenia, Degaldoruwa Temple, National Museum Kandy, Kandy Brasswear Village, Natural Gems and Gemmological Museum, Ambuluwawa Tower, Sri Dalada Museum

Nuwara Eliya

Tea Plantations & Factories, Horton Plains National Park, Gregory Lake, Lover’s Leap Falls, Sita Temple, Shri Bhakta Hanuman Temple, Hakgala Botanic Gardens, Bomburu Ella Waterfall, Victoria Park, Ambewela Farms, St Clair’s Falls, Moon Plains, Devon Falls, Labookellie Tea Centre and Tea Garden, Single Tree Hill, Kande-ela Reservoir, Galway’s Land National Park, Shanthipura View Point, Kolapathana Falls, Mohini falls, Maussakalle Reservoir

Kitulgala

White Water Rafting, Makandawa Forest Reserve, Nalagana Falls

Matale

Knuckles Mountain Range, Spice & Herbal Gardens, Sembuwaththa Lake, Aluvihara Rock Cave Temple, Riverstone, Nalanda Gedige, Pitawala Pathana, Bambarakiri Falls, Sera falls, Sera falls, Hunnasgiriya falls, Wedda Peni Falls, Helicopter Tours, Pidurutalagala

Hatton

Ceylon Tea Trails, Castlereagh Reservoir, Ella Train Journey, Laxapana Falls, Adam’s Peak

Ella

Little Adam’s Peak, Nine Arches Bridge, Ella Rock Hike, Ravana Ella Falls, Demodara Loop, Ravana’s Cave, Kinellan Tea Factory, Kithal Ella Falls, Nil Diya Pokuna, Kalu Dola Ella, Kurullangala Rock Arts

Wellawaya

Hadapanagala Lake, Elle Wala Waterfall, Buduruwagala Temple, Rakkhiththa Kanda Forest Monastery

Haputale

Lipton’s Seat, Prabhawa Mountain Day View Point, Thangamale Bird Sanctuary, St Benedict’s Monastery – Adisham Bungalow, Dambatenne Tea Factory, Lake Richmond

Cultural Triangle

Anuradhapura

Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi, Ruwanwelisaya Stupa, Mihintale, Jethawanaramaya Stupa, Wilpattu National Park, Ritigala Forest Monastery, Isurumuniya Temple, Abhayagiri Stupa, Kalu Diya Pokuna Natural Black Water Pond, Ranmasu Uyana, Thuparama Stupa, Vessagiriya Ruins, Samadhi Statue, Twin Baths (Kuttam Pokuna), Stone Bridge (Gal Palama), Nellikulama Temple, Thanthirimale Temple, Isinbassagala, Mirisaveti Stupa, Lankarama Stupa, The Royal Palace of King Vijayabahu, Lovamahapaya, Abhayagiri Museum, Tissa Wewa Reservoir, Star Gate (Sakwala Chakraya), Nachchaduwa Wewa Reservoir, Vessagiriya Ruins, Kala Wewa Reservoir, Nakha Vehera Stupa, Padalanchana Stupa, Gedige Ruins, Main Refectory Of Abayagiri Monastery, Burrows pavilion, Asokaramaya Pankuliya Temple, Anuraphapura era Temple of the Tooth, Nuwara Wewa Reservoir

Polonnaruwa

Wasgamuwa National Park, Gal Vihara Buddha Statues, Polonnaruwa Vatadage, Lankathilaka Image House, Medirigiriya Vatadage, Rankoth Vehera Stupa, Somawathiya Stupa, Archaeological Museum, Statue of Parakramabahu, Lotus Pond, Sathmahal Prasada, King’s Council Chamber, Weijantha Prasada, Thivanka Image House, Parakrama Samudraya Reservoir, Giritale Lake Reservoir, Stone Book (Gal-Potha), Kiri Vehera Stupa, Hatadage, Kumara Pokuna Pond, Nissanka Latha Mandapaya, Dimbulagala Monastery, Angammedilla National Park, Dalada Maluwa, Pothgul Viharaya, Hetadage, Thuparama Stupa, Siva Devalaya, Pabalu Vehera, Manik Vehera, Moragahakanda Reservoir

Dambulla

Dambulla Cave Temple, Popham’s Arboretum, Ibbankatuwa Megalithic Tombs, Pidurangala Royal Cave Temple, Ederagala Forest Monastery, Sath Paththini Devalaya, Menikdena Archaeological Reserve and Arboretum

Sigiriya

Sigiriya Lion Rock, Pidurangala Rock, Kaludiya Pokuna, Sigiriya Museum, Oakray Woodcarvings

Inland

Pinnawela

Ratnapura

Bandarawela

National Parks (NP)/ Reserves

Bundala NP
Wilpattu NP
Uda Walawe NP
Maduru Oya NP

Minneriya NP
Yala NP
Kumana NP
Gal Oya NP

Sinharaja Forest Reserve
Wasgamuwa Reserve
Ritigala Reserve
Minneriya NP