2 days in Sri Lanka: culture, tea country and the coast

Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.

1. 1
   MorningCheck ahead

   Temple of the Tooth

   The temple beside the lake in Kandy that keeps a relic said to be a tooth of the Buddha. Worshippers bring lotus flowers, and the main shrine is open at set times, so check ahead. Dress modestly and leave your shoes and hat outside.

   Go when Morning, around the set hour of the ritual, if you wish to see it.

   Local tip Dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered, and leave your shoes and hat outside. The main shrine is busy at ritual times, so check ahead. Some people bring white flowers.

   

   About 1 h 15 min by car74.9 km
2. 2
   MorningGo early, steep climb

   Sigiriya

   A steep rock rising from the plain, with the ruins of a royal fortress and gardens on and around it. The climb is a long stair with open stretches, and the heat builds fast. Go early, take water and rest at the landings.

   Go when First thing in the morning, before the heat and the crowds.

   Local tip The stair is long, steep and open to the sun. Take water, wear shoes with grip, rest at the landings and turn back if you feel dizzy. Check the opening times and the weather ahead.

   

3. Lunch

   A rice and curry lunch on the road

   Simple restaurants along the highway serve rice with a few curries, fresh and quick. Travelers on the road to the middle of the island pause at them, and a driver will often know a clean one.

   Local tip Choose a place where the food is hot and busy, and ask your driver. Tell the staff about any allergy first.

   About 1 h 16 min by car75.5 km
4. 3
   MorningCheck ahead

   The train from Kandy toward Ella

   The railway climbs from Kandy through tea estates, cuttings and small stations toward Ella. Seats often sell out and trains run late, so check ahead, book early if you can and keep the day free. Views depend on the weather.

   Go when Morning, on a day with nothing else fixed.

   Local tip Seats often sell out and trains run late, so check how to book before the day and keep the evening flexible. Do not lean out of an open door, and mind your bag at stations.

   

5. Dinner

   A Ceylon tea and a devilled dish

   A devilled dish of sweet, hot stir fried vegetables or meat in a thick sauce, a favorite of Sri Lankan restaurants, with a pot of black tea to finish. A warm evening in the hills.

   Local tip Devilled dishes are hot and often fried. Ask for it mild, and tell the staff about any allergy.

Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.

1. Drive from The train from Kandy toward EllaAbout 2 h 10 min by car147.8 km

   Where Day 1 ended.
2. 1
   MiddayWorth the time

   Galle Fort

   A walled town on a point by the sea, begun by the Portuguese and built up by the Dutch, with ramparts, narrow lanes, old churches and small shops. Walk the walls and the lanes in the cool of the morning.

   Go when Morning, when the lanes are cool, or the evening along the walls.

   Local tip Walk the walls first and the lanes after. Wear a hat and take water, since there is little shade on the ramparts. People live in the Fort, so keep your voice low in the quiet lanes.

   

   About 1 h 39 min by car106.8 km
3. 2
   MiddayWorth the time

   Gangaramaya Temple

   A busy Buddhist temple beside Beira Lake, full of halls, shrines, statues and a crowd of gifts and curios gathered over the years. Cover your shoulders and knees, and take your shoes off at the door.

   Go when Morning, before the heat and the tour groups.

   Local tip Cover your shoulders and knees, and take your shoes off at the door. Keep your voice low, and ask before you take a photo of a monk or of anyone praying.

   

4. Lunch

   Rice and curry

   The everyday meal of the island: a plate of rice with small bowls of curries, such as dhal, a vegetable, a fish or chicken curry, and a sambol. Small lunch rooms in the city serve it in a banana leaf or on a plate.

   Local tip Ask what each curry holds and how hot it is. Tell the staff about any allergy first, since many curries contain coconut, fish or nuts.

   

   About 1 h 59 min by car133.1 km
5. 3
   MiddayMind the trains

   Nine Arch Bridge

   A curved railway viaduct of stone and brick, standing in green forest and tea country near Ella. Trains cross only a few times a day, so check ahead. Stand well clear of the tracks and never walk on them when a train is near.

   Go when Morning, before the tour groups gather.

   Local tip The viaduct is a railway. Stay clear of the tracks, check when a train is due and never stand on the bridge as one approaches. Watch your footing on the wet path.

   

6. Dinner

   Egg hoppers

   A bowl-shaped hopper with an egg cooked in the middle, served with a spicy sambol and a curry. A simple supper in a small Ella cafe, light after a long day.

   Local tip Tell the staff about any egg allergy first, and ask for the sambol mild.