Plan My Trip
Pick a traveller type, steal the route, change whatever doesn't fit. Every stop below links into the Places hub and the map so you can check it before you commit.
Classic 7 days, first visit
Full trip article: photo spots, landmarks and favourites →
Who: anyone landing with a week. Pace: steady, two hotel moves. Cost: mid.
- Day 1: Land, drive straight to Galle. Sleep inside the Fort.
- Day 2: Fort morning, drive to Mirissa. Sunset at Coconut Tree Hill.
- Day 3: Whale watching at dawn (Nov–Apr only), surf lesson afternoon.
- Day 4: Drive to Ella via Udawalawe safari.
- Day 5: Nine Arches + Little Adam's Peak, Ravana Falls on the way down.
- Day 6: Famous blue train Ella → Nuwara Eliya. Book the observation car early.
- Day 7: Tea factory morning, drive back to the airport via Kandy.
Honest note: day 7 is long. If your flight is morning, sleep near Negombo instead.
Family 10 days, kids in tow
Full trip article: photo spots, landmarks and favourites →
Who: families with kids 5+. Pace: slow, pools every second day. Cost: mid. Transport: private driver throughout — with kids this is the one trip where a driver (typically LKR 18,000–30,000/day with car) pays for itself.
- Days 1–2: Sigiriya. Climb early before heat; Minneriya elephants afternoon.
- Day 3: Dambulla caves, drive to Kandy. Cultural dance show evening.
- Days 4–5: Train to Ella (reserve seats), waterfalls, easy walks. Kids love the train more than any temple.
- Day 6: Udawalawe safari — elephants almost guaranteed, closer and calmer than Yala.
- Days 7–9: Unawatuna. Calm reef bay for swimming, Galle Fort for a day trip.
- Day 10: Turtle hatchery morning, airport.
Honest note: skip Yala with small kids — long bumpy tracks, early starts, fewer guarantees than Udawalawe.
Solo backpacker 14 days
Full trip article: photo spots, landmarks and favourites →
Who: solo, hostels, public transport. Pace: go-with-the-flow. Cost: low.
- Days 1–3: Kandy + Sigiriya day trip. Meet people in hostel dorms.
- Days 4–6: Train to Ella. Hikes, cafés, fellow travellers everywhere.
- Days 7–8: Night bus or train to Tissamaharama, Yala safari split with hostel mates.
- Days 9–12: Mirissa → Weligama surf camp. Beginner beach break, cheap boards.
- Days 13–14: Galle Fort + Hikkaduwa turtles, bus to Colombo.
Honest note: the famous trains sell out — book Kandy→Ella seats days ahead or go early for unreserved carriages.
Solo female 10 days
Full trip article: photo spots, landmarks and favourites →
Who: women travelling alone. Pace: comfortable, social bases. Cost: low–mid.
- Days 1–2: Kandy. Reputable hostel or guesthouse, lake walk, temple evening.
- Days 3–5: Ella. The most social town on the island — group hikes, cafés, easy to meet people.
- Days 6–7: Mirissa. Whale season Nov–Apr; surf lessons with instructors, not beach touts.
- Days 8–9: Galle Fort + Unawatuna. Walkable, busy, well-lit evenings.
- Day 10: Colombo, old fort + Pettah with a driver, fly out.
Safety notes from women who've done it: use the PickMe app instead of hailing tuk-tuks, skip deserted beaches after dark, share your itinerary with someone home, and pick hostels with female-only dorms (common in Ella, Mirissa and Kandy). Harassment happens mostly as staring and comments in less touristy areas — firm "no" plus walking away ends it.
Couples 10 days
Full trip article: photo spots, landmarks and favourites →
Who: two people, mix of romance and doing things. Pace: unhurried. Cost: mid–high.
- Days 1–2: Galle Fort. Rampart sunsets, lighthouse, dinner on Pedlar Street.
- Days 3–5: Tangalle or Hiriketiya. Quiet coves, couples surf lessons, Rekawa turtles at night.
- Day 6: Yala safari from Tissamaharama. Leopards if lucky.
- Days 7–8: Ella. Sunrise at Little Adam's Peak, couples cooking class.
- Days 9–10: Nuwara Eliya tea country or back to Mirissa for whales, then airport.
Honest note: Tangalle–Hiriketiya in the south and Arugam Bay east are seasonal opposites — pick the coast that matches your months (south Nov–Apr, east Apr–Oct).
Older couples 12 days, comfort first
Full trip article: photo spots, landmarks and favourites →
Who: 60+, comfort over checkboxes. Pace: gentle, no dawn starts except one safari. Cost: mid–high. Transport: private driver-guide the whole way — removes every logistical worry.
- Days 1–3: Negombo beach rest, then Sigiriya with a driver (viewpoints instead of the full rock climb if knees complain).
- Days 4–5: Kandy. Temple of the Tooth evening ceremony, botanical gardens — flat, shaded, benches everywhere.
- Days 6–7: First-class train Kandy → Nuwara Eliya. Tea factory, cool air, early nights.
- Days 8–9: Fly or drive to the south: Bentota. Ayurveda treatments, river safari, calm sea.
- Days 10–12: Galle Fort at walking pace, farewell seafood, airport.
Honest note: Sri Lankan hospitals in Colombo and Kandy are decent — carry insurance and your prescriptions, and build a rest day after every two moving days.
Friends getaway 8 days
Full trip article: photo spots, landmarks and favourites →
Who: 3–6 friends, surf + safari + nights out. Pace: energetic. Cost: low–mid.
- Days 1–2: Land, straight to Weligama. Surf lessons, beach bars at night.
- Days 3–4: Mirissa. Whale watching (season), Coconut Tree Hill photos, live music bars.
- Day 5: Drive to Tissamaharama, afternoon Yala safari.
- Days 6–7: Ella. Day hike, then the famous bar street evening.
- Day 8: Galle Fort wander, bus to airport.
Honest note: split a van + driver between 4–6 people and it costs little more per head than buses, with none of the waiting.
Party trip 7 days
Full trip article: photo spots, landmarks and favourites →
Who: here for the nightlife. Pace: late starts. Cost: low–mid. Season matters — this is a Nov–Apr south-coast plan; in summer swap to Arugam Bay.
- Days 1–2: Colombo. Rooftop bars, casinos if that's your thing, recover on Mount Lavinia beach.
- Days 3–4: Hikkaduwa. The liveliest beach scene on the island — DJ nights, beach raves in season, turtles by day.
- Day 5: Unawatuna. Bars with a bit more polish, calmer water.
- Days 6–7: Mirissa. Sundowners, surf by day, harbour-side parties by night.
Honest note: the legal drinking age is 21 — carry ID. Beach parties wind down earlier than you'd expect; the after-party is usually someone's guesthouse roof.
Tuk-tuk self-drive 14 days
Full trip article: photo spots, landmarks and favourites →
Who: licensed drivers wanting the classic three-wheeler loop. Pace: adventurous, 60–100 km driving days. Cost: low–mid plus rental.
- Days 1–2: Pick up in Negombo. Practice day — empty roads north to Kalpitiya.
- Days 3–4: Wilpattu safari, then Anuradhapura stupas.
- Days 5–6: Sigiriya + Polonnaruwa ruins loop.
- Days 7–8: Hill climb to Kandy, then the slow curves to Nuwara Eliya.
- Days 9–10: Down to Ella, Diyaluma Falls, Buduruwagala.
- Days 11–12: Yala via Wellawaya, then Tangalle beaches.
- Days 13–14: Coast cruise Mirissa → Galle → return the tuk-tuk.
Paperwork first: you need your home licence plus a Sri Lankan driving endorsement — rental outfits (TukTuk Rental, T2) arrange it, don't skip it. Tuk-tuks top out around 60 km/h loaded; plan short days, avoid night driving, and keep rain gear handy in the hills.
30 days: the full loop
Full trip article: photo spots, landmarks and favourites →
Who: a month, one bag, no rushing. Pace: slow with two 5-night bases. Cost: low–mid.
- Days 1–4: Negombo landing → Anuradhapura + Wilpattu.
- Days 5–8: Cultural Triangle: Sigiriya, Dambulla, Polonnaruwa, Minneriya.
- Days 9–11: Kandy + Knuckles day hike.
- Days 12–14: Nuwara Eliya + Horton Plains, train to Ella.
- Days 15–19: Ella base (5 nights). Day trips: Diyaluma, buduruwagala, tea trails. The month's hinge — rest here.
- Days 20–22: Arugam Bay (in season) or Tangalle. Surf and do nothing.
- Days 23–26: South coast drift: Mirissa → Weligama → Galle.
- Days 27–30: Wildcard — Jaffna and the north if you still have legs (temples, islands, empty beaches), else Bentota to wind down near the airport.
Honest note: a month tempts you to add everything. The travellers who enjoy it most pick two long bases (Ella + one beach) and let the rest flow around them.
Digital nomad month
Full trip article: photo spots, landmarks and favourites →
Who: remote workers. Base: Weligama–Ahangama strip. Cost: low–mid monthly.
- Week 1: Land in Weligama. Coliving (Outpost) or guesthouse with fibre. Get a Dialog SIM at the airport — best coverage. Trial coworking days (Outpost Weligama, Focus Hub Ahangama) before committing monthly.
- Weeks 2–3: Routine — surf dawn, work 9–3, explore after. Weekend trips: Galle Fort, Hiriketiya, Udawalawe safari.
- Week 4: Ella workation week (cooler air, views) or Arugam Bay in east season, then back to the coast.
Practical notes: power cuts happen — carry a power bank and pick places with backup. Most nomads work on tourist visas with extensions; a dedicated remote-work visa exists, check current rules before banking on it. Coliving runs roughly $400–800/month, cafés $3–6 a meal.
Slow travel 21 days, three bases
Full trip article: photo spots, landmarks and favourites →
Who: travellers who unpack. Pace: three bases, day trips only. Cost: low–mid.
- Days 1–7: Galle Fort base. Day trips: Unawatuna, Hikkaduwa, whale watching from Mirissa.
- Days 8–14: Hiriketiya base. Surf, yoga, Tangalle lagoons, Rekawa turtles, Mulkirigala rock temple.
- Days 15–21: Ella base. Trails at dawn, cafés at noon, cooking class, Diyaluma day trip.
Honest note: slow travel lives or dies on accommodation — pay slightly more for a kitchen and a desk, and negotiate weekly rates directly.
Browse by interest
Province overviews
- Central Province Essentials: Scams, Beaches, Food, Gyms, Views
- Eastern Province Essentials: Scams, Beaches, Food, Gyms, Views
- North Central Province Essentials: Scams, Beaches, Food, Gyms, Views
- North Western Province Essentials: Scams, Beaches, Food, Gyms, Views
- Northern Province Essentials: Scams, Beaches, Food, Gyms, Views
- Sabaragamuwa Province Essentials: Scams, Beaches, Food, Gyms, Views
- Southern Province Essentials: Scams, Beaches, Food, Gyms, Views
- Uva Province Essentials: Scams, Beaches, Food, Gyms, Views
- Western Province Essentials: Scams, Beaches, Food, Gyms, Views
See it all on the map
Open the interactive map — every pin links to its guide, and you can suggest missing places from the Places hub.
Routes are starting points from widely-travelled loops and recent trip reports — seasons, prices and road conditions shift, so confirm the moving parts before you book.