SRI LANKA TRAVEL GUIDE

Hi loves! Today I'll be sharing all about the beautiful Sri Lanka, Dan and I spent 2.5 weeks there and we really wished we had the time to stay longer! Read on to find out how to get around, where to stay and what to eat!

We started off our journey in Colombo, we flew in from Bangalore (India) and we stayed 1 night in this bustling city. 

Where I stayed: Residence by Uga Escapes 

Walking distance to: Gangaramaya Temple

COLOMBO

We then headed off to Kandy by car, it was a 4 hour drive.

Driver: Hiram | +94 76 194 9818

We only spent the evening in Kandy and we stayed in Lakewood Residence, it was by the lake and we had an early night that evening. However, recommended places to check out in Kandy would be the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Kandy Lake and the Royal Botanical Gardens.

The next morning we headed off early to the train station to catch the earliest train from Kandy to Ella. 

*Things to note about the train:

-Get there at least 30 minutes to an hour earlier to get your tickets. 

- First class tickets/cabins have AC and seats (however you're not able to open the windows)

-Second and Third class tickets/cabins have no AC and no guaranteed seats but the windows are open and you get to hang your legs off at the door for awesome views.

-The train ride from Kandy to Ella is 7 hours with stops in between.

We bought second class tickets but we didn't manage to squeeze in because honestly they don't check how many people get into the cabin. So Dan and I had to rush to the Third class cabin and squeeze ourselves in or else we had to wait 3-4 hours for the next train. We paid 230LKR (SGD1.75) each for a 2nd class ticket. This train is not only a tourist thing, many locals take this train as their mode of transport as well.

KANDY TO ELLA

Wadeh (a Sri Lankan snack sold on the train throughout the journey) it was a 100LKR (SGD0.75) for a whole packet. 

The popular route for this train is from Kandy to Ella, however people also like to stop in Nuwara Eliya for a night or 2 before continuing the journey towards Ella. Nuwara Eliya is known for the beautiful tea plantations, tea factories and waterfalls. Travelers also hike up Adam's Peak at Nuwara Eliya.

The train ride from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya is known for its beautiful scenic views of the tea plantations, however Dan and I did not get off at any of the stops, we took the full 7 hours train ride. 

You can find loads of hotels via Booking.com and get 10% off when you book with this link!

I booked all my hotels with Booking.com (not sponsored) and it's really convenient.

ELLA

Nine Arch Bridge

We hiked down to the Nine Arch bridge twice, once in the day to walk along the bridge and to explore the tea plantations,  and the second time in the evening to catch the train passing! Please be super careful while hiking down to the bridge, there are leeches everywhere. Wear long pants if possible, Dan had 2 leeches on him and we didn't realise till we were back in the hotel. If you have a leech on you, do not attempt to pull them off! Just pour some salt on them, or you can use a lighter to burn them and they'll fall off. 

Also, here are the timings of when the train passes by the bridge.

It takes approximately 20 minutes to hike down to the bridge, so remember to plan your time and head there slightly earlier or you'll have to wait another hour for the next train to pass by.

Little Adam's Peak

photo by Swann Decker

We also explored Little Adam's Peak for sunset and the hike was not as intense as Adam's Peak itself.  We didn't go to Adam's Peak but we heard from other travellers that the journey starts at 3 in the morning and hiked all the way up for the sunrise. For Little Adam's Peak, the view is soooo beautiful even while hiking up. You'll get endless views of the tea plantations and if you're lucky the ladies who are collecting the tea leaves may smile for a photo.

The main street of Ella is quite small, you'll soon realise that you will keep seeing the same people that was on the Kandy to Ella train journey, either in restaurants or at the stores. 

 After Ella, we headed off to Yala by a shared taxi.

Ella to Yala

Private taxi: 7000LKR

Shared taxi: 2000LKR per person

Contact: +94 71 204 0853

YALA NATIONAL PARK

Where we stayed: 

Leopard's Nest (Treehouse room)

Chena Huts by UGA Escapes

Both accommodations arranged a Safari jeep tour for us to Yala National Park. The tour is inclusive with the hotel stay. We were really lucky to be able to spot leopards during all 3 visits to the park. I've heard how some rangers have gone on game drives countless times and never had the luck to spot any leopards. We spent 3 nights in Yala before heading off to Mirissa.

From Yala to Mirissa: By car

Ceylon Best Tours Taxi Service

Private taxi: 7000LKR

Shared taxi: 2000LKR per person

Dilshan: +94 77 861 9582

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Dilshan will send a photo of the car that will be picking you up and the details of the car plate number etc.

MIRISSA

Secret Beach

To get to Secret Beach, there will be a little 10 minutes hike up and then down. It is really quite hidden, but so beautiful. There's a restaurant/cafe by the beach but it was not open as we went quite early in the morning. We stayed at Orchid Rest Mirissa which was so close to Mirissa Beach and about a 20 minutes walk to Secret Beach.

You can find loads of hotels in Sri Lanka via Booking.com and get 10% off when you book with this link!

Coconut Tree Hill Spot

Baby turtle release on Mirissa Beach 

We did not plan for this, we happened to be walking along the beach and we saw a big group of people lining up and we were curious to see what they were up to. They were releasing over a 100 turtles into the ocean. There was no entrance fee needed, the release takes place on the beach itself. It was quite an experience!

 Mirissa Beach during sunset, there are loads of seafood restaurants and bars along the beach for you to chill and relax at. 

WHERE TO EAT:

Shady Lane

 (Vegetarian | Vegan friendly)

Diyagalana Road Yatipila Mirissa, Mirissa 81740, Sri Lanka

Wood Space

 (Vegetarian | Vegan friendly)

Mirissa main road | At the crossroads of Matara and Kottashi Gedara Rd, Mirissa 81740, Sri Lanka

The Original Rocket Burger

On Mirrisa Beach

GALLE

We took a day trip out from Mirissa to spend half a day at Galle. We got there on a tuktuk, which took over an hour to get there. It's really easy to just flag down any tuktuk to get to Galle. The price range should be from 1300LKR - 1500LKR (SGD9 - SGD11+). Galle has loads of buildings with Dutch architecture, it is quite nice to spend an afternoon here roaming around. There are many clothing boutiques, tea stores and souvenir stores for you to shop at, however it's also on the pricier side. There are loads of restaurants and cafes as well, gelato shops and another Original Rocket Burger outlet as well.

After Galle, we took a tuktuk to Unawatuna, we spent the evening there.

UNAWATUNA

This Instagram famous sunset swing is located slightly off Dalawella beach. Just search for Dream Cabana on Google Maps, this swing is directly in front of it. 

Things to note about the swing:

It is LKR500 for 3 swings per person. 

If you want the sunset shot, get there earlier to start queuing!

Pay before you queue, people who paid first get to go first. 

There will be a line of people staring at you while you swing out into the water. (Thought I should point this out for people who are not comfortable with that)

As we only spent a short evening in Unawatuna for the sunset, we didn't get to explore much. We got another tuktuk back to our hotel in Mirissa after our beautiful evening on Dalawella beach. We managed to get this tuktuk driver Shanthq (+94 768497214), who charged us 800LKR to head back to Mirissa.

After Mirissa, we headed back to Colombo for our flight back to Singapore. We arranged for a car ride with Dilshan. Here are his details again:

Ceylon Best Tours Taxi Service

Private taxi: 7000LKR

Shared taxi: 2000LKR per person

Dilshan: +94 77 861 9582

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That sums up our entire Sri Lankan adventure, I hope you find this post helpful and that it also inspires you to visit Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is an incredibly beautiful adventure and I highly recommend solo travellers, couples and even families to visit! If you have anymore questions, feel free to leave a comment below, or send me a DM via Instagram! You can also watch my Sri Lanka adventure that's on my Instagram Stories, pinned under Highlights.

Thanks for reading, India part III will be up next! x

Love, 

Amelyn

*All photos shot by myself and Dan unless otherwise stated.