3 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
   MorningWorth 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
2. 2
   MorningWorth 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.

   

3. 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 21 min walk1.7 km
4. 3
   EveningWorth the time

   Galle Face Green

   A long lawn along the sea in the middle of the city, where families walk, fly kites and buy snacks from the stalls as the day cools. The sea here can be rough, so look at it and do not swim.

   Go when Evening, around sunset, when the day cools and families come out.

   Local tip Walk the full length slowly. Keep to the grass and the path, mind your bag in the crowd and look at the sea from the wall, since the surf here is strong.

   

5. Dinner

   Kottu

   A street dish of chopped flatbread stir fried on a hot griddle with vegetables, egg or meat, made to the loud rhythm of two metal blades. A Colombo evening meal, filling and hot.

   Local tip It is made in front of you, so ask for it mild and with less oil if you like. Tell the staff about any egg or meat allergy before they start.

   

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

1. Drive from Galle Face GreenAbout 1 h 31 min by car95.9 km

   Where Day 1 ended.
2. 1
   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.

   

   About 1 h 9 min by car65.9 km
3. 2
   MorningMind 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.

   

4. Lunch

   Snacks from the station vendors

   Vendors walk the platforms and the train with fried snacks, nuts, fruit and tea. A cheerful, noisy meal in the carriage, and a good way to taste the hills.

   Local tip Choose hot, freshly cooked items and tell the vendor about any nut or other allergy. Wash your hands first.

   

   About 16 min walk1.3 km
5. 3
   EveningWorth the time

   Little Adam's Peak

   A small peak above Ella, reached by a walk through tea bushes. The top gives a wide look over the valley if the cloud allows. It is an easy walk for most people, but go in daylight and take water.

   Go when Late afternoon, back down before dusk.

   Local tip The path is a gentle climb through tea bushes. Carry water, wear shoes with grip and go up in daylight. The view depends on cloud, so do not count on it.

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.

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

1. Drive from Little Adam's PeakAbout 1 h 9 min by car66.6 km

   Where Day 2 ended.
2. 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
3. 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.

   

4. 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 32 min by car or transit16.5 km
5. 3
   AfternoonWorth the time

   Dambulla Cave Temple

   A hillside of cave shrines, a short climb above the road, with painted ceilings and many Buddha statues, some seated and some reclining. Leave your shoes at the foot, cover shoulders and knees, and ask before you pose with a statue.

   Go when Late afternoon, after the road, when the stone has cooled.

   Local tip Leave your shoes at the foot and wear socks if the stone is hot. Cover shoulders and knees. Never turn your back to a Buddha statue for a photo, and ask before you pose beside one.

   

6. Dinner

   Dhal and vegetable curries

   A plain evening meal of lentil curry, green beans, pumpkin or jackfruit, with rice and a coconut sambol. Light and easy after a long road, and widely available near Dambulla.

   Local tip Ask for little chili. Tell the staff about any allergy first, since coconut and nuts are common.