Sri Lanka packs a surprising amount into a small island. In a single week you can go from a royal city with a sacred temple to cool hills covered in tea, ride one of the prettiest railways in Asia and end on a palm-lined beach. For travellers from Bangladesh it is also easy to reach, and the food, with its rice, curries and coconut, feels familiar enough to be comforting while still being new.
Start in Kandy
Most first trips begin with the drive up from Colombo or the airport to Kandy, the last royal capital. The town wraps around a lake, and on its shore stands the Temple of the Tooth, which houses a relic of the Buddha and is the most important Buddhist shrine in the country. Visit in the early morning or around a prayer time to hear the drums, and dress with respect: shoulders and knees covered, shoes left at the entrance.
Give Kandy a full day. Walk around the lake, spend a slow morning in the Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya just outside town, and in the evening look out for a cultural dance show. If you have an extra day before Kandy, the rock fortress at Sigiriya is a popular detour, but it adds driving.
Into the tea country around Nuwara Eliya
From Kandy the road climbs through waterfalls and endless rows of tea. Nuwara Eliya sits high in the hills and is noticeably cooler, with colonial-era bungalows, a racecourse and Gregory Lake. People sometimes call it Little England, and in the evening you will be glad of a jacket.
The real highlight here is the tea itself. Many estates welcome visitors to see how leaves are withered, rolled and dried, and to taste the result with a view over the slopes. You will often see tea pluckers at work on the hillsides; smile and ask before you take a close-up photograph.
The hill train towards Ella
The railway through the hill country is one of the great train rides of the world. It winds past tea gardens, tunnels and deep valleys, and many travellers board near Nuwara Eliya at Nanu Oya station, or in Kandy for the longer journey, and ride towards Ella.
- Reserved seats on the popular stretches can sell out, so book ahead where possible
- Sit on the side with the valley views if you can, and keep bags off the floor near the door
- Trains can run late, so do not plan anything tight on arrival
- Hold on firmly if you stand near open doors for photographs
Ella itself is a relaxed village in the hills. Walk up Little Adam's Peak for an easy sunrise or sunset, and visit the Nine Arch Bridge to watch a train cross the stone viaduct over the jungle.
Do the train once in daylight and you will understand why people plan whole trips around it.
Finish on the south coast
From Ella, the road drops down to the warm south. You can go via a safari at Yala National Park, known for leopards, elephants and birdlife, or head straight to the beaches around Mirissa and Unawatuna. The old Dutch-era fort at Galle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is perfect for an evening walk along the ramparts before you head back to Colombo for your flight.
One thing to know: the south and west coasts are at their best roughly from December to April. From around May to September the south-west monsoon brings more rain to this side, while the east coast is in season instead. The hills can be misty and damp at almost any time of year, which is part of their charm.
How many days you need
Here is how the loop usually fits different trip lengths:
- 6 to 7 days: Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, the train to Ella and back to Colombo, with a short beach stop if time allows
- 8 to 10 days: the full loop with two nights in each base and time on the south coast
- 11 days or more: add Sigiriya and the cultural sites, a safari, or a few nights in the Maldives
Driving distances look short on a map, but hill roads are slow and winding, so a private car with a driver is the most comfortable way to link the stops. Sri Lanka usually asks visitors to arrange an electronic travel authorisation before flying. The rules change from time to time, so Softway Travels checks the current requirements when you book.
Softway Travels can plan and book a Sri Lanka tour with hotels, a car and driver and your train tickets, or add a few island days with a Sri Lanka and Maldives trip.
