Why should you holiday in Sri Lanka?

There are not many places in the world where you can enjoy as much in the way of fantastic experiences in one place as you do in Sri Lanka.

On this tropical island in the Indian Ocean in South Asia, you will find fantastic ruins and interesting history, captivating religion and colourful culture, beautiful nature and wildlife, endless beaches, not to mention friendly, smiling locals who give you a warm welcome in their beautiful country.

Sri Lanka is truly an up-and-coming holiday destination, with something for all ages.

Our package holidays to Sri Lanka

Read more below about selected highlights, which you can experience on one or more of our holidays to Sri Lanka.

Sigiriya

Sigiriya, or the Lion Rock, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most visited historic site in Sri Lanka.

Sigiriya is a dramatic, 200-metre-high rock rising out of the flat, forest-clad landscape. The rock is known for its ruins on the top, which can be traced back to 477 BC.

Legend has it that King Kasyapa moved the capital (which was then Anuradhapura) to Sigiriya, where he built a palace on the top of the mountain. Later, the palace was transformed into a Buddhist monastery, which existed until the 14th century.

Today, Sigiriya is one of the most scenically located ruins in the world, offering breathtaking views over central Sri Lanka.

On the way to the top, up the 1,000+ steps, you will discover well-preserved frescoes of nude women, said to be Kasyapa’s wives and concubines. Before reaching the top, you pass the mighty lion paws, the remains of a colossal lion statute, after which the rock is named.

Kandy

Kandy is Sri Lanka’s cultural capital, known as the city that clung to its freedom long after the rest of the country came under Portuguese and Dutch colonial rule. The city is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you can experience unique traditions and culture, through music, dance and architecture.

The city enjoys a scenic location by the artificial lake of the same name, surrounded by mountains and tea plantations. Sri Lanka is the world’s 4th largest tea producer, and in Kandy, you can gain a fascinating insight into the manufacturing process at Giragama tea factory and plantation, where some of the world’s best tea is grown.

The city is also home to some of Sri Lanka’s biggest religious shrines, including the Temple of the Tooth.

Temple of the Tooth, Dalada Maligawa, protects Sri Lanka’s most significant Buddhist relic: one of Buddha’s canine teeth, which is said to have been smuggled to Sri Lanka in a princess’s hair.

Safari in Sri Lanka

Despite its small size, Sri Lanka offers some fantastic wildlife. Several of our tours take you on safari in the stunning national parks.

Safari in Yala National Park<

Yala National Park is one of Sri Lanka’s oldest and probably most famous national parks.

The park is inhabited by some 50 different species of mammals and more than 200 different bird species, and is famous for its elephants, deer, crocodiles and monkeys, among others.

What’s more, Yala is one of the best places in Sri Lanka to see leopards, and the national park is said to have one of the world’s largest concentrations of the beautiful animal. 

Safari in Udawalawe National Park

Not far from Yala National Park is Udawalawe National Park – Yala’s lesser-visited little brother.

Here, you’ll find one of Sri Lanka’s largest elephants populations (up to 500!), and the national park is also known to be the best place to see the gentle giant.

In addition to elephants, you are also in with a chance of seeing water buffalo, sloth bears, crocodiles, monitor lizards and macaques. And the national park also has something for birdwatchers. Look forward to seeing hornbills, kingfishers, owls and eagles.

Safari in Minneriya National Park

Minneriya National Park is also a fantastic place to visit if you wish to see Sri Lanka’s wild elephants, especially if you visit the national park during the dry season.

From May to September (the dry season), you can experience the Elephant Gathering, when the elephants travel great distances to drink from the great lake in the national park, sometimes, gathering here in their hundreds.

In addition to elephants, you can experience crocodiles, monkeys, deer, birds as well as the odd bear or leopard.

Safari in Bundala National Park

Bundala National Park is a small (just 62 km2) and as yet relatively unknown national park.

Due to its small size and few visitors, you can look forward to a completely different experience here than in the other national parks. You’ll be pretty much alone in the park – if you disregard the many, many birds living there, that is. The small national park is home to some 200 different bird species. You may also see animals such as crocodiles, elephants, jackals and macaques.

Beach holiday in Sri Lanka

With a coastline stretching 1,340 km and countless amazing beaches, Sri Lanka is a great place to round off your tour with a beach holiday.

Selected tours can be rounded off with a beach holiday. Read more about the different beach holiday resorts below.

Trincomalee

Trincomalee is an amazing coastal area on the north-east coast of Sri Lanka.

The area is especially famous for its picturesque sandy beaches, Uppuveli and Nilaveli, and the small Pigeon Island. The sea off Pigeon Island is one of the best places in Sri Lanka to snorkel and dive.

In addition to the unique opportunities it offers for snorkelling and diving, the Trincomalee coastline is a wonderful place to go whale and dolphin watching.

Hikkaduwa

The resort of Hikkaduwa is located in the south-west of Sri Lanka.

Hikkaduwa is one of Sri Lanka’s first resort towns, and you will find plenty of restaurants and souvenir shops here. If you are into snorkelling, there is also a large coral reef off Hikkaduwa, where there are plenty of wonderful fish and turtles.

Negombo

Negombo is located on the west coast of Sri Lanka.

It is one of Sri Lanka’s most famous seaside resorts, known for its wide, golden sandy beaches as well as its cosy holiday vibe.

Mirissa

The small resort of Mirissa is located on Sri Lanka’s south coast.

It is a lovely resort with a fantastic beach, surrounded by palm trees.

Mirissa is known to be one of the best places to go whale watching, where you can see dolphins and up to 26 different types of whales, including sperm whales and blue whales.

Other highlights of Sri Lanka:

Sri Lanka offers a host of exciting experiences, and the following are also worth a mention:

• In Sri Lanka, you will find some of the most beautiful ruins in Asia. The biggest is Anuradhapura, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Anuradhapura was Sri Lanka’s first capital, and is said to be the longest-existing capital in the world, known today for its ruins from ancient Sri Lanka. While in Anuradhapura, you can also visit the world’s oldest living tree, Sri Maha Bodiya, under which Buddha attained Nirvana through meditation.

• Horton Plains National Park is located in Sri Lanka’s central highlands at a height of 2,100–2,300 metres. Discover “World’s End”, one of Sri Lanka’s best vantage points. The park comes to an abrupt end here, and you can look directly into the abyss – a drop of more than 1,000 metres. Experience the pervading silence while looking out across the beautiful forest-clad mountains.

• Travelling by train in Sri Lanka is a wonderful experience. Meet the locals as the train takes you through the lush highlands, where you will see green mountains, sleepy villages, waterfalls and people working in the scenic tea plantations, which are so characteristic of the island.

Combine with the Maldives

The Maldives are located a 1.5-hour flight away from Sri Lanka, making them the perfect place to round off an eventful tour of Sri Lanka.

In the Maldives, you can:

• Experience total relaxation at a fabulous beach paradise where you are surrounded by white sandy beaches, swaying palms and crystal-clear, blue waters.

• Explore life under the water. The Maldives are blessed with the most beautiful coral reefs and exciting tropical fish – just waiting to be explored.

• Dine on delicious food at one of the resort’s restaurants and lounges while enjoying the beautiful view of the water.

Read more about our package holidays

To learn more about the different tours, click on “Read more” further up the page. On our tour pages, you will find more information about the highlights, prices and itineraries, etc., of the tours.

To learn more about the practical issues involving travel to Sri Lanka, e.g. about visas, vaccinations and the like, visit our Practical information on Sri Lanka page.

Contact us

If you have any questions about Sri Lanka, booking the tour or perhaps about some of our other destinations in East Asia or South-east Asia, you are very welcome to contact our travel specialists.

We look forward to sending you on the holiday of your lifetime!

TourCompass – From tourist to traveller