Where to stay in Sri Lanka

This guide will help you to understand where to stay in Sri Lanka.

The best part?

It covers not just beach areas but also the best places to stay in Sri Lanka to have all the attractions next to your resort: beautiful sea, elephant safaris and historical sites such as the world-famous Sigiriya.

If you are willing to travel through a few destinations, I will show you also three 10-day itineraries of Sri Lanka to get the best out of this country.

And now comes the great part, it’s all updated (no old stuff)

Where to stay in Sri Lanka – Key Points

As you can imagine, there is no best area to stay in Sri Lanka as it really depends on what you are after (exploring new destinations, historical sites, surfing, etc).

Here below is a quick subdivision of the country with a few suggestions on which part may suit you best

• Colombo: the capital of Sri Lanka and where you will most probably land. It’s actually a small city with a population of under 1 million people. I would personally spend just one or 2 nights
• Galle and Matara: probably the most touristic part of Sri Lanka and for a good reason. Imagine a beautiful long beach, a few surfing areas and a lovely town, Galle, with a characteristic fort
• Arugam Bay: on the east-south coast, the surfing place to be in Sri Lanka. It may remind a bit of Bali
• Kandy: right in the centre. It’s absolutely a must-visit. In my opinion, it is the most beautiful city in Sri Lanka, around a beautiful lake, between characteristic hills and with an underrated local market
• Nuwara Eliya and the tea plantations area: the most beautiful scenery on the island, imagine steep hills covered by tea plants. Hard to find anywhere else in the world. The $2 and 4 hours train from Kandy through the hills is just spectacular
• The new “old” beaches: Pasikudah and Kalkudah, world-famous in the 70s but closed to tourism till a few years ago because of the Sri Lankan Civil War (1983-2009). Tourism is quietly back, but still in very small numbers which means a great local feeling
• Dambulla area: just 2 hours west of Pasikudah you can experience an incredible Elephant Safari and the world-famous heritage site Sigiriya, the ancient rock fortress
• Anuradhapura: one of the first capitals of Sri Lanka, as well as Kandy. However, here you can probably experience the most preserved ruins of the past civilisations. A great temple area you can easily visit on your own by bicycle or simply with an organised tour.
• Jaffna and the mysterious North: if you want to feel more like an explorer, then you should visit the North and Jaffna. Just re-opened to tourism and is accessible also with a train trip

Sri Lanka is a perfect destination year-round, however, the weather pattern changes based on the side of the island. You should check out the best time to visit each area of Sri Lanka besides having a look at the local Department of Meteorology for the latest information

Four quick suggestions on places to stay in Sri Lanka

1. If you are into a 100% surfing trip, then I would suggest staying around Arugam Bay, but if you would like some history and nightlife as well, then Galle would work better
2. For relaxing beach time, I may suggest Pasikudah beach, a fabulous sea, with some day excursions such as Sigiriya and the elephant safari.
3. If you are more into history, then Kandy, Anuradhapura and Jaffna should be in the bucket
4. For the scenery includes the tea plantations area to any of the above

Now let me go more into the details of each area and later you can read a few itineraries. You can do all of them on your own. There is no need to join a tour operator.

I have personally had no security problems. I always felt very safe, even on crowded trains where I could not move a single finger (I will tell you more about this later)

My only suggestion is to book well in advance your accommodation if you intend to visit towns or areas on local public holidays, for example Kandy during the Esala Perahera (first two weeks of August).

Colombo, the capital, stay or leave?

I can’t hide that I was not impressed that much by Colombo.

I would not consider the capital as a place to stay in Sri Lanka but just a city to spend 1 or 2 days, ideally, the last night before you fly out and/or the first day of your trip.

In saying that, Colombo has some interesting attractions and a decent beach, to be a city.

A few attractions for your Colombo bucket list

• Gangaramaya Temple: probably the most beautiful Buddhist temple in the capital. It’s also a museum with some interesting arts and crafts, including a section with old cars (mostly connected to the British Empire). There is an entry fee (less than $2) which you should see as a donation.
• Seema Malakaya: just across the street from Gangaramaya you find this temple on a stilt house on the side of a small lake. Interesting construction and the perfect place for a few photos at sunset. From there you can also walk to Gangaramaya Park, a small green park on an island in the middle of the lake connected by a long footbridge.
• Independence Square: a beautiful and quiet memorial hall in the middle of a green area. It becomes the centre of Sri Lanka on the national day celebration, the 4th of February
• Shops and local life in Pettah: this is the core of the city, the busiest part where you can find literally everything, all kinds of shops. It can be overwhelming, but worth a visit, especially if you are after a few t-shirts.
• Fort Railway Stations: probably the busiest train station in Sri Lanka, but still a fantastic spot to have a picture of the local life. This is one of the top locations for some travel photography. I had some great shots here. You need a ticket to access the platforms (just a few cents)

I suggest also visiting Barefoot for some shopping. This is one of a few places where you can find real local products. The higher price is related to the higher quality you get.

There is also a quiet backyard with a lovely cafe and an exhibition space (there was an interesting photo exhibition by a local photographer when I was there)

As I said, I would not consider spending much time in Colombo if travelling to the country for 1 week, but if you stay in Sri Lanka for 2 weeks or more then I recommend spending at least 24 hours in the capital.

My tip here is to get a plan of action before you go to the capital. Most of the attractions are spread around the city.

You can use my extensive guide on things to do in Colombo, where I pointed out for each attraction the distance to the city centre.

Ultimate guide to things to do in Colombo

• Do you want to go straight to your hotel? Pre-order an airport transfer that will wait for you directly at the airport. So easy.

Galle and Matara, history, easy surfing and great resorts

Galle is probably the most famous tourist destination in the whole of Sri Lanka.

The historic city centre is absolutely a gem, a place to spend an entire day walking through the lanes and the alleys; watching the buildings with Dutch colonial architecture, the beautiful villas and the impressive churches, mostly built during the Dutch Empire (beginning in 1663).

I like to call Galle an open-air museum.

Sometimes it is described as the city for the artists. Probably not anymore because of the increased leaving cost. In saying that you will definitely stumble in many studios nowadays owned by foreign designers and photographers.

And most definitely, there is an abundance of cool cafes to spend some relaxing time sipping the local tea or coffee.

Where to stay in Galle

If you are after the historical sites I would probably suggest booking your accommodation in the city centre, in one of the many refurbished mansions.

You will feel like back in the 17th century. You can always take a taxi to the beaches (10 minutes).

But if you prefer to relax at the beach and just visit in/out the historical sites then stay on the coast, a few km out from Galle or Matara. There is a great choice of resorts and hotels to choose from.

And if you are after some easy surfing, then you will not be disappointed (I have listed a few spots in the 10-day itinerary).

From Galle, you can also organise a whale watching trip leaving from the port of Mirissa.

Once in Galle, you should check out the Pedlar’s Inn Cafe, a great colonial interior design that takes you back in time. They serve a mix of international cuisine. You should focus more on the local dishes, spicy and amazing

Arugam Bay, beach and challenging surfing

This is the place to be for anyone planning to spend the holiday mostly on the surfboard. Just be sure to be in the right season, between May and September.

How many times I have heard how beautiful was Bali in the 70s? In my opinion still is, although I would avoid a few spots.

Now, I feel like Arugam Bay has a bit of that Bali soul. Relaxed, chilled out, easygoing.

I am not sure how was Bali in the 70s but most definitely Arugam has a lot of positive things including the still not-overcrowded, still-to-discover feeling.

It’s probably more catered for the backpackers and flashpackers, however, I would not discount it also as an upper-market choice.

I previously mentioned Arugam Bay as more for serious surfing. The main reasons are the challenging big waves and the presence of the reef, which can create “damages”.

Here is an important tip for your accommodation area:

• if you are a beginner, get a room in the southern part of town to easily walk to Elephant Rock, an easy surfing spot
• otherwise, stay in the town centre to have close access to more challenging waves

There are lots of family-run restaurants on the main beach, a perfect place to have dinner. Have a try at the Karma Gardens for a healthy breakfast.

Kandy, the Temple of the Tooth and the lake

I had such a great time in this city that I visited it twice, on two separate trips.

Kandy is a World Heritage Site, mostly for its spectacular location, nestled between several hills and a lake, and the beautiful temples, all around the city.

If you are into travel photography, Kandy is absolutely heaven, an inspirational place, at every corner (I will list below my favourite sites to visit)

What do I like the most of Kandy?

• of course, the Temple of the Tooth (Sri Dalada Maligawa), the main attraction in the city
• St. Paul’s Church, an almost 200 years old church in the middle of a Buddhist area
• the Queen’s Hotel, with an iconic English Empire interior and right in the centre of the city. Even if you do not stay there, step in for a few photos
• the Kandy Lake of course
• the hills around which create a sort of amphitheatre

and so much more. I am sure you will add this city to your itinerary in Sri Lanka as soon as you start reading these 13 things to do in Kandy

These are my personal tips on the locations for the best travel photography:

• Arthur’s seat for the best view of the city
• Kandy Cambridge College for a lower view of the lake and Kandy in the background
• Maligawa Bus Stop for the Queen’s hotel and the temple of the tooth
• the old city for the beautiful alleys and lanes
• the bus station, very safe, plenty of street photography opportunities
• the local market, absolutely a must, especially in the fish area

I would personally suggest staying close to the city centre. On one occasion my hotel was on the outskirts of Kandy and moving around was really hard, due to the traffic conditions.

Book well in advance, even 10-12 months, if you plan to visit Kandy during the Esala Perahera festival (first 2 weeks in August).

Nuwara Eliya and the tea plantations area

This is, in my opinion, the most scenic part of Sri Lanka.

I have visited this central area on two separate occasions and, in both cases, I could not stop myself from taking photos and making videos, but most importantly, enjoying the place.

I wrote extensively on how to enjoy the tea plantations and where to stay.

Check where to stay and what to visit in the tea plantations

Just a few quick tips:

• for a more boutique experience, choose small accommodations. I suggest booking one of the typical British colonial mansions in the middle of a tea plantation
• visit a small tea factory like the Norwood Tea Factory to have the most customised experience. Small groups and almost one-to-one touring
• have a walk in the tea fields, maybe between mansions (ask your hotelier for any suggestions).
• wear closed shoes, no flip-flops. And it’s not because of the tough conditions, it’s because of the presence of leeches. Of course, I did not know that and, typical of me, in literally 40 seconds I had my left foot full of them (hard to get rid of them, by the way)

But the best suggestion here is to take the $2 train that leaves Kandy in the early morning and travels through the tea fields and the steep hills on a slow 4-hour trip to Nuwara Eliya. This was one of my most memorable trips ever.

The scenery is just stunning, changing at every corner, and being the train so slow means you are going to enjoy every single minute. No time to get bored. I added a video at the end of the post to make you dream.

Buy the ticket a day in advance, if you can, especially on weekends.

Pasikudah and Kalkudah Beach, the new “old” destinations

Pasikudah and Kalkudah are two beautiful beaches located on the east coast, in the centre-north part of it.

There are no waves there, it’s mostly turquoise calm water, at least in Pasikudah Beach, where most of the resorts are. I may add really warm water too, so nice at sunset time.

I have written a more extensive post on this area here. This is a part of Sri Lanka that was very famous in the 70s, however, it was declared off-limits during the civil war.

Since 2010, it has seen tourists coming back.

It’s the perfect spot if you want to have a relaxing holiday on the beach with the possibility of having some amazing day trips when you feel a bit bored.

I will talk more in the next section about these 2 amazing attractions, just 2 hours drive from Pasikudah

• the world heritage site Sigiriya
• the Minneriya National Park with the elephant safari

Dambulla area, Sigiriya and the elephant safari

If you make it to Sri Lanka, then you should organise an elephant safari and a visit to the Sigiriya fortress.

I wrote a full guide about the things to do in the Sigiriya area. Here below the must-do experiences.

Minneriya National Park

The Minneriya is a great national park, with a wide lake in the centre of it where usually the elephants get together around sunrise and sunset time.

I would personally not suggest a safari in the middle of the day because the animals tend to sleep in the bush at that time of the day, so you will be less likely to see that many.

I have done a couple of safaris, both around sunset time, and on both occasions, I lost track of the number of elephants I saw.

Keep in mind you will not be alone. Sometimes you may even think there are more jeeps than elephants. But once inside the wide park things get better.

How does it work?

Book the Jeep tour directly online. Remember that there is a limited number of 4WD that can enter the park; if you can, book well in advance.

The tour will pick you up from the hotel. You will have to pay only the entrance fee (not included in the tour)

There are also some elephant orphanages around as well.

It’s a personal choice if you want to visit them or not. I heard some good and other “less” good stories. This is my take on the Pinnawala Orphanages.

Sigiriya

Sigiriya is the other top attraction in the area, a world heritage site, an impressive monolith with a fortress on top.

You can still see the steps carved into the stone used by the many slaves to bring construction material on top.

And you know what is the most impressive part?

The swimming pool is carved right on the peak of the fortress.

Sigiriya is as impressive to visit it as unbelievable to think humans did that over 1,500 years ago.

Where to stay around Sigiriya

You can stay in one place only to enjoy both the Safari and the Sigiriya Rock as well as Pidurangala Rock (see photo below). The hotel can organise all of the activities for you. 

Anuradhapura, the ancient capital

I have already mentioned that Kandy was one of the ancient capitals, as well as Anuradhapura and other cities. Colombo has been the capital only for the last 200 years.

What makes Anuradhapura special is the level of conservation and preservation, with a few temples, monuments and sites almost intact.

If you have been to Thailand and you have visited Ayutthaya then you have the full picture.

The area is quite widespread, however, still close enough to rent a bicycle and ride across all of the interesting sites in a couple of days (1 day if you are in a rush)

The alternative is to rent a driver or a tuk-tuk that will happily take you around and give you some guidance too.

If you are thinking of travelling north to Jaffna, then you should plan a stop-over here. This will make the long trip even more interesting.

Jaffna and the mysterious north

Why the mysterious north?

Because it has just been re-opened after so many years of civil war and instability.

It’s a new part of Sri Lanka to discover, a region that has been improving its own tourism infrastructure only for the last 3-4 years.

The train station was reconnected to the network only in 2014. A ticket from Colombo (overnight train) costs between $3 and $10, based on the carriage class.

Yes, there is a scarcity of hotels and you may have a hard time finding one with a pool. And this is the best part of Jaffna, the lack of mass tourism.

You can feel more of an explorer, more of a unique visitor.

The ancient fort is maybe not as impressive as the one in Galle, but it has its own character.

I wrote a full guide to Jaffna that you should read if interested in visiting this region

Read the full guide to Jaffna

There are not many hotels in Jaffna, it’s a new destination, and it’s opening but at its own speed, which I may add is great.

Cool places to stay in Sri Lanka

If you are after a cool place to stay in Sri Lanka I would not hesitate to suggest these hotels. They are just a level above any kind of expectation.

• Colombo city centre: the Mövenpick Hotel is unbeatable. Rooms with the most lovely view and an incredible rooftop infinity pool which transforms into an amazing cocktail bar at night (still super quiet in the rooms). 

Check the best deal at the Mövenpick

• Sigiriya: the Water Garden has probably the best location, facing the fortress on the monolith. The units are spectacular, with their own private pool. The breakfast a la carte is a real local experience

Check the price at the Water Garden

• Jaffna: the Jetwing offers probably some of the best value rooms in Sri Lanka and surely the best in Jaffna. The room’s interior design is inspired by the local traditions and the rooftop bar is just the perfect place to spend the night.

Book the best value in Jaffna

• Pasikudah: I was lucky enough to experience two amazing stays in Pasikudah.
  • the first time at the Sunrise by Jetwing with the 100-metre swimming pool extending from the check-in area to the beach. Really a unique design. The rooms were absolutely wonderful.
  • the second time at Amaya Beach, pure luxury, great pool, located on the best part of the beach and such a great value I could not believe the price.

Check availability at Sunrise     Great value at the Amaya Beach

This is not a comprehensive list by any means. I really have to dive back into my notes to add a few others. 

If you have any questions or you need an idea for an accommodation or a restaurant, just add a comment below.

I always reply to my comments and I usually do that within 24 hours 😉

Places to stay in Sri Lanka for just one day

If you are in Sri Lanka for just one day and you are looking for a place to stay in Sri Lanka that is not Colombo or Negocombo, then I would suggest Galle.

The drive from the capital is around 2 hours. It is a popular route, which means you will have no trouble finding transportation

You can easily spend till mid-afternoon wandering in the Galle Fort and move to a local beach like Unawatuna Bay to relax. On the way back to Colombo, I also suggest checking out Hikkaduwa Beach.

If someone offers you a day trip from Colombo to Kandy, expect around 7-8 hours just for the driving (3-4 hours one way). That will leave you probably 2-3 hours in Kandy itself, if you are lucky.

I see Kandy as more of a weekend destination.

Beaches close to Colombo

If you are just looking for a beach close to the airport, then you should check out

• Mt Lavinia, south of Colombo, is quite good considering the proximity to the city (now basically a district of Colombo). The train from the Fort Railway Station takes 20-30 minutes. It’s actually an enjoyable trip with open doors to the ocean.
• Negombo, north of the city, and literally next door to the airport. The train takes around one hour from the main station of Colombo. Negombo can be also a good place to stay in case you have an early flight in the morning.

FAQ for the best places to stay in Sri Lanka

Which side of Sri Lanka is best?

It all depends on when you are travelling to Sri Lanka as this is a tropical island with a monsoon season.

I suggest checking out my guide for the best time to travel to Sri Lanka.

As a rule of thumb, the south coast (Galle, Mirissa etc) tends to have the best overall weather, doesn’t matter the month.

Where do tourists stay in Sri Lanka?

The most popular destinations in Sri Lanka are:

• Galle, as probably you have already expected
• Hikkaduwa Beach, as impressive as busy with tourists
• Arugam Bay, with mostly surfers, cool and child-out vibe
• Kandy, probably the most popular town
• Sigiriya, surely the major destination of Sri Lanka

Is Sri Lanka a good place for tourists?

Most definitely. 

It is also one of the safest destinations I have ever experienced. 

Of course, we all remember the terrorist attack in April 2019.

So always be aware that things may happen, like in any country in the world.

Before leaving for your trip, remember to write down the details of your embassy. You will probably not need them, but you never know.

Again, this is something I always suggest doing, doesn’t matter what country you visit.

When should I visit Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka is a 365-day-a-year destination. 

Doesn’t matter what month you visit it, you will find an area with lovely weather.

The east and west coasts have different weather patterns, and for this reason, I suggest reading my guide to the best time to travel to Sri Lanka.

In the guide, you will find not only weather information but also cultural events happening in the country, month by month.

Which is better Sri Lanka or Bali?

This is an interesting question, mostly because these places are so different.

I have visited Bali on multiple occasions, and I love it. I can say the same for Sri Lanka.

Bali is much much smaller, with serious problems of mass tourism in a few places (Kuta on top of this list) but still with many little gems around the island.

It’s easier to navigate and visit Bali, thanks to its size. 

It’s also very cheap, especially if you have a long stay.

Sri Lanka is a country (Bali is a province of Indonesia) over 10 times bigger than Bali, with more things to do and experiences to have.

It can take more than 6 hours to drive from east to west, and over 12 hours from north to south.

I love the Sri Lanka vibe. The local people are so kind. But you will not find that chilled-out surfing feeling as in Bali, unless you stay in Arugam Bay, of course.

Bali has a wider choice of sophisticated accommodations, restaurants and cafes.

Sri Lanka is probably more expensive than Bali, but not by much.

Does Colombo have a beach?

There are two beaches.

The city beach, is great for a stroll around. 

In the evening, it gets busy with people and street food vans, especially on the weekend.

I would not consider it for swimming.

Go instead to Mount Lavinia Beach, 30-40 minutes by train for a better tropical beach, with palms, fine sand and reasonably clean water for a swim.