Sri Lanka: Cultural Triangle, Tea Country & the South Coast
Climb Sigiriya's rock fortress and Dambulla's cave temples, ride the hill-country train past tea estates to Ella, look for leopards in Yala, and finish in the old Dutch fort of Galle and the beaches of the south coast.
- Best time to go
- December to April for the Cultural Triangle, hill country, Yala and the south and west coasts. May to September suits the east coast instead.
- Flying from India
- Colombo is about 1 to 1½ hours from Chennai, Bengaluru and Kochi, and 3 to 3½ hours from Delhi and Mumbai, all non-stop.
- Visa for Indian passports
- Free online ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) for Indian passports, valid for 30 days. Apply on the official ETA website before you fly.
- Currency
- Sri Lankan rupee (LKR). Cards work in hotels; carry cash for temples, markets and tips.
Sri Lanka at a glance
Sri Lanka packs a great deal into a small island. The Cultural Triangle in the dry north-central plains holds Sigiriya, a 5th-century palace on top of a 200-metre rock, the painted cave temples of Dambulla and the ruined capital of Polonnaruwa. Kandy, the last royal capital, guards the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and is the starting point for the hill country.
The train from Kandy to Ella is one of the most scenic rail journeys in Asia, winding past tea estates and waterfalls. From the hills, the road drops south to Yala, which has one of the highest densities of leopards in the world, and then to the coast: the ramparts and lanes of Galle Fort, whale watching from Mirissa between December and April, and river safaris at Bentota.
Must-see
- Sigiriya rock fortress
- Dambulla cave temples
- Temple of the Tooth, Kandy
- The Kandy to Ella train
- Galle Fort
Food to try
- Rice and curry
- Hoppers and string hoppers
- Kottu roti
- Fish ambul thiyal (sour fish curry)
- Ceylon tea at a working estate
Where to shop
- Tea direct from hill-country factories
- Galle Fort's boutiques and galleries
- Barefoot and Paradise Road, Colombo
- Kandy's gem and handicraft shops
- Ayurvedic oils and spices
Where to Stay
Areas and styles of stay we book most often. We shortlist specific hotels once we know your dates and budget.
Hill country, Nuwara Eliya and Ella
Tea estate bungalows
Restored planters' bungalows and small hotels among the tea, at 1,200 to 1,900 metres, with cool evenings, log fires and walks through the estates.
South coast, Galle to Mirissa
Villas and boutique beach hotels
Boutique hotels inside Galle Fort's walls or villas on the coast towards Mirissa, for whale watching, swimming and slow seafood lunches.
West coast, Bentota
River and beach resorts
Resorts where the Bentota river meets the sea, 90 minutes from Colombo airport, ideal for the first or last nights of the trip.
Signature Experiences
Moments we build Sri Lanka journeys around
Dambulla cave temples
Five caves under a granite outcrop filled with more than 150 Buddha statues and painted ceilings, a UNESCO site since 1991. Go early, before the heat.
A working tea estate
Walk the rows with the tea pluckers, see the leaves withered, rolled and dried in a 19th-century factory, and taste the estate's teas.
Leopard safari in Yala
Morning and afternoon jeep drives in Yala's Block 1 for leopards, elephants, sloth bears and crocodiles. The park closes for a few weeks around September.
Whale watching off Mirissa
Early-morning boats from December to April look for blue whales, sperm whales and spinner dolphins a few miles offshore.
The elephant gathering at Minneriya
From July to October, as the reservoirs shrink, hundreds of wild elephants gather on the grasslands of Minneriya and Kaudulla, a short drive from Sigiriya. Jeep safaris run in the late afternoon.
Beaches around Galle
Unawatuna's sheltered bay is ten minutes from Galle Fort and calm enough for swimming from December to April; quieter coves lie further east towards Mirissa and Tangalle.
Planning Your Journey
Timing, routing and what our specialists tell every Sri Lanka traveller
When to visit
December to April
Dry on the west and south coasts and in the hill country, and the season for whales off Mirissa.
May to September
The south-west monsoon brings rain to the west and south. The east coast and Cultural Triangle are drier.
October and November
Inter-monsoon rain can fall anywhere, usually in the afternoons, with fewer visitors and lower rates.
Getting there and around
Arrival
Fly into Colombo's Bandaranaike International Airport, about 30 minutes north of the city and 3½ hours from Sigiriya by road.
Getting around
A private car and driver-guide is the usual way to travel, with the train for the hill-country section.
Insider notes
Reserve the train seats
First-class and observation-car seats on the Kandy to Ella train sell out weeks ahead. We book them as soon as your dates are set.
Climb Sigiriya at opening
Start at 7 am to beat the heat and the queues on the 1,200 steps. Hornets occasionally close the upper section, so keep a spare morning.
Kandy Esala Perahera
The great procession of elephants and dancers runs for ten nights in July or August. Hotels in Kandy fill early.
Yala closes in September
Block 1 usually closes from early September to mid-October for the dry season. We use other parks such as Udawalawe then.
Sri Lanka: Common Questions
You need an Electronic Travel Authorisation, which is currently free for Indian passport holders and valid for 30 days. Apply only on the official ETA website.
Plan your Sri Lanka journey
Speak to a specialist.
Share a few details and one of our Sri Lanka specialists will get in touch, usually within a working day.
Journeys from here
Itineraries that include Sri Lanka
Journey · Culture & Heritage
Sri Lanka, Cultural Triangle & Hill Country
Journey · Safari & Beach
Sri Lanka Safari & the South Coast
Journey · Beach & Honeymoon
Sri Lanka & Maldives Honeymoon
Ready to plan Sri Lanka?
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We reply with a costed, day-by-day plan you can change as much as you like.