COLOMBO · SRI LANKA
The gateway, and the whole island beyond.
Tuk-tuks through Pettah, the blue train to Ella, leopards in Yala, blue whales off Mirissa. Colombo is where the country starts — this guide is the rest.
Start here
If you only book one thing in Colombo.
The signature first day. Three wheels, the whole city, half a thousand reviewers in agreement.
The classics
Sri Lanka's Most Popular Tours
Yala leopards, Udawalawe elephants, the Kandy tuk-tuk loop, Mirissa whales. The tours travellers keep coming back to recommend.
By place
Pick a stop on the loop.
Colombo for the tuk-tuks and the sundowner. Kandy for the temple and the train. Sigiriya for the rock. Ella for the bridge. Galle for the fort. Mirissa for the whales.
Plan the week
Sri Lanka in five days.
The island is small enough that everyone ends up doing roughly the same loop. Here's what each day looks like, and the tour reviews that go with it.
Ancient cities
The Cultural Triangle, walked.
Three UNESCO points at the centre of the island. Sigiriya's Lion Rock, Dambulla's gold-leafed caves, Anuradhapura's sacred city. Walk one a day, or all three in a long weekend out of Colombo.
By activity
Or pick how you want to spend the day.
Safari if you want leopards. Tuk-tuk if you want the city sideways. Cooking class if you want to learn the curry. Train, snorkel, whale boat, tea estate — the island gives you a different day every day.
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