Before booking my flight to Sri Lanka this summer I was torn. It’s not that I didn’t want to go, because I really did. I just didn’t know whether going in July, during the monsoon season in the south, would be a mistake, and I couldn’t find any information assuring me that it wouldn’t be. But my summer holiday from work was approaching and I needed to make a decision. I decided to just book the tickets and hope for the best, and I’m so glad I did. Traveling Sri Lanka is amazing, also in July.
I was fortunate enough to experience a lot during my three weeks in Sri Lanka. Here is my exact itinerary, for anyone planning a summer adventure, or any adventure, really, to the beautiful country of Sri Lanka.
Day 0 – 1: Negombo (1 night)
Our flight touched down in Sri Lanka around 10 pm, and with the late arrival we had decided to spend the first night in Negombo, which is a lot closer to Colombo Airport than the actual city called Colombo.
Most people choose not to spend a lot of time in Negombo/Colombo, and neither did we. For a quick overview of Negombo we had our hotel organise a guided tuktuk tour for us, where we saw the main sights in only two hours. It was a good introduction to Sri Lanka.
Where we stayed: Barcode Residence Negombo – This is a nice place, and the couple running it is lovely. We had no time to explore the area, but it worked perfectly as a place to land after a long day of traveling.
Day 1 – 3: Dambulla (2 nights)
We traveled from Negombo to Dambulla by local bus, making a stop to change buses in Kurunegala. With the help of a friendly stranger the trip turned out unproblematic. Upon arrival in Dambulla we were approached by several tuktuk drivers, and made arrangements with one of them to take us to Sigiriya Rock and Pidurangala Rock the following day. This turned out to be a great decision.
The morning after we were picked up at 06:30 and taken to climb both Sigiriya Rock and Pidurangala Rock. Such a great day! I particularly enjoyed the tricky parts of the Pidurangala climb, and the views from the top of both rocks were amazing. We ended the day with a visit to the temple caves and the Golden Temple. Simply put; the cultural triangle has a lot to offer, and you could easily fill more days here than one.
Where we stayed: Lak View Family Resort – This is basically like staying with a local family, and the woman of the house makes a delicious rice and curry. Be aware that even though your booking site says breakfast is included, they will charge you for it. The location is alright, but Dambulla is not a very nice place in my opinion, so we didn’t walk around much.
Day 3 – 5: Trincomalee (2 nights)
Trincomalee is only a 2 hour bus ride away from Dambulla. I guess it is still a bit off the beaten path, but this little beach town is a great addition to your Sri Lanka itinerary, especially when traveling in July and you want to spend a bit of time on the east coast. Trincomalee is still building itself up as a tourist destination, after being considered unsafe for years during the civil war, but it’s definitely up-and-coming. For me, this was the first town in Sri Lanka where I really enjoyed spending time without doing anything in particular. It just has a nice vibe, and also some really nice restaurants. Well worth a visit!
Apart from nice beaches there are also some cultural sights to be seen in Trincomalee. We visited the Fort Fredrik, an old fort built by the Portuguese, and the Koneswaram temple, and then had a nice little walk back down to the centre of the city. We didn’t stay in the centre ourselves, but instead chose Uppuveli as our base. It’s a more chilled vibe up there, and the beaches are nicer which is always good.
Where we stayed: Aa Inn – it’s nothing special, to be honest, and I saw a lot of places that looked way nicer. Try and stay closer to the beach. The area where it’s located is like a maze and we got lost on more than one occasion.
Day 5 – 6: Kandy (1 night)
The bus ride from Trincomalee to Kandy is quite long (about 4,5 hours), but requires no bus changes and you do get a short toilet break midways. Always appreciated.
We had decided to only spend an afternoon in Kandy, but accomplished a whole lot in a short time. Quite immediately upon arrival we got picked up to go to a local dancing performance close to the Kandy Lake and were taken for a drive around the entire lake. Afterwards we paid a visit to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth, where one of Buddhas teeth is said to be kept. Keep in mind you do not get to see the actual tooth. Instead you get to shoot the shrine containing the tooth a quick glance from about five meters away. Oh, and we queued for about 30 minutes for this. It was one of the things that just had to be done.
Where we stayed: Kandy City Hotel – after spending the past nights in various guest houses it was strange sleeping in an actual hotel for once. This is a nice one, I would recommend it.
Day 6 – 7: Nuwara Eliya (1 night)
The train ride from Kandy to Ella is supposed to be one of the most scenic train rides in the world. We chose to split the 7 hour train ride into two legs, in order to get to spend a night in Nuwara Eliya. The journey between Kandy and Nanu-Oya (Nuwara Eliya) was just unreal, and made even more amazing as I got to sit in the open doorway for the entire ride. A special experience for sure.
We arrived in a rainy, cold Nuwara Eliya, and once again found ourselves wanting to make the most out of a short stay. That afternoon we visited one of the many Sri Lankan tea plantations. We also made arrangements to go hiking in Horton Plains very early the following morning. Waking up freezing at 4 am to go hiking for hours in the rain had me feeling pretty miserable, to be honest. However, the hike to the End of the World turned out to be worth it and I was glad I made the effort.
Where we stayed: Nuwara Eliya Hills Rest – This place is just beautiful and I felt like a princess in our cozy little room. Recommended for sure.
Day 7 – 10: Ella (3 nights)
I was expecting the train ride from Nuwara Eliya to Ella to be even more amazing than the one we had the day before, but for me it was quite a miserable one. It’s definitely a ride not to be missed, but keep your expectations realistic; these trains can get crowded and people can be annoying. The scenery is still unreal, though.
I loved Ella and every single thing about it. It was my favourite place is Sri Lanka and cannot be missed. We spent our time hiking to Ella Rock, Little Adams Peak, the Nine Arch Bridge and along the railway. Ella is beautiful and has a bit of a backpacker vibe. We had great food and even managed to find a place to watch the world cup finals. This was the first place we stayed for two full days (three nights) and I’m so glad we did.
Where we stayed: Mountain Breeze Villa Homestay – Please stay here! This was my favourite place to stay in Sri Lanka. The family running the place is beyond adorable and the breakfast is amazing and plentiful. I almost cried when we left and they told us they’d see us soon because I felt so welcome.
Day 10 – 13: Arugam Bay (3 nights)
Since arriving in Sri Lanka I had stayed true to my desire to always using public transport when moving between places. When going between Ella and Arugam Bay, however, I caved and agreed to arrange for private transport. It was expensive, but very comfortable and we made it to Arugam Bay in no time at all.
In Arugam Bay we did absolutely nothing. I don’t even know if there is something you’re supposed to do while being there. We went to the beach. That’s all, and I’m not sorry about it.
Where we stayed: Shadow Bay – It’s a pretty new place, which means it’s got A/C and that’s always a good thing. Arugam Bay gets hot!
Day 13 – 16: Unawatuna (3 nights)
It was when trying to get out of Arugam Bay that I realized how far away from everything it is actually located. Especially when you’re going to the south coast, which is what we were doing. It took us a tuktuk to get to Pottuvil, a 6 hour bus ride to get to Matara and then another 1,5 hour bus ride to get to Unawatuna. It is safe to say we arrived exhausted.
I had been slightly worried about what kind of weather we would get on the south coast, as I knew we were visiting during monsoon season. Unawatuna greeted us with sunshine and lovely temperatures, and the weather stayed that way for our entire stay. We might have been lucky, but it also proves the south coast shouldn’t be ruled out just because it’s July.
Our days in Unawatuna were spent beach hopping. We went to Unawatuna Beach, Wijaya Beach and Jungle Beach, with Wijaya Beach being my favorite. We also spent an afternoon in Galle Fort, which is the loveliest place and should absolutely be explored.
Where we stayed: Srimali’s Residence – Nicely located in the main road within walking distance to most things. Nice and basic.
Day 16 – 18: Hikkaduwa (2 nights)
Hikkaduwa is only a short tuktuk ride away from Unawatuna, so we got there in no time at all. As this was our last stop in Sri Lanka, we had splurged on a nice beach hotel and that was quite alright.
As these were our last days of vacation we made beach time and relaxation our priority. We went into the centre of Hikkaduwa a couple of times, and it wasn’t anything special. Our hotel, on the other hand, was very comfortable, so why venture out?
Where we stayed: At Ease Beach Hotel – Now this was something else, compared to all the budget accommodations we’d been staying at. Beautiful place located on the beach, eco-friendly with a no plastic-policy, and with a swimming pool outside. This might sound unnecessary when the ocean is right in front of the hotel, but the waves get huge so the pool definitely comes in handy.
Day 19: Hikkaduwa to Colombo Airport
Let me tell you, 3 am departures are no fun. As we had to check out of our hotel room in the morning we then had to spend a full day camping in the hotel lobby like homeless people. Oh well, I can’t say I haven’t done it before.
We had arranged for a van to pick us up and take us to the airport so we wouldn’t have to spend any time in Colombo. A very clever decision. From there we waited around in various airports and airplanes before finally arriving back on Norwegian ground.
What we did not do
I feel like most people who visit Sri Lanka include one of the national parks to their itinerary. Sri Lanka has some great wild life, and offers the opportunity to see elephants and leopards, to name a few. We weren’t particularly into this idea and therefore opted out.
As for beach towns, Sri Lanka has plenty. We chose a few of them quite randomly, but there are so many options so take your pick.
The end
I didn’t have time to get particularly excited about our trip to Sri Lanka before going there. Still I arrived back home with Sri Lanka being one of my favorite countries I’ve ever visited. It is crazy how you can have such a diverse experience from spending only three weeks in one country, but Sri Lanka has so much to offer.
I’ve been freezing, sweating, hiking, being laid flat on the beach, eating the most amazing meals, interacting with the friendliest of locals and witnessed scenery that is just unreal. Thank you, Sri Lanka, I think I’m in love with you.
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