Sri Lanka Itinerary Trip Planner | Travel Routes

The Broke Backpacker is supported by you. Clicking through our links may earn us a small affiliate commission, and that's what allows us to keep producing free content 🙂 Learn more.

Sri Lanka is an all-year-round destination… in that it’s always raining and always sunny simultaneously somewhere on the island. The pesky alternating monsoon seasons make planning a trip to Sri Lanka a wee bit more complicated. In that sense, Sri Lanka is also a year-round monsoon destination!

• South & West Coast are generally best from December to April (this is when the classic beach towns – Mirissa, Weligama, Hiriketiya, Unawatuna – are at their best)
• East Coast & Arugam Bay make more sense from May to September (surf season is ON and busy, calmer seas, and the whole East Coast attracts a lot of people)
• Shoulder months, roughly March/April and August/September, can still work well (you’ll get mixed weather, but plenty of good days if you’re flexible)
• October & November are the hardest months to plan around (rain can hit anywhere, storms roll through unpredictably, and routes need a lil’ extra wiggle room)

Realistically, it’s not a one-weather-fits-all kinda place, and the best time to visit Sri Lanka depends on where you want to go. This is exactly why I’ve put together a couple of different routes for you 🙂

Weather in Sri Lanka

Monsoons aside, the climate in Sri Lanka is a much more straightforward ordeal. Expect serious thigh chafing conditions – hot and humid. The exception is in the hill country (central highlands). Up here, things cool off considerably and even get properly cold in the right places.

Check out the table below for some average temperatures in Sri Lanka. I’ve chosen Colombo (Sri Lanka’s west coast capital) and Nuwara Eliya (the balmy capital of the mountainous tea country) to contrast the two distinct climates.

• Best for: First-timers, culture lovers, wildlife fans and beach bums.
• Works best in: December to April.
• Trip style: Culture, trains, wildlife, beaches, adventure
• Main highlights: Sigiriya rock climb, Kandy-Ella train, Yala safari, south-coast beaches
• Pace: Steady, frequent moves without being too rushed
• Good for first-timers? Yes!

So, before we start the 14-day Sri Lanka itinerary extravaganza, I wanna talk about arrival and Day 0. For any and all backpacking routes in Sri Lanka, you’ll be landing at Sri Lanka’s international airport – Bandaranaike – which is near Colombo but not in Colombo. This is a blessing in disguise.

Instead, I present to you… Negombo!

Negombo is a fine alternative to staying in Colombo’s gridlocked mayhem. Negombo is a whole lot more chill, the beaches are nicer, and it’s closer to the airport. Any and all times you can skip Colombo, I suggest you do it 🙂

Stop 1: Sigiriya (Days 1-3)

Beneath the hulking behemoth of Lion’s Rock, AKA Sigiriya, is a relatively sleepy and tourist-lite village (comparatively to Sri Lanka’s other famous places to stay). I actually really dig the town; tourists float in, but it’s not overdone.

Set in the central, dry, and hot lowlands region, it’s the perfect base for exploring Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle. It’s close to the ancient capital and UNESCO sites like Sigiriya, Dambulla, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, and Kandy. 

The rock fortress of Sigiriya is the main draw to this area (not to mention one of the most famous tourist attractions in Sri Lanka). If you’re only in Sri Lanka for 14 days, it’s a must-see thing. Powerful yet humbling, BUT it’s also mega-touristic, and the price is outrageous.

If you want one of my biggest tips for Sri Lanka… hike Pidurangala instead. It’s a fraction of the cost, it’s quieter, and you get to experience the view of Lion’s Rock itself. 

Stop 2: Kandy (Days 3-5)

Kandy was strangely a really memorable place I visited in Sri Lanka. Not because I absolutely loved the place, but because it is one of those places where you really experience what everyday city life is like. It felt a bit like stepping back in time with the old colonial tea houses and the men in old-fashioned suits and brief cases. 

It’s often more of a transit-and-reset stop than a major trip favourite. Most travellers you talk to will be unenthused with Kandy, because compared to seeing Elephants on a Yala Safari or surfing waves in the south, it’s less mind-blowing. But go with an open mind, and you might just be surprised 🙂

There’s a mall with an ice-cream parlour, a lake for moonlit romantic strolls, heaps of cheap food, and it’s home to one of the most sacred sites in Sri Lanka, the Temple of the Tooth (a temple that holds Buddha’s tooth!)

If you’re visiting Sri Lanka for the first time, you can just book a hostel in Kandy, stay a night, explore the highlights, then rest up, and catch the train right out the following morning.

Stop 3: Ella (Days 5-8)

Man, cutting only 4-days from your itinerary for Ella hardly even seems like enough! Ella is easily my favourite place to visit, and it is the perfect place to slow down on your trip. It’s home to outrageously cool hikes, including the famous Ella Rock, the train bridge and other smaller viewpoints like Little Adam’s Peak. 

Smack-bang right in the middle of the emerald sea of the hill country, Ella is surrounded by gorgeous tea plantations, stunning valley panoramas, and plenty of aimless wandering opportunities.

I wouldn’t actually suggest staying in Ella town itself. There’s some good food in town, and some souvenir/Goa-lite shopping, but otherwise, it’s an over-capacity tourist bubble. The real draw of Ella is everything around the bubble. If you’re not staying outside town in the fairytale fields of cloud forests and shifting mists, you’re missing out.

How to Travel There:

This is why you have to at least pass through Kandy: the train to Ella. The Kandy to Ella train is a must-do thing on any and all Sri Lanka itineraries. It’s not a journey to be missed.

Chances are you’ve already heard of the train ride from Kandy to Ella. If not, you’ve at least seen pictures, even if you don’t know it. Winding train tracks elegantly slice paths through the jungles, tea plantations, and misty slopes of the hill country. It’s one of those types of train journeys where you get to do this:

You don’t have to actually board the train at Kandy. There are stops before and after, and you can even board the train at Colombo. That is a bloody long ride though.

Kandy is about the right distance to Ella (roughly an 8-hour train ride plus the margin-of-error for the Asia effect), and there are a few extra spots you can stop along the way in Sri Lanka’s hill country if you can smush it all into your travel itinerary route.

Coolest Places to Visit in Ella:

• Little Adam’s Peak – An easy walk with a grand payoff. For people who like eating the cake but don’t wanna bake it.
• Ella Rock – A more challenging and dynamic hike with, arguably, less viewing payoff. There are heaps of backtracks here, making it a fave for anyone who likes exploring.
• Nine Arches Bridge – it’s a pretty bridge with some impressive engineering, it’s terrifying to hang your legs over and cool when a train comes. It is rather busy though, so go early.

Best Places to Eat:

In Ella itself:

• Matey Hut – There are some blessed dank eateries in town (shoutout to the nameless roti shop on the south edge of town), however,  Matey Hut serves up high-quality Sri Lankan cuisine in a tourist restaurant setting.
• Cafe Chill – It’s not really my jam – a proper tourist joint through and through. The prices are high, the food is top-notch, and the music is usually on-point too! Along with Cafe One Love, it’s one of the two main watering holes in town.
• MozarElla – No matter where you go in the world, you will always find three things: pigeons, pizza, and Australians.

 

Where to Stay:

Pepper Hills Hostel is without a doubt the best place to stay for backpackers in Ella. If you want to be away from the town and tucked into the hills – this is for you.

It is easy to get a bus from outside the hostel and it’s worth the effort. The natural pool is stunning, as are the views of the mountains! It’s home to the sweetest doggies, tooo!

View on Hostelworld

Stop 4: Yala National Park (Days 8-10)

Listen, there are three things nearly all backpackers travelling Sri Lanka will do:

1. Go surfing
2. Go on a safari
3. Get an elephant tattoo (probably shortly after the safari)

On point two, Yala is arguably the best place to visit in Sri Lanka in your 14 days of adventuring for a safari; it’s Sri Lanka’s biggest national park. However, this is an optional section of the itinerary. You can totally bypass this and spend more time exploring the beaches in the south. 

The most action you usually see on the Yala safari is a shit ton of elephants and cool birds (I’d highly recommend taking some binoculars). There is a very slim chance of seeing a leopard and when these are spotted, you could say the ethics are marginal, at best.

Many safaris in Sri Lanka are not at all in line with responsible and ethical wildlife tourism. In Yala alone, safaris are overbooked, traffic is frequent, drivers are reckless and endanger the wildlife. So, please, if you do decide to join a safari, do your research and go with a solid, well-reviewed organiser.

Stop 5: South Beaches (Days 10-13)

And it’s time for the beach! We’ve spent nearly 14 days in Sri Lanka already, and we still haven’t hit the beach – shameful.

Instead of sending you along Sri Lanka’s south coast, however, I’m going to lay out the beach destinations here for you (southeast to southwest direction) and who they’re good for:

Galle and the Fort (Days 13-14)

Galle Fort – so pretty yet so strange. It is the perfect spot, however, to round off your southern Sri Lanka tour. Inside the fort proper, Galle’s main tourist hub, there’s an almost timeless bubble quality; it’s easy to decompress here before heading back towards the madness of Colombo, or, ideally, straight to the airport.

Galle is an oddball. Outside the fort in Galle city, things make sense in that they make no sense: the typical South Asian craziness ensues. It’s a Sri Lankan city through and through.

Once you step inside the fort, though, the game changes – rice and curry goes out the bathroom window and barista coffee and cake come right on in. It’s like a little slice of Europe in Sri Lanka (right down to the narrow alleyways lined with Volkswagens and Portuguese/Dutch-era colonial architecture).

After Galle, getting to the airport is simple. You can take the train or highway bus to Colombo and connect from there, or look for one of the direct airport buses that occasionally run from Galle’s main bus station. Schedules can vary, so I’d suggest asking at the station to double-check.

• Best for: Culture lovers, slow travellers, history buffs, proper explorers
• Works best in: May to September (north/east season)
• Trip style: Deep-dive into the culture, wildlife, beaches, and remote villages
• Main highlights: Ancient cities, Jaffna culture, Wilpattu safari, east-coast beaches, hill-country hikes
• Pace: Slower and more immersive
• Good for first-timers? Not as much as the two-week itinerary, it goes much more of the beaten path

Okely-dokely, you’ve got an extra week, and the rains are pissing down in the south, so it’s time to head to the north and the east. This itinerary is better suited for slower travel or return visitors after a deeper dive away from the tourist hubs. There is more culture, more distance covered and a lot more variety. 

There are a few crossovers between this itinerary and the last when it comes to the central regions. But honestly, Sigiriya, Ella, and the train are absolutely necessary things to do in Sri Lanka on any itinerary!

Stop 1: Sigiriya and the Cultural Highlights (Days 1-4)

Well, we already talked about Sigiriya, so instead, I’m mentioning a few other notable places to travel to in Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle. I still recommend staying in Sigiriya and soaking that yumminess up, though (potentially with some side-adventures to explore the local landscapes).

But, since you’re spending a few more days touring Sri Lanka, there are a few extra bonus day trips from Sigiriya you could consider:

• Polonnaruwa – The ancient city of kings. It’s a $30 entrance fee, but, honestly, if you were considering dropping that on Sigiriya Fortress, just visit Polonnaruwa instead. Think of Polonnaruwa as a historical theme park.
  Once, 800 years ago, it was a thriving city, a hub of culture and commerce, and the seat of power for one of Sri Lanka’s ancient kingdoms. Now it’s a playground for lovers of archaeology, history, and ruins. It’s a large space – you’ll need to hire a tuk-tuk driver or a bike to explore it – but if you’re a sucker for old-world goodness, it’s worth the trip.
• Dambulla cave temple – It could be worth the trip if you’re really into temples. Dambulla town itself is not worth the trip, in my opinion, but the cave interior temple (another extremely sacred site in Sri Lanka) is very impressive. It’s also extremely commercialised and carries that whole “God is dead” feeling… so… up to you!
• Jathika Namal Uyana (Rose Quartz Mountain) – Dude, I missed checking this out, and I hate myself so much for that. It’s exactly what it purports to be: less than five bucks and you’ll be standing on a mountain of pink rose quartz. Don’t be like me – go.

Stop 2: Anuradhapura (Days 4-6)

If you’re feeling the temple/history burnout, you can leave Anuradhapura off your itinerary in Sri Lanka. There’s not much else to see there except more of Sri Lanka’s historical attractions.

Well, that’s a lie – there is one thing that’s pretty dope: Sri Maha Bohdi. Thought to be the oldest-living human-planted tree in the world, the tree started as a cutting from the original tree that Lord Buddha gained enlightenment. Planted as a sapling by one of the kings of old, it’s now an incredibly revered place to visit in Sri Lanka.

Past that, you’re looking at a similar concept to exploring Polonnaruwa, albeit slightly different in the execution. Another archaeological park with a $35 entrance fee and another archaic kingdom, however, this time it’s the cradle of Buddhism in ancient (Sinhala) Sri Lankan civilisation.

Enormous towering dagobas (brick stupas) and sprawling monastic complexes fill the area. Much like Polonnaruwa, it’ll be a matter of renting a bike or tuk-tuk driver to explore Anuradhapura to its fullest.

Safari Stop-or-Not: Wilpattu National Park

Wilpattu National Park is northwest Sri Lanka’s answer to Yala. The largest national park in Sri Lanka, Wilpattu is also potentially an even better choice than Yala for seeing leopards (they’re still mighty rare, however).

Pretty much everything I said about Yala National Park still holds true here. It’s not so much a matter of the park-to-park context as it is the wildlife tourism in Sri Lanka as a whole.

That said, with two different Sri Lanka itineraries, two different monsoon seasons, and two different routes, this is your alternative place to go if your heart is set on a safari.

Bonus Stop: Jaffna (Days 6-8)

Now, this is certainly an uncommon place to visit off the standard Sri Lanka backpacking itinerary. I’m saying it’s a bonus stop because:

1. It is going to add some distance to your travel route (it’s at the 
2. It’s a bit more challenging to travel.
3. You honestly may just be busting to hit the beach after spending a week in the hot, humid, booze-less cultural epicentre of the island.

It’s impossible to really understand Jaffna without knowledge of the history of Sri Lanka. The tl;dr is that there are actually two subgroups of Sri Lankan people – the Sinhala and the Tamils. In modern times, there was an ungodly civil war that ripped these two peoples’ lives apart for more than two decades, and in the primarily Tamil northern area of Sri Lanka, you’ll still see traces of the horrors that occurred.

Jaffna is also super pretty! It’s a change in architecture to a more South Indian style and, if your spice palette has refined enough to notice the subtle differences, it’s a change in cuisine too. It’s a stop on this itinerary that is for the slower travellers, those who value places with fewer tourists and a deeper culture to understand. 

You don’t need to spend too many days in Jaffna. Mostly, you’ll be concerned with checking out some (more) temples and finding a soulful spot in the ocean to cool off during the midday heat. 

Stop 3: Trincomalee (Days 9-12)

The warm-up to the inevitable time-sink of Arugam Bay. You’ll find long sandy beaches lined with deckchairs and drinking holes. A Lion Strong, a round of beach volleyball, and an escape from the insane midday heat in the sparkling water is a guarantee. It’s also considerably quieter than Arugam Bay. 

That’s what Trinco feels like: Arugam Bay all grown up. Arugam Bay was in its 30s when it started showering regularly and stopped sleeping with everything with a pulse. It’s cleaner, a bit more refined, and a bit more expensive. It’s the perfect reset stop before continuing to Arugam Bay.

Although Trincomalee is ideal for many things, it’s important to note that there’s no good swell in Trincomalee, so it’s not ideal if you’re chasing the ultimate surfing holiday in Sri Lanka.

Stop 4: Arugam Bay (Days 12-?)

We maaaade it. Here’s a season in Arugam Bay in a nutshell:

1. Surfing
2. Hostels
3. Weed
4. Cheap food
5. Parties
6. Surfing

This is undeniably a backpacker haven. If you’re planning a trip to Sri Lanka, and particularly a first-time visit, plan to lose track of your holiday itinerary for an indeterminate amount of time. Arugam Bay is the surf mecca of Sri Lanka as well as the backpacking mecca. Arugam Bay is one of those places.

But it would be remiss for me to say it’s good for everyone. If you don’t like party-surf backpacker hubs, you will not like Arugam Bay. As that is exactly what this tiny town embodies, there are tuk-tuks with surfboards on the top EVERYWHERE, and the nightlife is absolutely bonkers.

It’s a sticky place.

Stops 5-6: Ella, Kandy, and the Hill Country (Days 16-21)

Yup, the same as the 2-week Sri Lanka itinerary except in reverse! I really cannot stress enough how much this part of the country and the train journey are a must-see in Sri Lanka in any itinerary.

Ella really is the ultimate detox to skip the bends leaving Arugam Bay. There is a tranquil majesty to Sri Lanka’s hill country (outside of Ella town) that will make even the most crushing wipeout a gentle ride to shore. If you can take a few extra days to hike, explore the valleys, or even just chill and watch the sky, definitely do it.

When you do catch the train to Kandy, there are a few extra stops you can consider to break up the trip, provided you have the time:

• Nuwara Eliya – One of several points of interest in Sri Lanka that still heavily carries the colonial remnants. The racecourse, the architecture, the tea, and definitely the post office all feel like cracking open a city-sized time capsule the British colonialists left behind. You’re up high in the hills here, though, so expect it to get cold and rainy.
• Haputale – Speaking of tea, at Haputale you’ll find Lipton’s Seat (yes, of that Lipton), which is really more like an imperialist’s throne overseeing the incredible sweeps of plantations, hills and even right down to the south coast on a clear day!
• Hatton – I’m not so much suggesting that you stick Hatton on your Sri Lanka itinerary as what’s near it: the mighty and majestic Adam’s Peak (AKA Sri Pada AKA Samanalakanda AKA Bob’s Your Uncle AKA a million other things). One of the most sacred places in Sri Lanka, Adam’s Peak is an absolutely exquisite climb to venture above the sea of clouds. The climbing season for both pilgrims and tourists runs from December to May; however, it’s a much nicer climb in the shoulder season before it gets crazy.

When you do arrive in Kandy, and since you’ll be departing shortly, forget the dorms! Take a nice accommodation in Kandy out of the city or up in the hills, and soak up the last few days spent in Sri Lanka.

Where to Stay in Sri Lanka’s Hill Country

The Ultimate Boss: Meemure and the Knuckles Mountain Range

Mmm, yum. Mountains – my happy place (other than buffets). This is about as off the beaten path in Sri Lanka as you can probably get. The unquenchable, untameable, and unabashed Knuckles Mountain Range hides Sri Lanka’s most remote village – Meemure. 

This is not your average first-time-in-Sri-Lanka stop; it’s more of an offbeat extension. You’ll need to dedicate at least 3 days in Sri Lanka from your itinerary for the trip: one day there, one day to explore, and one day to return. If you can spare more time, then that’s even better. Travelling to Meemure is one of those things where it’s about the journey. It appears to be more appealing to more experienced travellers and hikers who want a less touristy side of Sri Lanka. It was the most hardcore thing and hidden place I could unearth on my trip to Sri Lanka.

Holy mother of box-ticking, Batman! Sri Lanka looks tiny on the map, but it does not travel like a tiny country. Before you start stitching together every pretty-looking dot on Google Maps, it’s worth getting real about the pace, the distance, and how you actually like to travel.

Sri Lanka is full of beautiful places, but it’s also a place where moving around takes longer than you think. The clunky buses wind through mountains, the rusty trains chug through tea country, and even short trips can eat into half a day. This is not the country where you want to pack 14 places into 10 days (unless you enjoy spending your entire trip sweating like a big on public transport).

Anyway, I didn’t live visit three times just so I could not share this stuff – so let’s get you dialled in before you dive into the deep end of paradise.

How many days should you spend in Sri Lanka?

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – the island looks small, but there are just soooo many places to see in Sri Lanka.

If you only have 7-days, you’ll be looking at a fairly fast-paced, highlights kind of trip. Unless you just want to highlight 1-2 places and stick to those. 10-14 days is enough for one solid route with a good mix of everything. But 3+ weeks is the ideal without rushing. 

My initial route backpacking around Sri Lanka was similar to the above-listed 3-week itinerary and took somewhere between 3 and 4 weeks to execute. Truthfully, I’d say anything less than a month just really isn’t doing it justice, but I understand we are not all blessed with ample time. 

Try to avoid too many one-night stops. Those are a sure way to exhaust yourself.

If you’re not really the smoke, surf, and turf kinda human, the beaches may not slow you down as much as they would a typical backpacker. For everyone else, though, Sri Lanka’s beautiful beach destinations – Arugam Bay in particular – will more than likely initiate “Actually, I’ll leave tomorrow,” syndrome.

When you’re planning your trip to Sri Lanka, ease up on the allotted time in your itinerary for the historical and cultural sites, and free up more for the ‘fun’ stuff. The historical sites in Sri Lanka are dope, no doubt, but every traveller I met at the beach or in Ella expressed regret over not having gotten there sooner. 

Besides, for the same cost as entry to Sigiriya Fortress or Polonnaruwa, you could rent a surfboard for 7-8 days. You do the math.

…Wait, never mind, I just did it for you.

What kind of budget should you plan for?

Obviously, that’s a highly variable question dependent on the length of your itinerary and travel style. I was able to live pretty comfortably on a daily budget of $20 a day in Sri Lanka; however, this is The Broke Backpacker, and so that should give you an idea of how cheaply I travel.

If you travel like a backpacker, but it’s more of a holiday itinerary for Sri Lanka (as opposed to that sweet, sweet slow travel life), upwards of $50 a day should be plenty. That’s an extra $30 of wiggle room a day on top of the necessities (sleeping & eating) for activities, partying, and whatever else. It’s a solid mid-range budget. 

BUT, if you’re more the quick comfort, vacation type, $100+ a day is a cool max. You can set yourself up in a few lush hotels around Sri Lanka and leave the dorms behind. Hire a few private drivers along the way, eat in the fancy joints. You’ll be living grand with a big budget in Sri Lanka. 

Sri Lanka can be done on the CHEAP. Like hella cheap. But there are a few key factors that can save your rupees or blow ’em. Listed below (the cheap option stated first – if that isn’t obvious):

• Slow pace vs face pace. Folks, slow travel is always cheaper.
• Public transport vs private cars
• Quieter towns vs beach areas and tourist hotspots 
• Free activities vs paying entry to major sights

How to Get Around Sri Lanka

I love the public transport in Sri Lanka! It’s chaotic and an adventure every time. And… It’s super, cheap

The trains in Sri Lanka are iconic. They are slow, scenic, mildly chaotic and absolutely worth doing at least once in your trip. The hill country routes (aka Ella to Kandy) are the bigger ticket experiences that are on everyone’s list, but there are trains all over the country, and they are all cheap, beautiful, and rarely on time. 

Right, so I’ve mentioned a lot of buses, and the truth is that they’re simply the cheapest way of getting around Sri Lanka. But they’re also slow. And uncomfortable. And prone to the South Asia effect (it once took me 11ish hours, 6 bus changes, and one after-dark breakdown to go the 200 km from Unawatuna to Ella).

But I still love and use ’em’. Yes, because they are a cultural experience, but also because the price difference is wild:

• Bus from Trincomalee to Arugam Bay (via Batticaloa): < $7
• Private taxi for the same route: $85-$90 (depending on your haggling superpowers)

Taxis are, otherwise, going to be the main form of tourist transport services in Sri Lanka to utilise. You can save money by hooking up with a crew and sharing transport to the next destination; it’s always easy to find peeps in the tourist bubbles. Taxis are faster, but they’re expensive; you’re going to need to haggle like a pro.

You could also consider renting a motorbike or tuk-tuk in Sri Lanka. Cost-wise, that’ll run you about $5-10 for a bike or $30+ for a tuk-tuk a day (though you can definitely get it cheaper if you rent for an extended period). Sri Lanka is a phenomenal road trip country! Just make sure you dot your i’s and cross your t’s with licensing and legalities. And wear a bloody helmet – dem buses will smoke ya! 

Check out tuktukrental.com for more info. Use the code brokebackpacker at the checkout when you decide to take the plunge, and let the good times roll out!

What to Pack for Sri Lanka

Packing for Sri Lanka is pretty straightforward; take whatever your usual backpacking setup is. However, a few extra items I’d pack are:

• A good-quality rain jacket. Even if you’re doing your best to avoid the monsoon, chances are that you’ll get rained on at some point during your visit to Sri Lanka.
• Layers for the hill country. You might be sweating yo’ ass off at the beaches, but the hill country can get nippy at night.
• Oh, and the mosquitoes are assholes. Take mosquito repellent or just buy some Odomos when you arrive. It’s cheap, and the best damn mosquito repellent I’ve ever used!
• Modest clothing for temples is essential. 
• Cash is king here. You’ll need to hit up an ATM once you touch down.
• And patience. Take some patience with ya – the transport can frustrate even the strongest backpackers.

Product

Description

Somewhere to hide your cash

Somewhere to hide your cash

Travel Security Belt

This is a regular looking belt with a concealed pocket on the inside – you can hide up to twenty notes inside and wear it through airport scanners without it setting them off.

Check on REI

For those unexpected messes

For those unexpected messes

Microfiber Towel

Hostel towels are scummy and take forever to dry. Microfibre towels dry quickly, are compact, lightweight, and can be used as a blanket or yoga mat if need be.

Check on REI Check on Amazon

When the power goes out

When the power goes out

Petzl Actik Core Headlamp

A decent head torch could save your life. If you want to explore caves, unlit temples, or simply find your way to the bathroom during a blackout, a headtorch is a must.

Check on REI

A way to make friends!

A way to make friends!

‘Monopoly Deal’

Forget about Poker! Monopoly Deal is the single best travel card game that we have ever played. Works with 2-5 players and guarantees happy days.

Check On Amazon

Keep your laundry organized and stink free

Keep your laundry organized and stink free

Hanging Laundry Bag

Trust us, this is an absolute game changer. Super compact, a hanging mesh laundry bag stops your dirty clothes from stinking, you don’t know how much you need one of these… so just get it, thank us later.

Check on Nomatic

Still wondering what to take to Sri Lanka? Then check out our full backpacking packing list for more ideas on gear, gadgets, and goodies for the road!

Staying Safe in Sri Lanka

So…Is Sri Lanka safe? Yup! I mean, it’s not perfectly safe, but you can also choke on your toothbrush if you’re not careful, so…

It’s easiest to think of it as India-lite. The same travel rules you’d apply for backpacking in India apply here, and then just dial it back a notch. 

Don’t leave your valuables unguarded on the beach (or anywhere, for that matter) and watch out for scams. But also don’t spit the dummy every time someone overcharges you 20 rupees. Therein lies the road to insanity.

Here are a few of my favourite scams that I came across and that you should be aware of:

• If someone asks if you’d like to take a photo of them, or they’re behaving like a tourist attraction (eg, a stilt fisherman or tea picker), then they’re almost definitely going to ask for money if you do take that snap. 
• Tuk-tuk drivers are often very friendly, but they also love a good scam. Keep an eye on your Google Maps to make sure they are taking you to the location that you requested (they like to detour to scammy herb gardens and jewellery shops) and make sure money is exchanged only after you’ve confirmed you’ve arrived at the correct destination.

Getting Insured for Your Trip to Sri Lanka

ALWAYS sort out your backpacker insurance before your trip. There’s plenty to choose from in that department, but a good place to start is Safety Wing.

They offer month-to-month payments, no lock-in contracts, and require absolutely no itineraries: that’s the exact kind of insurance long-term travellers and digital nomads need.

SafetyWing is cheap, easy, and admin-free: just sign up lickety-split so you can get back to it!

Click the button below to learn more about SafetyWing’s setup or read our insider review for the full tasty scoop.

It has been an absolute pleasure to write about travelling in Sri Lanka again. I get a little blast of candy-nostalgia every time I return in my mind’s eye to that gorgeous island. 

The truth is, a Sri Lanka trip is not just about moving from stop to stop. It’s the feeling of the place. Cloud forests rolling through plantations and emerald hills, the chaotic madness of any and all bus rides, dawn on sun-kissed beaches, watching lone fishermen drag their laden nets in. 

Sri Lanka rarely runs on time, and even the most carefully curated route will have some level of spontaneity to it. Things can take longer than you expect. The weather can shift. Buses break down. Someone hands you a beer. You miss a train and end up finding the best meal of your trip. It’s all good. Relax and enjoy it! 

Whether it’s one, two, or three weeks in Sri Lanka, every moment is a blessing. If you can give yourself a month, that’s even better! Plan your trip with my perfectly crafted itineraries for Sri Lanka; there is a lot of love and care in them, but also, remember to stop and smell the kottu.