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Photo credit: Kierra Jones
Sri Lanka’s Polonnaruwa ruins are part of its Cultural Triangle Sri Lanka – 5 best experiences on one of the world’s must-visit islands In 2022, Bestway travel and marketing manager Kierra explored the island paradise of Sri Lanka for 30 days. Here are her 5 favourite experiences, as well as why Sri Lanka might be a top destination this year! In the past, I’ve heard Sri Lanka referred to as “India lite”—spicy curries, impactful ancient sites and similar cultural roots with less of the crowds and chaos that sometimes make India challenging to visit. After spending one month there, I can tell you Sri Lanka has so much more to offer. The island has a distinct mix of cultural and natural influences that have combined to create sites and scenery only found here. What’s more, it’s only just starting to be discovered—when I was there, I only ran into a handful of other Americans and Canadians in 30 days (all the more reason to consider this destination for the near future, before others catch on)! Read on to learn about the 5 experiences I had here that you can’t find anywhere else. Or, jump right in to checking out our Sri Lanka journeys. Table of ContentsKierra's 5 must-do Sri Lanka experiences1. Go beyond Lion’s Rock to explore the Cultural Triangle 2. See vistas that can’t be captured by a camera in Sri Lanka’s highlands 3. Connect with locals through a home-cooked meal 4. Spot leopards and elephants on safari 5. Enjoy some rest and relaxation on world-class beachesPractical tips for your trip to Sri Lankaa. What are Sri Lanka’s must-sees? b. What is the best time to visit Sri Lanka? c. How long do I need for Sri Lanka? d. Is it worth visiting Sri Lanka if I’ve been to India already? e. Can I add on Sri Lanka to another destination? f. Is Sri Lanka safe? How is Sri Lanka for solo women travellers? g. I want to visit Sri Lanka. Where do I start?
Photo credit: Kierra Jones
Sri Lanka’s most famous site, Sigiriya (Lion’s Rock), seen from afar
Kierra's 5 must-do Sri Lanka experiences1. Go beyond Lion’s Rock to explore the Cultural TriangleSri Lanka’s most famous site is undoubtedly Sigiriya, also known as Lion’s Rock, which has even been hailed as the eighth Wonder of the World. Here, a thousand-foot-tall rocky outcrop is topped with an ancient palace dating back 1,500 years, providing incredible views of the flat landscape below. While Sigiriya is a must-see, Sri Lanka has multiple more ancient sites and monuments that are absolutely worth your time. There’s Anuradhapura, an ancient capital that flourished for 1,300 years, and its successor, the even better preserved Polonnaruwa, offering a stunning collection of ancient temples and monuments.
Photo credit: Kierra Jones
Exploring one of Sri Lanka’s many temples in Kandy My personal favourite is Dambulla, a collection of cave temples with the oldest dating back more than 2,000 years! It was just magical walking inside these ancient and holy spaces, taking in the art and ambiance. All of the monuments I’ve mentioned are also UNESCO World Heritage Sites – there are a whopping seven UNESCO sites on this tiny island!
Photo credit: Kierra Jones
Discovering Dambulla Cave Temple Complex in Sri Lanka Back to top The highlands offer a stunning green landscape with panoramas and waterfalls at every turn. It’s the kind of area where I would stop in one place to take photos, and then stop again 10 minutes later because the view was even better.
Photo credit: Kierra Jones
Hill country views near Ella in Sri Lanka For me, the most incredible views were around Nuwara Eliya. The tea country landscapes found here are right out of a picture book. One particular standout was James Taylor’s Seat viewpoint. Though it involved quite a trek via local tuktuk (three-wheeler), we were rewarded with spectacular vistas at the top, and the place almost all to ourselves besides a friendly group of locals that offered to take our picture. Nuwara Eliya is also the perfect place to try famous Ceylon tea, named for Sri Lanka’s colonial moniker under the British. Back to top
Photo credit: Kierra Jones
Photo: Left to Right: Sri Lanka offers a huge variety of curries to sample. One of the best parts of travelling in Sri Lanka—meeting the friendly locals. One of my standout Sri Lanka experiences was spending some time at a cozy homestay. The hosts shared details about their daily lives and also whipped us up local breakfasts and dinners to fuel busy days of sightseeing. I thought I knew curry from my past travels in India and Southeast Asia, but Sri Lankan curry is a different ballgame! In one meal, I counted up to 10 different curries, each boasting a unique veggie or meat and its own distinct flavour.
Photo credit: Kierra Jones
Sampling Sri Lanka’s food variety Our meal experience wasn’t just about the food—though that was amazing! It allowed us to step into the rhythm of the locals’ daily lives, if only for a day or two. I even got to take a cooking class from one friendly local. Learning about how Sri Lanka’s food is made and enjoyed provided a fascinating window into the heart of Sri Lankan culture. Back to top
Photo credit: Kierra Jones
Photo: Left to Right: Sri Lanka’s Yala National Park is a prime place to spot Asian elephants. Gray langurs are one of Sri Lanka’s most fun-to-spot animals. Did you know that Sri Lanka is the best place in the world to spot leopards? I didn’t either until I visited! Yala, Sri Lanka’s most famous national park, has the densest population of leopards on earth! Plus, I saw peacocks, deer, monkeys, wild boar, water buffalo and a tonne of Asian elephants while spending time here. Sri Lanka is also home to “The Gathering”, a congregation of elephants unlike anywhere else in the world. In Minneriya National Park, from June to September, up to 300 elephants of all ages assemble at an ancient man-made water tank, providing exceptional viewing! Everyone always thinks “Africa” for safaris, but my wildlife experience in Sri Lanka was definitely worth a trip. Back to top
Photo credit: Kierra Jones
Sri Lanka offers many beautiful beaches At Bestway, we’re fully aware that many prefer to avoid beach time on their vacation and instead make time for more cultural sites and experiences (something we can get behind!). However, if you did want to add a day or three of relaxation on to your travel experience, Sri Lanka’s beaches are to-die-for. My absolute favourite was the area of Tangalle, where I had the beautiful sand beach almost to myself. Here, I had the amazing opportunity to see baby turtles hatch and make their way to the water—as well as giant mama turtles climb up on shore to lay their eggs! It was fascinating to view the circle of life in action, and at such close range. Ready to discover this island paradise? See our collection of Sri Lanka tours. Photo credit: Kierra Jones
Baby turtles make their way to the water in Tangalle, Sri Lanka
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Practical tips for your trip to Sri Lankaa. What are Sri Lanka’s must-sees?Sri Lanka’s main must-see sites fall within its Cultural Triangle. There’s iconic Sigiriya, or Lion’s Rock, a 1,500-year-old fortress perched on a huge rocky outcrop. However, you’ll also find here the ruins of the country’s two ancient capitals, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, as well as the temples of Dambulla and Kandy. Outside of culture, Sri Lanka’s hill country is incredible for scenery, and a safari within one of its parks to spot elephants and other animals is great too. Of course, there’s always more to add on! Sri Lanka also offers interesting colonial cities (Galle and Colombo), countless beautiful beach spots, and more.
Photo credit: Kierra Jones
Colonial Galle in Sri Lanka is the best-preserved example of a European fort in Asia
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Sri Lanka has a very interesting ‘dual monsoon’. That means that half of the country experiences rain at one time of year, while the other half experiences rain at a different time. The best weather for the south west of Sri Lanka, which offers beaches and safaris, is November to March. This also applies for Sri Lanka’s central hill country. The best weather for the north east of Sri Lanka is from April to September. The Cultural Triangle is located within a ‘dry zone’, which means that aside from high rainfall in November and December, it remains relatively dry for most of the year. For a typical trip that combines the Cultural Triangle with highlands, beaches and safaris, from December to March will be your best bet weather-wise. However, if you want to avoid crowds or explore the whole of the country, September, October or April will work well.
Photo credit: Kierra Jones
Enjoying the view at one of Sri Lanka’s many scenic tea estates
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You can cover Sri Lanka’s must-sees in just a week. However, from 12 days even up to 3 weeks is recommended if you want to add in extra activities like safaris, beach time or hiking. One of Sri Lanka’s positives is that due to its small size, you can maximize your time without feeling rushed! Back to top While Sri Lanka and India do have similarities, they each offer their own distinct travel experience. Sri Lanka has a history that spans back thousands of years—that’s plenty of time to develop a unique culture and feel not found anywhere else.
Photo credit: Kierra Jones
Sri Lanka’s Polonnaruwa monuments are a highlight of the country
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Sri Lanka is well-connected around the world, and can be a great add-on to other destinations. The most obvious country to combine with Sri Lanka is India, which offers direct flights to and from multiple cities. However, Sri Lanka also offers direct flight connections to the Maldives, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Nepal, to name just a few. Or, maybe you want to add a stopover in another city on your way to or from Sri Lanka. Stopping in Abu Dhabi (with Etihad Airlines), Dubai (with Emirates Airlines) and Doha (with Qatar Airways) are all possible!
Photo credit: Kierra Jones
Enjoying the views from famous Sigiriya (Lion’s Rock) in Sri Lanka
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I didn’t have a single safety issue during my month spent in Sri Lanka. While travellers should take normal precautions that they would in any city, or while traveling solo, the risk of violent crime here is quite low. Back to top We’re ready to help! Browse our curated collection of Sri Lanka tours to find your best-fit journey. Or, if you’re interested in a customized or private adventure, we’d be happy to assist with your questions and put together exactly what you’re looking for! Get in touch here. Back to top
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Posted by Kierra Jones