Sri Lanka Holidays

Plan a holiday to Sri Lanka and you can put almost anything in the mix. If you want wildlife, Yala National Park on the south coast is home to Asia’s largest leopard population, as well as sloth bears and over 120 bird species. Somawathiya National Park and Udawalawe National Park are the best spots to see elephants. And Trincomalee on the east coast is one of the country’s whale-watching capitals.

Head for the hills and sip tea on a plantation in Kandy, admire the scenery as you travel on the Blue Train to Ella, and catch a performance of traditional Kandyan drumming. Tour the cultural triangle from Dambulla – but only after you’ve explored the Cave Temples and climbed Sigiriya.

If you’re in the south, drop in at the World Heritage coastal city of Galle for a glimpse of Sri Lanka’s colonial past. Then see intriguing Ritipanna stilt fishermen at the nearby seaside village of Weligama.

Lapped by the Indian Ocean – where the water temperature is usually 28°C – Sri Lanka’s beaches are some of the most pristine in Asia. The bays and coves are often trimmed with palm trees or even dense jungle. And the fine, soft sand ranges in colour, from deepest gold to dazzling white. 

On the east coast, visit crowd-free Passikudah Beach for shallow seas and nearby coral reefs. A little further north, you can often spot dolphins from Trincomalee Beach. And Nilaveli is another east-coast legend, ideal for snorkelling, whale-watching or simply lazing in the sun. Beaches in the south tend to be busier, but dramatic Yala Beach in Yala National Park is the exception. And Southerly Mirissa’s magnificent forest backdrop makes up for occasional crowds. If you want to swim in an Indian Ocean lagoon, head to beautiful Bentota Beach on Sri Lanka’s southwest coast. 

Sri Lankan cuisine is filled with homegrown flavour. The island produces 13 different varieties of banana alone, and markets all over the country are laden with tropical fruit and outsize vegetables. Fish and seafood are major ingredients in Sinhalese cooking. And fresh spice is used in everything.

Look out for street food staples like Kottu Rotty – a slightly doughier version of Thai roti, this tasty pancake is filled with stir-fried vegetables or egg. Vadai are deliciously deep-fried, spiced lentil doughnuts rustled up all over Sri Lanka, and sold everywhere from trains to beaches.

And, however much you like coconut, it won’t even come close to how much it’s adored all over Sri Lanka. Enjoy coconut milk pancakes for breakfast. If you fancy a change from rice, try pittu instead – a mix of flour and grated coconut that’s almost like a Sri Lankan couscous. And, when you need to cool down, go for chilled coconut water spiked with fresh lime juice.  

The best time to go to Sri Lanka very much depends on whereabouts you’re planning to go. Tropical Sri Lanka has two different monsoon seasons, so it’s always dry and sunny somewhere. The southwest sees rain and storms between May and September, which move to the east in October and November. The island’s interior is brushed by both monsoons, but the rainfall here is generally lighter and thunderstorms rare. 

Humidity is quite high across Sri Lanka, and temperatures float between 26°C and 35°C all year round. The east coast is known for cooling sea breezes, while the southern coastline tends to be the warmest and sunniest stretch in high season. 

January to March and June to September are best for dry weather, sun and low rainfall in Sri Lanka’s interior. The south and southwest coasts are lovely between December and March. And, from May to September, the country’s north and east coasts enjoy reliably warm, sunny days with clear skies.

• Visa: UK visitors need to apply for a 30-day visa online 
• Language: English, Sinhala and Tamil are the official languages of Sri Lanka
• Currency: Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR)
• Time difference: Sri Lanka is five and a half hours ahead of the UK
• Flight duration from London: 11 and a half hours direct to Colombo
• Capital City: Colombo