Sri Lanka Travel Report
Sri Lanka has been on my travel radar for a while. It has become increasingly popular in recent years among the Lithuanian community, so I decided to follow suit. While it wouldn't have been my first choice in Asia (you can't really compare it to Vietnam and Thailand), I decided to give it a go with limited time and would love to share my experiences and recommendations.
Please use the table of contents to scroll down to the section that interests you. The trip took place in March 2024, so all the prices mentioned are, of course, subject to change. Would I recommend visiting the country? Yes, of course! Would I go there myself a second time? Not in the upcoming 10 years.
Sri Lanka 4 day itinerary, including a few hikes and picturesque stops
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Sri Lanka 4 day Itinerary
Our 4-day itinerary began and ended at Bandaranaike Airport. The highlights of our trip in Sri Lanka included Dambulla, Sigiriya, Nuwara Eliya, Ella, and various beaches spanning from Hiriketiya Beach to Bentota Beach. 4 days were sufficient for us to get a feel for the country.
GUIDE in Sri Lanka
To find the guide in Sri Lanka was the biggest headache for us. So many options! However, some of them were quite expensive for our budget (around 1000 EU), and others insisted on following their own itinerary, etc
We found people in my circle who had been to Sri Lanka before, so we hired a guide/driver through their recommendation of Jeev Sri Lanka Tours. We were assigned the guide Saman. Everything with him was okay; he wasn't pushy and didn't try to impose his recommendations. He also joined one of our hikes, stopped wherever we asked (almost everywhere), and was accommodating. During the trip, we also met another guide who rented apartments. He seemed like a really warm person (and quite young), so my recommendation would be to reach him out as well.
1. Jeev Sri Lanka Tours
2. Our guide Saman (from Jeev Sri Lanka Tours)
3. The Guide Rumesh we met during the trip (from Hey Lanka Travels)
P.S. Don't forget to mention you found them through IEVA, maybe they'll offer a discount :)
MUST-VISIT PLACES IN SRI LANKA
I had already planned what would be on our must-see list and what was less relevant. We decided not to do a safari after reading average reviews. If I could go back, I would include a stop at Horton Plains National Park. Dambulla Royal Cave Temple and Hiriketya Beach didn't leave a big impression.
Having said that, we found following places in Sri Lanka worth the stop:
Pidurangala Rock Hike (instead of Sigiriya Rock), Sigiriya
The entrance fee to Pidurangala is much cheaper, but the view is really great. The hike is a bit more technically challenging; at times we had to wait due to narrow passages and a large tourist flow.
Bowatte Beheth Shalawa, Kandy
A great place to buy spices, teas, and all sorts of other Sri Lankan goodies at a reasonable price. I don't recommend buying directly from spice gardens and tea factories.
Nine Arches Bridge, Ella
A beautiful walk in Ella, which you can do fully walking or using tuktuk + walking. Passing tuk-tuks along the way were a bit annoying (so watch out for your heads and feet). The train cross the Nine Arches Bridge 6 times a day.
Little Adam's Peak, Ella
A short hike with beautiful views of Ella. Entrance is free. As with Nine Arches Bridge, beware of tuk-tuks.
Kiri Kopi, Ella
A cozy outdoor café with tasty coffee.
Diyaluma Falls Hike, wellawaya
A more "wild" and less touristy hike with beautiful views. A small part is covered by tuk-tuk (about 3000 LKR round trip) + a good half-hour walk. It's said that you can encounter elephants and leopards. Entrance fee to the falls is 350 LKR.
Mirissa Coconut Tree Hill and Mirissa Beach
One of the most beautiful beaches in Sri Lanka. I was sceptical beforehand, but now I can say the places are definitely worth a stop.
Wellabada Sea Turtles Hatchery
Sea turtle egg hatchery and rescue. An alternative to paid turtle shelters or Hikkaduwa Beach. Donation-based.
Ventura (Bentota) Beach
A peaceful beach with a restaurant.
MONEY
You will definitely need cash in Sri Lanka. Only a couple of restaurants in major cities offered a card payment and only one hotel. We withdrew money for FREE from the People's Bank ATM with N26 card (Revolut would work too).
The choice of using N26 over Revolut was due to the fact that it doesn't charge a currency conversion fee even on weekends (unlike Revolut, which charges 1%). Additionally, the N26 You Plan offers unlimited cash withdrawals abroad. If you don't have N26, you can apply for FREE here (you'll get a 5 EUR credit after your first transaction).
ACCOMMODATION (HOTELS/HOSTELS/AIRBNB) IN SRI LANKA
Good news that accommodation in Sri Lanka is quite affordable for Westerners. Our economy rooms ranged between 15-25 EUR. We used booking.com to make all our reservations.
White Villa Airport Transit Hotel
The White Villa Airport Transit Hotel was conveniently situated near the airport, ideal for an early morning arrival. They offer pick-up service from the airport at any time of the day, and breakfast is included. However, the breakfast itself is unimpressive, so I would suggest preparing some extra food just in case.
Hotel Bird Paradise Sigiriya
In Hotel Bird Paradise we had a pretty spacious room/apartment. Nestled in nature, it felt like being in the jungle, and breakfast was included in the price. Can only recommend it.
Rustique House, Nuwara Eliya
We found Rustique House airbnb in Nuwara Eliya a little too small and dark compared to our other Sri Lanka’s accommodations, we mainly chose it for quite unique interior. The place was also pretty chilly inside (Nuwara Eliya is in higher altitude than other places in Sri Lanka). Breakfast is included (two options: Sri Lankan breakfast or English breakfast).
Divine View, Ella
Divine View Homestay was the best accommodation of all in Sri Lanka for us, with a beautiful view and very nice / considerate owners. Breakfast is included in price and quite filling. We were served a plate of various fruits, 4 banan pancakes, traditionally made Sri Lankan egg and fershly squezzed juices. Finally not just rice and curry and … no toasted bread! :)
Art House Dickwella
Art House Dickwella accommodation is located near a busy street, within a walking distance to Dickwella Beach. The room was very, very "stuffy" (hot) during our stay in mid-March, you may need earplugs for better sleep at night. The breakfast is not included and the price varies between 1000 - 1800 LKR per person. You can also order the dinner. I wouldn't stay here again.
ESIM
The most convenient option for me was to install eSIM from Airalo prior to my trip. I didn’t have any issues, the internet worked great throughout the journey. For this particular trip, 2GB coverage was enough for me.
If you are not familiar what is Airalo and how it works, you can read about it more here. If you want to save 3 USD, you can use my discount code (IEVA1707) or click here to apply the coupon directly.
Visa for Sri Lanka
Visa for Sri Lanka is mandatory for majority of nationalities. We filled out the visa online - cheaper and faster. We received visa confirmation within a few hours. The online price is about 50eu (including the card transaction fee). Once confirmed, visa is automatically attached to your passport, so you don’t need to print out anything (unless you want to keep a piece in your mind).
Apply // Official Sri Lanka’s e-visa website
Sri Lanka I wish I knew
When visiting markets, buying fruits & vegetables from the road sellers it's better to go with a guide, otherwise, you'll likely be ripped off.
Not all accommodations have plug adapters, so make sure they fit UK plugs (type G plug)
In most places, you won't find black coffee options, not even plain Nescafe; they typically offer 3-in-1 coffee instead.
I advice to book places with breakfast included (will save time and money)
Faq
1. was 4-5 days enough to see Sri Lanka?
For me yes, personally, I wouldn’t have planned my trip in any other way.
2. Would you visit Sri Lanka again?
As I like to say, never say never, but for the near future I wouldn’t visit it.
3. How did you fly to Sri Lanka?
For me, the most convenient & budget friendly option was to fly directly from Kuwait with Jazeera Airways. Online reviews are pretty low for the airline, but personally, I haven’t experienced any issues. Other popular options include flying from Qatar (Doha) or India (please keep in mind you may need a visa). I also once saw a very cheap last-minute offer from Stockholm with a charter flight.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
I'm ieva vi - a wedding & lifestyle photographer, based in Copenhagen and photographing worldwide. When I'm not behind the lens capturing beautiful moments, i love to explore new places and share my experiences with readers. Take a look at my portfolio, and feel free to reach out for collaborations.
