What to do in Sri Lanka: our highlights guide

If you want to know what to do in Sri Lanka, our highlights guide can help you plan your trip. Sri Lanka is small enough to be explored in two weeks, while shorter journeys are also feasible with My Way Travel. The island has a diverse array of landscapes, history, and wildlife that you can discover with our Sri Lanka travel guide.

Sri Lanka is a haven for a wide variety of wildlife, and its ancient sites provide insight into Buddhism at sites like the Temple of the Tooth, Sigiriya Rock, and the Dambulla Caves. Old forts and sandy beaches await you on the coast, while leaf pluckers from the tea country await you inland.

Things to do in Sri Lanka: my selected highlights

Climb Sigiriya Rock

The fortification remains atop Sigiriya Rock, 700 steps up from a plain of rice crops and artificial lakes built to aid irrigation. Midway through, you'll see some stunning female figures painted into the rock face in vibrant frescoes.

Suppose you're planning a journey across Sri Lanka. In that case, spend at least a few nights in the Cultural Triangle, where Sigiriya Rock is situated, to immerse yourself fully in the island's history and culture.

Polonnaruwa, the former second capital of Sri Lanka, has numerous temple ruins and a massive reclining Buddha carved into the rock face. On the other hand, Dambulla has cave temples that date back to the first century BC and contain more than 150 Buddha images in good condition.

Search for leopards in Yala National Park

Leopards are abundant in this park, which is mainly wooded but also contains open areas and drinking holes; as a result, visitors have an excellent chance of seeing this elusive species. On just two game drives, I've spotted five or six.

 In Yala National Park, leopard sightings are uncommon, but the one I had was the most memorable since it was just my vehicle. About 10 meters from the car, our guide noticed a female lying in the underbrush along the roadside. Not long after that, her partner came to join her, and the two of them slowly crossed the road ahead of us.

Since Yala does not have a cap on the number of vehicles that may enter the park at any moment, other jeeps may accompany you, mainly if someone reports a leopard sighting. You can escape the crowd by going on longer game drives further into the park, but these drives are more about taking in the scenery than monitoring any particular species.

In addition to deer, sloth bears, monkeys, crocodiles, wild pigs, and elephants, the park is home to these animals. Sloths are even more elusive than leopards, yet I observed two of these little black bears on a recent excursion.

While overnight stays inside the park are no longer an option, there are plenty of hotels in the neighbourhood or high-end tents at the park's perimeter.

Explore the relaxed, colonial fort at Galle

Galle, a picturesque colonial fortification influenced by the Dutch, French, and British, is located in the southwestern corner of Sri Lanka. It extends from the peninsula and has the vast Indian Ocean on three sides. With its compact layout and abundance of charming boutique hotels and eateries, the old quarter—also known as Fort—makes for an ideal starting point for day trips to the surrounding areas.

 Spending a few nights in Galle will allow you to explore the local markets in New Galle, the expansive territory around the historic citadel. Mirissa is 90 minutes away by vehicle, so you may also go whale watching from December to early April.

Visit the atmospheric Temple of the Tooth

The organizers or participants momentarily parade the Temple of the Tooth twice daily because the custodians or owners of the Buddha's tooth house it in a coffin. Many people will flock to the temple as Buddhists come together for this momentous occasion. I was one of the many people who came to see the coffin on Poya Day, a public holiday observed by Buddhists on the full moon.

Evenings at the temple can include a traditional dance performance to welcome guests. A single performance begins at about 5 o'clock and includes many dance routines. You will be given one sheet of paper for each dance and an explanation of its significance. Seeing numerous performances that fall flat, this Sri Lankan traditional dance performance left a positive impression on me.

Relax on one of Sri Lanka's beautiful beaches

The eastern part of Sri Lanka has the most excellent beaches. A delightful choice is passikudah. The turquoise waters are perfect for families with small children since they are shallow and in a sheltered harbour. Jet skiing and kayaking are only two of the many water activities that are accessible in the area.

On Sri Lanka's eastern coast, you should also visit Trincomalee, another beautiful beach. In addition to the golden sands, this area is rich in history, with a Dutch fort and ancient temples around a natural harbour. You could even be lucky to see dolphins and whales in the water in August.

The southwest coast of Sri Lanka is home to some of the country's most beautiful beaches, which begin in the Galle region and go to Bentota and Yala National Park. They have more options for lodging and are more popular than those on the East Coast. From charming inns to sprawling resorts, you can choose from some of the finest hotels in the nation.

See elephants in Uda Walawe National Park

Uda Walawe National Park is home to an Elephant Transit Home that rehabilitates orphaned elephants before releasing them into the wild. We can only suggest this one elephant encounter in Sri Lanka.

According to the Born Free Foundation, elephants have little human contact and ample space to wander. On the other hand, you may see these magnificent creatures in their environment by walking about on partly concealed wooden platforms. The caretakers or feeders feed the elephants twice daily, and visitors may learn more about their jobs at the museum.

Uda Walawe is home to leopards and various native Sri Lankan bird species. If you want to see the elephants and go on a few game drives, staying for only one night is the way to go.

Take the train to tea country and watch the tea-pickers at work

In the middle highlands, called Tea Country, you'll see more verdant scenery than you would think in Sri Lanka.

Instead of driving through the Tea Country from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya, rail is a more scenic and leisurely way to go. As you go through the lush landscape, you'll come across banana and eucalyptus trees and cascading waterfalls. Eventually, you'll reach the rolling tea estates, where people still practice traditional tea plucking.

While there, you may tour a tea factory to view the many machines used to make tea, taste the finished product, and learn everything about the process.

I was fascinated by the numerous varieties of tea and the many grades the tea growers or processors can produce from a single bush; tea brewing is a delicate art. The timing of the leaf harvest and subsequent processing determine this; this is a genuine colonial encounter.