The Best Places to Visit in Sri Lanka That Aren't Colombo

Colombo may be the capital, but if you want to see true Sri Lankan beauty, youll have to venture outside the city limits
Colombo may be the capital, but if you want to see true Sri Lankan beauty, you'll have to venture outside the city limits | © Terry Mathews / Alamy Stock Photo

Sri Lanka Hub Writer

The island of Sri Lanka has a lot to offer. You arrive at Bandaranaike Airport in Colombo and can either spend a couple of days in the city before going exploring, or head straight off to another part of the island. No matter which you’re craving, take a look at some of the best places to visit outside of the capital and how to get to them.

The Elephant Stables, Kandy

Hotel

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Courtesy of The Elephant Stables / Booking.com

The second-largest city in Sri Lanka is nestled in the highlands and has plenty of history on offer. After all, Kandy was the royal centre for the original Kandyan kings and queens. Memorable things to do in Kandy are visiting the Temple of the Tooth, taking a walk around the lake, having a meal at Helga’s Folly, or grabbing a coffee at the Empire Cafe. A favourite hotel in the area is Elephant Stables. You can now visit Kandy with Culture Trip as part of our specially curated small-group Sri Lanka tour.

Galle

Ruins, Architectural Landmark

The old walled seaside town of Galle. Sri Lanka, South Coast
© agefotostock / Alamy Stock Photo
The southern city of Galle is best known for the Galle Fort: the walled-in part of the city with Dutch colonial buildings and thick ramparts holding off the sea. It also features as one of the many fantastic destinations on Culture Trip’s specially curated 12-day Sri Lanka trip. Galle Fort has history, boutique hotels and quaint coffee shops. Not far away are the beaches of Unawatuna and Hikkaduwa. There is a train that goes along the coast from Colombo to Galle and there’s also a highway if you choose to drive.

Mirissa

Natural Feature

Several cars, bikes and people line the main street of Mirissa, with shopfronts on either side, and tall palms behind them
Courtesy of Maciej Bledowski / Alamy Stock Photo

Mirissa is another coastal town well-known for the whales that migrate in the waters off the coast. Whale-watching is done from boats; it’s not recommended to snorkel or swim close to them. The Mirissa beach is a crescent-moon shape of sand, lined with trees that hide the fact that there are guest houses all around. To get to Mirissa, you can go by car from either Galle or Tangalle.

The Cultural Triangle

Park, Natural Feature

Giant red brick stupa of Abayagiri Monastery. Anuradhapura in cultural triangle of Sri Lanka
© Tillman Schlageter / Alamy Stock Photo

In the central highlands is the Cultural Triangle, an area full of historic and religious remains. The main attractions are the temples of Anuradhapura and Polonaruwa, the rock top fortress of Sigiriya, and the cave temple at Dambulla. A must-visit is the Minneriya National Park, where elephants roam freely. There are some off-the-beaten-track temples and areas in the Cultural Triangle as well if you like to beat the crowds. To get to the area you can go by car or by train to Anuradhapura.

Nuwara Eliya

Forest, Natural Feature

A tea estate in Nuwara Eliya, with a road running through it towards several houses; there are mountains in distance
Courtesy of Geogphotos / Alamy Stock Photo

Up in the highlands is the city of Nuwara Eliya. Surrounded by tea plantations and misty fog early in the mornings, this mountain town used to be the holiday getaway for the British colonial settlers in Colombo. The architecture is reminiscent of British styles and the gardens are lovely. The lake in the middle of town has a great park around it and there are little boats to take you around. Nuwara Eliya is great for escaping the heat of the coast. To get to Nuwara Eliya you can go by car or by train from Kandy. The train from Colombo arrives in Kandy and you change trains there to go up higher into the mountains.

Ella

Natural Feature, Architectural Landmark

Main Street in Ella, Sri Lanka
© Oliver Förstner / Alamy Stock Photo

Ella is a mountain town full of hiking trails and waterfalls. The Demodara Nine Arch Bridge is very close by, a great little walk from town. Tea plantations and deep mountain valleys surround Ella. To get to Ella, you can go by car or by train from Kandy. Ella is on the same train route as Nuwara Eliya. The train ride from Ella to Nuwara Eliya is incredibly scenic and definitely the most beautiful in Sri Lanka.

Jaffna

Natural Feature

St. James Church (1861), Jaffna, Sri Lanka
© Steve Lennie / Alamy Stock Photo

At the northernmost tip of Sri Lanka is the city of Jaffna, home to the Tamils. Most of the city was destroyed during the war and is only now being rebuilt, recently opening up to tourism. To get to Jaffna, you can take a train, a long car ride or fly with Cinnamon Air.

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