A backpacker's guide to Sri Lanka: A one-month itinerary A backpacker's guide to Sri Lanka: A one-month itinerary Few countries in Asia can offer such variety in a
relatively small area, or are as easily navigable by
bus and train - or even in your own tuk-tuk. Away
from the main sights it's easy to escape the crowds:
instead of Mirissa, whale watch in quieter Kalpitiya
- a laid-back destination for kitesurfing - and opt
for Wilpattu national park over Yala national park
for similar wildlife trips. In the hills, take the
train to Haputale, rather than Ella, for less-trodden
trails to scenic mountain viewpoints.
One-month itinerary
In Colombo, stroll Galle Face Green, visit the
National Museum or weave through the Pettah Market
district with a host from Colombo City Walks. Stay at
hip Bunkyard Hostels (see below). From here, head
north to Kalpitiya (4½ hours by bus), an arid north-
western peninsula with a chilled vibe, easy cycling
through fishing hamlets and whale- and dolphin-
watching trips that are light on crowds. Move onto
Wilpattu national park (1½ hours by road), a vast
reserve that is home to leopards, sloth bears and
elephants.
In the centre of the country, the Cultural Triangle
brims with (expensive) world heritage sites, and
visitors, but there are ways to find less-busy spots.
Hike up Pidurangala for views back over Sigiriya's
rock fortress at a fraction of the cost, and instead
of Dambulla's cave temples, visit Ritigala, an
ancient forest monastery dating to the first century
BC. Visitors flock to Minneriya national park to see
the elephants, yet nearby Kaudulla is just as good
and cheaper to visit.
En route to the Hill Country, stop in Kandy to visit
the sacred Temple of the Tooth. The hills offer
superb walking trails, tea estates and hidden
waterfalls, and a railway line that cuts through the
most dramatically scenic regions (check in to the
Clock Inn - see below). Most backpackers head for
Ella, the Hill Country's de facto low-budget hangout,
with its hostels (try the Hangover Hostel - see
below), cafes, homestays and easy walks. However,
also on the mainline railway is Haputale, a town with
panoramic views onto the southern plains, walks (a
favourite is to Lipton's Seat viewpoint) and tea
plantations (Dambatenne is mypick). While hostels
haven't quite reached Haputale, there are plenty of
affordable guesthouses.
From the hills, go east by bus to Arugam Bay (about 3
hours) for the island's best surf or to visit lesser-
known sites such as Kumana national park and the
ancient coastal temple site of Muhudu Maha Viharaya,
associated with the Ramayana story. Move on to the
south coast next, perhaps stopping for a night in
Wellawaya to see the seven 10th-century Buddhist rock
reliefs at Buduruwagala (the tallest in Sri Lanka),
before reaching Hiriketiya (4 to 5 hours by bus), a
deep horseshoe-shaped surf bay with beach huts and
guesthouses. Dots Bay House on the bay has three
rooms and an open-sided dorm with beds from £13. The
bay stretches to the quieter Dickwella Beach, a wide,
sandy swathe. Mulkirigala rock temple - a mini cross
between Sigiriya and Dambulla cave temples - is
accessible from here.
Continue west to Galle (1½ hours by road), for
atmospheric walks in its 17th-century colonial-era
fort, good souvenir shopping and guided bicycle trips
inland, through villages and paddy fields. Before
heading home, make your way inland to Sinharaja,
either via Mederapitiya (near Deniyaya; about 3
hours) or Kudawa (2 to 3 hours from Galle), for hikes
in pristine rainforest home to 95% of Sri Lanka's
endemic bird species and more than 60% of the
island's endemic flora, and to cool off in waterfall
pools.
Getting around
Buses are often overcrowded but cheap, and they go
everywhere. Expect to pay about 30p for an hour of
travel. Trains are a bargain, too, and more scenic,
especially in the hills (the six-hour tea country
stretch between Kandy and Ella is a must-do), though
the cheapest carriages get jam-packed. It's also
possible to self-drive a tuk-tuk with
tuktukrental.com, a social enterprise sourcing
vehicles from local drivers. It helps obtain
licences, while rates include full insurance, a
driving lesson and a useful kit of spares.
Accommodation
Although guesthouses are still the go-to option for
cheap accommodation here, an increasing number of
well-equipped hostels - offering wallet-friendly
tours, bicycles and on-the-ball staff - are emerging
in backpacking destinations such as Colombo,
Dambulla, Ella, Mirissa, Weligama and Arugam Bay.
Dorm beds in a hostel average £8 (rising to £16),
while the cheapest guesthouse doubles go for about
£12. Most hostels have doubles, too, and are
generally more backpacker-orientated than
guesthouses. Homestays are popular in more remote
areas: Abode Tours offers homestays in Mannar (west
coast) and the Knuckles - a biodiverse mountain range
that is superb for hiking and home to some of the
island's most remote villages. East N' West On Board
connects you with families in sedate Batticaloa, on
the island's east coast.
Verse Collective, Dickwella
Digital nomads are drawn to this sea-facing cafe-
hostel near Dickwella on the south coast for its
bijou rooms that are open to the outdoors. As well as
dorms it also has doubles and a co-working space. The
cafes and bars along surf-orientated Hiriketiya Beach
are a 10-minute stroll away.
o Dorms from £19, en suite doubles from £45, on
Facebook
Clock Inn, Kandy
This hostel is just 600 metres from the Tooth Temple
and Kandy's railway station, and close to the fruit
market for cheap healthy snacks. It has bright, air-
conditioned dorms, double and single rooms and a few
tiny capsule pods, plus communal areas.
o Dorm beds from £9.20, doubles from £38, capsule
pods from £8.50, clockinn.lk
Hangover Hostel, Ella
This hostel chain has a handful of properties in key
locations across the island. Its Ella hostel is close
to the railway station and dorms (including one for
women) have air-con, spring mattresses, international
sockets and keycard lockers big enough for bulky
backpacks.
o Dorm beds from £11.50, hangoverhostels.com
Lal's Homestay, Sigiriya
Less than 30-minutes' walk from Sigiriya and
Pidurangala, Lal's has doubles and two family rooms
arranged around a quiet garden. The helpful hosts
offer bicycles for getting around and serve delicious
home-cooked food.
o Rooms from £7, +94 77 704 5386, homestay.com
Bunkyard Hostels, Colombo
This hip hostel defined by its quirky sustainable
decor has a fine location close to the National
Museum. Expect dorms and rooms with thick mattresses,
filling breakfasts, in-the-know management and shared
daily shuttles to Kandy (10am, £9.50, 4+ hours) and
Arugam Bay (10.30pm, £14, +9 hours).
o Dorms from £7, doubles from £42,
bunkyardhostels.com
Overrated
Game drives in Yala national park. Although leopard
sightings are common, the uncontrolled number of
jeeps entering the park has resulted in it becoming
overcrowded. See leopards and sloth bears at less-
visited Wilpattu, on the north-east coast or, for
elephants, Udawalawe, Minneriya and Kaudulla.
Underrated
Haputale, Bandarawela and Badulla. View-blessed Ella
is teeming with backpackers yet other hill-country
towns are just as scenic and offer similar walking
trails and viewpoints, and are accessible via the
main railway line.
Need to know
Avoid taking photos with your back to a Buddha statue
or image, and when you visit a temple or shrine make
sure knees and shoulders are covered. In Hindu
kovils, men may be asked to remove their T-
shirt/shirt. Bikinis and beach attire are fine when
on the sand but Sri Lanka is a conservative country
so dress modestly when out and about, and especially
when using local transport. Every full moon day is an
alcohol-free public holiday.
For inspiration
Book Island of a Thousand Mirrors by Nayomi
Munaweera. This book tells the sobering tale of two
families, one Sinhala, one Tamil, on opposing sides
of Sri Lanka's civil conflict, and also weaves in
detailed descriptions of the island.
Instagram @lostinceylon. Be inspired by imagery of
hills, mountains, waterfalls, beaches, surfing spots,
yoga haunts and quirky accommodation sought out by
close friends in search of adventure and fun across
Sri Lanka.
Blog thesrilankatravelblog.com. Red Dot Tours is an
independent travel company based in Colombo and run
by Sri Lankans. Its blog has unbiased, interesting
posts by locals, from culture to what's on, where to
stay and personal recommendations of lesser-known
dining spots.
If you eat or drink one thing
Ideal as a quick, filling snack or a small meal,
rotis - stuffed flatbread parcels - are a Sri Lankan
staple that can be picked up for next to nothing in
many places. Look for triangles piled up in the
windows of glass-fronted kades. Some rotis are rolled
up and filled with meat and fish, too. For
traditional (coconut roti) as well as non-traditional
flavours, such as chocolate and banana, visit No 1
Dewmini Roti Shop in Mirissa.
Daily budget
Providing you stick to local food joints, as little
as £15-£20 a day. Visits to key attractions such as
Sigiriya, Dambulla and Polonnaruwa (£23) and national
parks (£12pp entry, plus around £17-£24 per jeep) are
significant budget-blowers.
Moving on
From Sri Lanka, fly north to India - flights to Goa,
Mumbai, Kerala and Chennai with Sri Lankan Airlines
are fairly inexpensive, and the network stretches to
Delhi, too. Indian-owned low-budget carrier Spicejet
covers more ground. You can also head east: Air Asia
flies from Colombo to Kuala Lumpur - a major hub for
onward flights across south-east Asia.
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