6 of one of the best street journeys in Sri Lanka

For glowing seashores, sapphire-blue waves, lilting palm timber, emerald hills and the scent of seafood hanging on the breeze, come to Sri Lanka.

The manageable dimension of this island nation means you may see all the things on a brief journey, from brochure-class beaches and elephant-filled national parks to ruined Buddhist stupas – notably should you rent a automotive and driver. 

Whereas some individuals road-trip round Sri Lanka with a rented motorbike or scooter, renting a automotive with a driver is the simplest possibility. Most drivers communicate English and know the ins and outs of driving within the nation, together with one of the best roadhouses to cease at for fiery rice and curry!

To see the best of the country with your individual wheels, listed below are our favourite street journeys in Sri Lanka.

1. Colombo to Matara

Greatest street journey for seaside lovers
Colombo–Matara; 133 km (83 miles)

This straightforward tour south from Colombo follows the trail of the coastal railway, linking historic cities with a few of Sri Lanka’s most well-known seaside resorts. You gained’t discover an excessive amount of peace and quiet in peak season, however you can find loads of sun-smooched sand and good locations to remain, eat and catch a wave. 

Begin in Colombo, Sri Lanka’s history-stuffed capital metropolis, exploring temples and markets and nice eating on crab curry, then drift south to the sands of Aluthgama and Bentota, taking time to detour inland to the charming Brief Garden. If in case you have the funds, this stretch of coast has a few of Sri Lanka’s finest Ayurvedic spa resorts. Pause for a day or two of water enjoyable in Hikkaduwa, and drop by Ambalangoda to delve into the island’s custom of kolam (masked dances).

It’s again to historical past in Unesco-listed Galle, with colonial-era streets wrapped round a historic lighthouse and a fortress constructed by Dutch colonizers. Eat and sleep properly within the outdated heart, then hyperlink by beachy Unawatuna and surfy Midigama and Weligama, squeezing in a detour to the Handunugoda Tea Estate earlier than wrapping up within the authentically Sri Lankan city of Matara.  

Planning tip: If you’ve never surfed in Sri Lanka before, the resort of Hikkaduwa affords a simple introduction to bathtub-warm waters; it’s additionally a hub for snorkeling and diving, with an inshore reef off the primary seaside that’s nice for households. 

2. Colombo to Badulla throughout the Hill Nation

Greatest street journey for tea lovers
Colombo–Ella; 240km (145 miles)

It’s not all about seashores in Sri Lanka. The journey inland from Colombo to the Hill Country is one in every of Sri Lanka’s most evocative rail journeys, and it’s simply as spectacular by street. Ranging from the capital and taking common stops to look out over the surroundings, hint the A1 freeway inland to greater floor and the sacred metropolis of Kandy, dwelling to Sri Lanka’s most revered temple.

Coming with a automotive and driver makes it straightforward to go to close by temples and gardens and the Ceylon Tea Museum earlier than heading to critical tea nation. Take the highland street to Nuwara Eliya by jade-green tea plantations, stopping at estates similar to Glenloch to study concerning the tea-making course of. Test right into a colonial-era resort (we charge the Hill Club) and take excessive tea at the Grand. 

Roll on by way of the putting Horton Plains to Haputale, the place tea-mogul Sir Thomas Lipton based his empire, and go to Lipton’s manufacturing facility at Dambatenne, earlier than looping previous extra hillside viewpoints to Ella, to ebook into a neighborhood guesthouse and luxuriate in correct Sri Lankan home-cooking. We go away it as much as you whether or not you snap an Instagram pic of the 9 Arches bridge simply outdoors city.

Planning tip: The Horton Plains are like nowhere else in Sri Lanka – an eerily silent space of excessive nation that stops abruptly on the sheer drop-off of World’s End. Pay the nationwide park charges close to Farr Inn and also you’re free to discover on foot on designated trails. 

3. A circle of historic cities 

Greatest journey for historical past 
Anuradhapura–Kandy, 180km (112 miles) 

The inexperienced plains of central Sri Lanka couldn’t be farther from the sun-and-sand picture of the coast. Right here you’ll discover the ruins of Sri Lanka’s historic Buddhist kingdoms spilling out from forests that teem with bee-eaters and hornbills.

Begin in Anuradhapura, the place two-millennia-old brick stupas the scale of plane hangers are nonetheless websites of every day worship. Pay your respects at Sri Maha Bodhi, a tree propagated from the very tree beneath which the Buddha attained enlightenment, and head on to the fascinating monastic advanced at Ritigala. 

Break from the ruins at elephant-thronged Minneriya National Park, then dive straight again in once more at Polonnaruwa, dwelling to a few of Sri Lanka’s most spectacular temples, statues and ruins. Slingshot west by way of Sigiriya, whose rocky outcrop is topped by the ruined citadel palace of King Kasyapa, reached by way of a vertiginous stairway.

Roll south to Dambulla, the place the dusty brickwork is changed by cave temples painted in vivid major colours. Deliver the journey updated with one final cease at Kandy, the place the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic remains to be the beating coronary heart of contemporary Sri Lankan Buddhism. 

Planning tip: Attempt to time your go to to Anuradhapura to coincide with a poya day – festivals that mark every passing full moon. Pilgrims flock to the stupas wearing immaculate white garments and the brick plinths are wrapped in bolts of coloured material by devotees. 

4. One of the best of Sri Lanka’s nationwide parks

Greatest for wildlife spotters
Mirissa–Arugam Bay; 440km (273 miles)

This cross-country jaunt takes in a few of Sri Lanka’s most epic wildlife encounters, visiting nationwide parks each well-known and quiet and cruising offshore to fulfill Sri Lanka’s largest wild animal, the blue whale. Certainly, that’s the primary exercise earlier than you drive on from the south-coast resort of Mirissa. Feathered buddies of all sizes and styles are the primary attracts inland at Sinharaja Forest Reserve, they usually’re finest encountered on foot with a neighborhood information.  

Roll east to fulfill elephants at Uda Walawe National Park (in additional peaceable environment than at crowd-mobbed Yala Nationwide Park), then return to the coast for hen encounters amid dunes and lagoons at Bundala National Park. You’ll must loop inland to achieve Kumana National Park – a a lot simpler journey with a automotive and driver than by public transport – the place you stand an excellent probability of a liaison with a leopard. End up on the seaside at Arugam Bay for some browsing downtime. 

Planning tip: Totally different seasons convey completely different wildlife experiences. Touring in November brings respectable probabilities of recognizing whales, elephants and leopards, however one of the best time for elephant recognizing is from July to October when pachyderms collect in nice herds.

5. Exploring Sri Lanka’s east coast

Greatest street journey for escaping the crowds
Arugam Bay–Trincomalee; 260km (162 miles)

Issues are quieter on Sri Lanka’s east coast, and it’s dry right here throughout the island’s Could-to-August off-season, making this a terrific journey for vacationers on a funds. En route, you may cease at laid-back surf hubs and historic cities that really feel extra authentically Sri Lankan than the resorts within the south and west. Begin with a wave at Arugam Bay, one of many island’s most stress-free browsing spots. Cease for a day to discover less-visited temples and birding spots on the lagoons round Pottuvil. 

Shifting north up the coast, you’ll cross the Gal Oya river (comply with it inland for wildlife encounters in under-explored Gal Oya Nationwide Park) en path to Batticaloa, the place you may discover colonial relics, various non secular websites and nice seashores. Let the coast name you additional north in direction of Trincomalee, the place Dutch and British historical past nudges up in opposition to Tamil tradition. Use Trinco as a base for day excursions to the seashores of Uppuveli and Nilaveli and snorkeling with reef sharks and turtles at Pigeon Island Nationwide Park. 

6. A style of the North 

Greatest street journey for Tamil tradition
Colombo–Jaffna; 600km (373 miles)

Vacationers have lengthy ignored Sri Lanka’s once-troubled north, however with peace prevailing within the island’s Tamil heartland, the time is ripe for exploring. Ranging from Colombo, drift north by laid-back Negombo, and get your first style of Tamil structure on the Madampe Murugan temple. Cease in a single day on the peaceable Kalpitiya Peninsula, Sri Lanka’s kite-surfing capital. 

Earlier than you enter the Tamil north correct, swing by Wilpattu National Park – one of many island’s extra peaceable reserves – then duck onto Mannar Island to admire the baobab timber and get as near India as you may with out leaving Sri Lanka. From right here on north, Hindu Tamil tradition dominates; look out for vividly painted kovils (Hindu temples) as you comply with the A32 north throughout the lagoon to Jaffna. 

In Sri Lanka’s northern capital, richly spiced Tamil meals is the order of the day. Feast on crab curry and tour the Dutch-era fort and the pilgrim-thronged courtyards of the Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil. This could possibly be the tip of the journey, however you would additionally spend a day or extra exploring the quiet seashores and outpost villages of the as soon as war-torn Jaffna Peninsula to see how far Sri Lanka has come for the reason that finish of the civil battle in 2009.

Suggestions for driving in Sri Lanka 

It’s attainable to self-drive a rent automotive in Sri Lanka, however most individuals desire to go away the driving to somebody with expertise of native situations. Hiring a automotive with a driver is simple, and also you’ll get to go to some native meals stops you’d most likely miss going it alone. Operators similar to Ancient Lanka can kind you out with a automotive and a pleasant, skilled driver from US$65 per day. You’ll even be higher positioned to navigate any gas shortages on the island, as tour drivers have precedence entry to gas.

Whereas motorbike and scooter rental will not be as widespread as in Southeast Asia, it’s straightforward and cheap to rearrange alongside the coast. The roads are typically properly maintained, although potholes are widespread on again lanes and within the hills. Be careful for wandering canines, chickens and wildlife (together with elephants – should you see a jumbo on the street, again away), and watch out for dashing vans and buses, which gained’t decelerate for one thing as lowly as a bike. Attempt to keep away from being on the roads after darkish, when hazards are tougher to identify.