Sri Lanka 10 Day Itinerary

Sri Lanka is an exotic, friendly and mesmerising country, with a diverse range of activities to keep all types of travellers happy. This Sri Lanka itinerary 10 days is designed for first time travel to Sri Lanka, for those who want a taste of Sri Lanka’s cultural heritage, beautiful countryside and idyllic beaches. Read on to discover how to spend the perfect 10 days in Sri Lanka! 

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Overview of 10 Days in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a small and compact country, so it’s easy to fit a lot into one or two weeks in Sri Lanka. This Sri Lanka 10 day itinerary is designed to make the most of a relatively short time in Sri Lanka. If you prefer slow travel, you could focus on one or two of these areas in 10 days in Sri Lanka, or extend your Sri Lanka itinerary to 2 or 3 weeks.

Colombo – 1 Night 

Start your Sri Lanka trip in Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka and home to Sri Lanka’s main international airport. Colombo has a rich colonial heritage, having been governed by the Portuguese, Dutch and British due to its strategic strategic location on the east-west trade route.

Sri Lanka Cultural Triangle – 3 nights

Next, head into the centre of Sri Lanka to soak up World Heritage cultural sites in the Sri Lanka Cultural Triangle, including archeological ruins and protective fortresses. The Cultural Triangle refers to the ancient Sinhalese capitals of Kandy, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura.

Sri Lanka Hill Country – 3 nights

A change of pace takes you south to the Sri Lanka Hill Country. The Hill Country is a mountainous area packed with beautiful landscapes, ultra green tea plantations, spectacular hikes and one of the most scenic train journeys in the world.

Sri Lanka South Coast Beaches – 3 nights

Finish your Sri Lanka itinerary on the relaxing Sri Lanka south coast. Spend your days chillaxin’ on Sri Lanka’s tropical shores or, for the more active, visit intriguing Galle Fort or go on a whale watching excursion. From here, return to Colombo for your departing flight.

Read on for a more detailed breakdown of your perfect 10 day Sri Lanka itinerary.

Sri Lanka Itinerary Tips

Strolling the Ella railway

Sri Lanka Transport

Trains: The trains in Sri Lanka are incredibly scenic and surprisingly comfortable and reliable. The trains cover most but not all of the country, and some routes are a little slow. Trains combine well with taxis to cover the entire country.

Car + Driver: We hired a car and driver with Sri Lanka wide tours for the duration of our Sri Lanka trip, which was great as we could stop off at the many sites on our way from A to B. Be warned: The roads in Sri Lanka can be painfully slow, so check driving times (not just distances) in advance.

Taxis: If you don’t want to pay a driver for the entire trip, it’s pretty easy to find taxis or private drivers in between destinations. Most accommodation providers will be able to assist you.

Sri Lanka Accommodation

Homestays: We chose home stay style accommodation or small mid-range places, as we were out and about a lot and didn’t need fancy digs. The added benefit of homestays is that they are mostly locally owned and operated and are full of local hospitality. Our home stays cost around US$30-50 per night in the high season (February). Home stays usually include breakfast and will often cook a delicious Sri Lankan dinner for a very reasonable US$5-7.

Hotels: Alternatively, Sri Lanka has some stunning high end boutique colonial accommodation, plus everything in between. I do love a good boutique colonial hotel, but decided we weren’t spending enough time at our hotels to justify the rather hefty price tag. Expect to pay US$50+ for a reasonable hotel, with up to US$500+ per night for high end hotels.

Best Time to Visit Sri Lanka

It’s always a good time to visit Sri Lanka weather wise! Well, at least it’s always a good time to visit somewhere in Sri Lanka. For a relatively small country, Sri Lanka has two distinct climate zones.

Sri Lanka is always fairly hot (late 20 Celsius, in the 80s Fahrenheit, with regional differences), so the best time to visit Sri Lanka is to avoid the monsoon season:

December to March: December to March is the best time to visit the west, south and central areas of Sri Lanka. Our Sri Lanka itinerary focused on these areas, and we visited in February when the weather was hot (but not too humid) and fairly dry.

April to September: April to September is the best time to visit the eastern and northern regions of Sri Lanka.

October to November: October to November are monsoonal transition months where you could experience heavy rains in any region. On the plus side, there’s fewer crowds during these months.

10 Day Sri Lanka Itinerary

Now that you’ve got the basics covered, let’s jump into a more detailed breakdown of your 10 day Sri Lanka itinerary.

Day 1: Colombo or Negombo

Itinerary Overview

On day 1 of your Sri Lankan adventure, arrive into Colombo and get ready for your adventure! If you have time, take a look around Colombo or relax on the Negombo beaches.

How to Get to Colombo

Colombo is home to Sri Lanka’s main international airport, so most people start their Sri Lanka trip in Colombo.

Direct flights to Colombo are readily available from Asia and Europe. We took an easy direct flight from Singapore to Colombo in around 3 hours 45 minutes.

Negombo is a coastal settlement around 45 minutes drive from Colombo city or 1 hour drive from Colombo airport.

Things To Do in Colombo

While Colombo probably won’t be the highlight of your Sri Lanka trip, there’s certainly enough to keep you entertained for a day or two.

We arrived into Colombo late at night so pretty much slept and got on the road. However, if you have an afternoon to kill, then you can either explore Colombo or relax at the Negombo beaches.

Colombo is packed with interesting history, culture, markets, temples and lovely colonial buildings. For a taste of the best of Colombo, explore the interesting Fort and Pettah neighbourhoods on foot.

If a solo jaunt around Colombo looks a little chaotic for you, take a half day Colombo city tour to make the most of a few hours in Colombo.

Colombo and Negombo Accommodation

You can either stay in Colombo or nearby Negombo. We stayed in Negombo to be slightly closer to the Cultural Triangle and be on the beach. We chose Ziegler Cottage, which had basic but comfortable rooms, friendly service, and a lovely beach front location.

If you’re pressed for time, you can skip overnighting in Colombo and get started on your road trip straight away.

Book Ziegler Cottage: Booking.com | HotelsCombined

Days 2 and 3: Cultural Triangle – Dambulla, Sigiriya & Polonnaruwa 

The majestic Sigiriya Rock – yup, you’ll be climbing this baby on Day 3 of your Sri Lanka itinerary! 

Itinerary Overview

Spend two nights in the north area of the Cultural Triangle to make the most of the region’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

On Day 2 of your Sri Lanka itinerary, drive from Colombo to the Cultural Triangle and visit the Dambulla Cave Temples enroute. (Yup, surprisingly this will take up most of your day … see driving section below).

On Day 3, make the most of a full day in the Cultural Triangle. In the morning, climb Sigiriya Rock for archeological wonders and panoramic views. In the afternoon, visit the ancient city of Polonnaruwa and/or Anuradhapura. In the evening, take an elephant safari around Minneriya National Park.

See more details under Things To Do In The Cultural Triangle below.

Driving from Colombo to the Cultural Triangle

Driving Distance: 170-200km

Driving Time:* 4-5 hours

Depending on your start and end points, the drive from Colombo / Negombo to the Cultural Triangle is only around 170-200km. However, distances can be deceptive in Sri Lanka, and the journey can be slow. Oh so slow. So veeeeeeeery slow.

The drive from Colombo to the Cultural Triangle (Sigiriya in our case) can be as fast as 3 hours or as slow as 6 hours depending on traffic. The roads are narrow and windy, and the drivers are just a little cray-cray. Expect some traffic jams (we got stuck for an hour), continuous beeping and rather dubious overtaking.

* For these reasons, all driving times in this itinerary are approximate. Expect driving times to be slower in the Cultural Triangle and Hill Country due to the narrow and windy roads and faster in the South Coast where there are some multi-lane highways and straighter roads.

Things To Do in the Cultural Triangle Sri Lanka 

Polonnaruwa Ancient City

Unsurprisingly, the Cultural Triangle is jam packed with cultural activities and UNESCO World Heritage Sites. If you’re a real history and culture buff then you may want to spend another day or two in the Cultural Triangle.

See Day 4 below for Kandy attractions.

Sigiriya Rock aka Lion’s Rock – UNESCO World Heritage Site 

An absolute highlight of the Cultural Triangle is climbing the UNESCO World Heritage Sigiriya Rock. Sigiriya Rock or ‘Lion’s Rock’ is an ancient fortress complex with well preserved archeological sites.

Highlights of Sigiriya include the rather ginormous lion paws that frame the staircase to the summit and the ‘wall of mirrors’, a polished rock where visitors in years gone by left graffiti reflecting on their trip. (It should go without saying, but DO NOT attempt to leave your own graffiti!)

The rock itself is around 200m / 660ft high with 1200 steps and a large flat plateau at the top. The climb is steep in places but isn’t too strenuous, and there’s lots of opportunities to stop along the way and check out historical monuments and panoramic views.

If you’re fit and don’t faff around, you could climb to the top in around 30 minutes. However, you should allow 2-3 hours return to make the most of the sites and views.

Hours: 7am – 5:30pm daily. Aim to visit in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid the heat and crowds.

Cost: US$30 for foreigners. As with a lot of the Cultural Triangle attractions, the entry fee is pricey but worth it.

Optional Extra: If you have extra time or are on a budget, climb the nearby Pidurangala Rock, which is significantly cheaper (Rs500, roughly US$3) and has lovely views to Sigiriya Rock.

Anuradhapura Ancient City – UNESCO World Heritage Site 

Anuradhapura is one of the ancient Sinhala capitals of Sri Lanka, believed to be the Sinhalese capital from around the 4th century BC to the 11th century AD. The area was uninhabited for many years and lost to the jungle before being excavated in the 19th century.

Today, Anuradhapura is a large archeological complex filled with ancient ruins including stupas, temples and pools.

Hours: 7am – 5:30pm daily

Cost: US$25 for foreigners

Polonnaruwa Ancient City – UNESCO World Heritage Site

Polonnaruwa Ancient City became the Sinhalese capital following the destruction of Anuradhapura in 993 until the 13th century. Polonnaruwa is packed with ruins, temples, shrines and other monuments and is remarkably well-preserved.

We only had the time and inclination for one ancient city, so chose Polonnaruwa. Although smaller in scale, the monuments of Polonnaruwa are better preserved and easier to navigate on foot than Anuradhapura.

Hours: 9am – 6pm daily

Cost: US$25 for foreigners

Elephant Safari

Visit Minneriya National Park to see herds of elephants in the wild.  As well as being one of the best places in Sri Lanka to see elephants, you may also spot other animals including monkeys, buffalo, deer, pigs and, if you’re very lucky, the elusive leopard. Your driver or accommodation will be able to help organise your elephant safari.

Dambulla Cave Temple – UNESCO World Heritage Site 

Dambulla Cave Temple is an interesting series of caves containing Buddha statues and paintings and lovely views over the surrounding countryside.

The caves only take around 1 hour to visit, which makes for a good stopover on your way to or from the Cultural Triangle. Make sure your shoulders and knees are covered as this is a religious site. There’s a steep but short walk to the temple from the entrance, which should take around 10 minutes.

Hours: 7am – 7pm daily, ticket counter closes at 5pm

Cost: 1500 Rs, roughly US$8-9

Cultural Triangle Accommodation

The Cultural Triangle is dotted with small towns. Most people spend a night or two in the north in a town like Sigiriya, Dambulla or Habarana and then a night or two further south in Kandy.

We chose to spend two nights in Sigiriya to be close to, well, Sigiriya Rock so that we could get up early and climb Sigiriya before the heat and crowds.

We stayed at Liyon Rest, a homestay with basic but comfortable standalone rooms and a peaceful green outlook. The highlight of Liyon Rest was the warm local hospitality and traditional Sri Lankan meals cooked with love by the host’s mama. The traditional Sri Lankan breakfast was the tastiest of our entire trip and we had a range of delicious curries for dinner. I’d definitely stay at Liyon Rest again.

We also spent one night in Kandy. See Day 4 below for our Kandy accommodation.

Book Liyon Rest: Booking.com | HotelsCombined

Day 4: Cultural Triangle – Kandy

Temple of the Tooth Kandy

Itinerary Overview

Today, drive from Sigiriya to Kandy and stop at the colourful Matale Hindu Temple enroute. In Kandy, wander around the pretty Peradeniya Botanical Gardens and visit the sacred Temple of the Tooth. If it’s your thang, see a cultural show in Kandy tonight.

Driving from Sigiriya to Kandy 

Driving Distance: 90km

Driving Time: 2-3 hours, plus time for stops

Things To Do in Kandy

Matale Temple – Sri Muthumariamman Temple 

The Sri Muthumari Amman Temple, aka the Matale Temple is a colourful Hindu temple in between Dambulla and Kandy. It’s very pretty from the outside (fee charged for tourists), and you can pay extra to go inside if you choose.

Temple of the Tooth – Sri Dalada Maligawa

The Temple of the Tooth, aka the Temple of the Tooth Relic, is one of the most popular attractions in all of Kandy.

The temple is visually attractive and is home to a tooth supposed to have belonged to the Lord Buddha.

We were all templed out from the Cultural Triangle, so gave this one a miss.

Peradeniya Botanical Gardens

The Royal Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya are around 6km from central Kandy and are a popular place for tourists and locals alike. The Peradeniya Botanical Gardens are the largest Botanic Gardens in Sri Lanka.

While they’re the most impressive Botanic Gardens in Sri Lanka, the Royal Botanic Gardens aren’t quite on par with other gardens we’ve visited around the world. They are however pretty tranquil for a walk and have a particularly impressive collection of massive trees.

Kandy Cultural Dance Show

Another really popular thing to do in Kandy is to attend a Kandy Cultural Dance show, where you can experience traditional Sri Lankan culture, dance and costumes.

Kandy Lake Club has shows each evening at 5:30pm, for around 1250 Rs, or $7USD.

Kandy Accommodation

We stayed in the ultra-cool Urban Castle, which is located slightly outside of Kandy not far from the Kandy Royal Botanical Gardens. This suited us as we preferred to be out of the craziness of central Kandy.

Urban Castle is a beautiful residence renovated in a modern Sri Lankan style, with comfortable common areas and great rooms. The place feels like a mix between a welcoming homestay and a trendy boutique hotel. Urban Castle even has a refreshing pool, which is unusual at price point.

The hosts were lovely and whipped up beautiful dinners which we shared at a common table with other guests.

Book Urban Castle: HotelsCombined

Day 5: Hill Country – Nuwara Eliya

Itinerary Overview

On Day 5 of your Sri Lanka trip, drive from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya and stop off enroute to visit a tea factory and spice plantation. This is a quintessential Sri Lankan experience!

In Nuwara Eliya, have a drink at the lovely colonial golf course club and take an easy stroll around Lake Gregory.

Driving from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya

Driving Distance: 75km

Driving Time: 2-3 hours

Train Option: Alternatively, take the super scenic train from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya. The train takes around 4 hours and travels through verdant hill country and beautiful tea plantations.

We decided to drive from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya as we wanted to stop at the spice and tea plantations along the way. We then got the scenic train from Nuwara Eliya to Ella on Day 6.

Things to do in Nuwara Eliya and Surrounds

Ramboda Falls

Spice Plantation

Stop at a a spice plantation on your way to Nuwara Eliya. This was one of the surprising highlights of our trip! Take a short guided tour through the gardens and learn about the medicinal and cooking uses of the spices, watch a spice cooking demonstration, and stock up on spices and lotions to take home.

Tea Factory and Plantation

There’s many working tea factories around Nuwara Eliya that are open for visitors. Take a tour of the tea factory to learn how tea is made, soak in the beautiful green tea plantations, and relax with a cup of Sri Lanka’s finest. Don’t forget to take some tea home to continue the tradition!

Ramboda Waterfall

Ramboda Waterfall is a stunning waterfall with over 100m of cascading water.

The Ramboda Falls are located in between Kandy and Nuwara Eliya, and are accessible from the Ramboda Falls Hotel. You’ll need to take a short walk of around 1km to access the falls.

Colonial Golf Club

Nuwara Eliya Golf Club is one of the oldest golf clubs in Asia, having been founded in 1889. My husband is a golf nut, so we enjoyed a drink on the verandah of the club’s colonial style club house overlooking the course. Tres posh indeed.

Horton Plains National Park

While Nuwara Eliya town isn’t much to write home about, I do wish we had stayed for another night to allow us to visit nearby Horton Plains National Park.

Horton Plains National Park is around 1 hour from Nuwara Eliya, and includes the popular World’s End hike with, you guessed it, more gorgeous views.

Gregory Lake

Gregory Lake is a reservoir lake in central Nuwara Eliya with a surrounding walking track and water activities including swan rides and jet skis. It’s a city lake so isn’t exactly the place for wild or remote hiking, but is a pretty place to spend an hour or two. There’s a small entry fee for foreigners.

Nuwara Eliya Accommodation

We stayed at Heidi’s Home in Nuwara Eliya, a cosy homestay which offered good value for a short stopover. The rooms probably weren’t as nice as our other home stays at a similar price point, but the hospitality was warm and the Sri Lankan dinner was delicious.

Heidi’s Home is located near Gregory Lake, which is a good spot for a relaxing walk.

Book Heidi’s Home: Booking.com | HotelsCombined

If you want to treat yourself, Nuwara Eliya has some wonderful examples of colonial heritage hotels, including the Heritance Tea Factory and the aptly named Grand Hotel Nuwara Eliya. These might be worth splashing out on if you were spending the afternoon relaxing at the hotel.

Book Heritance Tea Factory: Booking.com | HotelsCombined

Book The Grand Hotel: Booking.com | HotelsCombined

Day 6: Hill Country – Train from Nuwara Eliya to Ella

Itinerary Overview

On Day 6 of your Sri Lanka trip, take the train from Nuwara Eliya to Ella. This has got to be one of the most scenic trains in the world, and I promise it will be a highlight of our Sri Lankan itinerary! It’s even worth doing if you have a driver, as the experience and scenery are an attraction in themselves.

When you arrive in Ella, take a short hike up Little Adams Peak for pretty tea plantations and sweeping hill country views.

Spend the night in Ella at one of the many welcoming homestays. While there’s lots of cute little hill country towns in the region, we chose Ella as it looked beautiful and had the best hiking access. If we had longer in Sri Lanka, I would have also spent time in Haputale (between Nuwara Eliya and Ella), Badulla (north of Ella) and Hatton (west of Nuwara Eliya). Next time I visit Sri Lanka I plan to spend an entire week in the hill country!

How to Get to Ella

Driving Distance: 55km

Driving Time: 1.5-2.5 hours

Train Option: We decided to get the train from Nuwara Eliya to Ella, which is described as one of the most beautiful and scenic train journeys in the world. The train from Nuwara Eliya to Ella takes around 2.5 hours and passes through beautiful tea plantations and hill villages.

You can buy Sri Lanka train tickets at the station or ask your driver to purchase them for you in advance as we did so that you don’t miss out on a seat.

Things To Do in Ella

Views from Little Adams Peak hike

Ella is 100% about hiking and relaxing!

Short Ella Hike: Little Adams Peak Hike

If you don’t have a lot of time in Ella for hiking, then Little Adams Peak might just be for you as it’s a relatively short but super scenic hike.

The Little Adams Peak hike takes you uphill through lush tea plantations to a peak with breathtaking views over the Ella valley. (And in our case, a massive swarm of bees that swooped up right over our heads just after the photo above!)

Little Adams Peak is 1141 metres above sea level, but the ascent is actually only a few hundred metres as the hike starts at an elevation. The trail is well-maintained, well-signposted and has lots of lovely viewpoints along the way. You won’t need a guide.

The Little Adams Peak hike should take around 30-45 minutes each way. Allow around 2 hours return if you want to admire the views and relax at the top.

Medium Ella Hike: Ella Rock Hike

Ella Rock hike is a great option if you want a slightly more challenging half-day hike with equally stunning scenery. The hike starts with a walk along the railway lines before heading up through countryside, tea plantations and forest lands.

The ascent is pretty steep in parts, but you’ll be well rewarded with sweeping views once you reach the top of Ella Rock.

While Ella Rock can be hiked without a guide, we appreciated having a guide as there wasn’t a lot of signage along the way. Our accommodation organised a guide, who galloped along at breakneck speed despite wearing flip flops. I for one recommend coming prepared with hiking shoes or at least trainers!

Allow 3-4 hours for the Ella Rock hike. The hike took us around 2 hours to climb and over 1 hour to descend. We did the hike early in the morning to avoid the heat, and were even back at our home stay in time for a late breakfast.

Long Ella Hike: Adams Peak Hike

If you’re looking for a more serious day hike in Ella, why not tackle the ‘big’ Adams Peak hike. Adams Peak is particularly popular to climb at dawn for epic sunrise views.

Adams Peak mountain is around 2,243 metres tall, with around 5000 steps along the way. Depending on your fitness levels, allow around 3 hours to ascend and 1-2 hours to descend. Wear proper hiking shoes and take plenty of water.

Lipton’s Seat Hike or Tuk Tuk

The Lipton’s Seat hike is another scenic hike or tuk tuk ride through tea plantations to yet more panoramic views over the Sri Lankan countryside. In fact, the views are said to be some of the most beautiful in the Sri Lankan hill country.

You can hike to Lipton’s Seat from the Dambethenna Tea Factory, roughly half way between Ella and Haputale. The hike is around 8km and ends at an elevation of 1,970 metres above sea level. Aim to hike early in the morning to avoid the mist.

Don’t forget to factor in travel time if you’re staying in Ella. We really wanted to do the Lipton’s Seat hike but unfortunately didn’t have enough time once we factored in travel and hiking time. A great reason to return to Ella one day!

Demodara Nine Arch Bridge

The Nine Arches Bridge is a viaduct bridge located between the Demodara and Ella railway stations. As well as being an engineering marvel, the bridge is incredibly scenic as it has 9 soaring arches and is surrounded by dense lush jungle.

It’s very popular to visit the Nine Arch Bridge when a train is scheduled to pass over the bridge. Happy snapping!

Rawana Falls

Rawana Falls are beautiful wide waterfalls with pools to swim in. You can stop and admire Rawana Falls on your way to or from Ella, as the falls are easily accessible from the main road.

While the falls are gorgeous, they can get pretty busy with both viewers and bathers.

Ella Town

Ella has a cute main road lined with restaurants and bars. Ella is popular with backpackers, so expect to find busy and lively spots if you head in for dinner.

Ella Accommodation

We stayed at Leisure Dream Inn in Ella, which was my absolute favourite homestay of our 10 days in Sri Lanka. Leisure Dream Inn is a family run guest house with lovely rooms leading out to a terrace with incredible views of Ella Gap. The hosts are kind and helpful, and whip up a delicious breakfast for you to eat on the terrace.

Leisure Dream Inn is really well located, just a short walk from Ella Town and the Ella Rock hike. We only stayed in Ella for one night, but I really wish we spent longer in Ella and at Leisure Dream Inn!

Book Leisure Dream Inn: Booking.com | HotelsCombined

If you’re up for a slice of luxury and have a slightly higher budget, I also loved the look of 98 Acres Resort & Spa which is built into a tea estate right next to Little Adam’s Peak.

Book 98 Acres Resort & Spa: Booking.com | HotelsCombined

Day 7: Hill Country to South Coast Beaches – Ella to Unawatuna 

Top of Ella Rock!

Itinerary Overview

On day 2 in Ella, do an early morning hike up Ella Rock. Visit Rawana Falls on way out of Ella.

Drive down south to the beach and visit the Blow Hole along the way.

Today, make your way south to Sri Lanka’s south coast. Spent most of the day driving from Ella to Unawatuna. Stop at the x Blow Hole on the way. On arrival, have a relaxing seafood dinner on Unawatuna Beach – makes a nice change from having curries for 3 meals a day!

Driving from Ella to Unawatuna 

Driving Distance: 208km direct or 220km via Kudawella to visit the blow hole

Driving Time: 4.5-5.5 hours, with better roads down the South Coast than in the Cultural Triangle and Hill Country

Day 8 and 9: South Coast Beaches – Unawatuna & Galle Fort

Galle Fort

Itinerary Overview & Things To Do in Unawatuna 

Next up, spend two full days relaxing on Sri Lanka’s stunning south coast. Go on, you deserve if after all the driving and hiking over the last week! Yup, life is hard but someone’s gotta do it.

Beach Hopping

Dedicate Day 8 of your Sri Lanka itinerary to an absolute chill day. Spend the day relaxing at Unawatuna beach, go beach hopping, lie around the pool, drink cocktails and finish your day with tasty seafood on the beach.

If you prefer to keep busy, why not go whale watching in nearby Mirissa.

Galle Fort

If you’re ready for slightly more action on Day 9, take a day trip to explore nearby Galle Fort, around 6km from Unawatuna Beach. Galle Fort is an old Dutch fort perched on the coast and surrounded by a protective wall. The Fort is packed with colonial architecture, interesting museums and handicraft shops.

Allow at least 2 hours to explore Galle Fort, or an entire day if you’re a history buff or want to chill at the beach, meander around the fort town and chillax at one of the lovely restaurants.

Galle Fort is a must-do while you’re in Sri Lanka, and was the highlight of our time on the south coast.

Unawatuna Accommodation

We decided to stay in Unawatuna to relax and be close to Galle Fort for a day trip. Alternative spots to base yourself on the Sri Lanka south coast are the main towns of Weligama, Marissa, Galle or Tangalle, or one of the many smaller towns in between.

Unawatuna has a massive range of accommodation, from basic beach houses to luxury beach resorts. We went for Thambapanni Retreat, a mid-range boutique hotel with a pool just across the road from Unawatuna Beach. We had a really nice large room with a balcony with tranquil green views.

Book Thambapanni Retreat: Booking.com | HotelsCombined

I also loved the look of CoCoBay Unawatuna, for a slightly more upscale but good value resort located on a quieter stretch of beach just one bay away from central Unawatuna Beach.

Book CoCoBay Unawatuna: Booking.com | HotelsCombined

I loved Galle Fort so much that I may be inclined to stay here next time. Galle Fort Hotel in the Fort town or Le Grand Galle just outside the Fort look positively dreamy.

Book Galle Fort Hotel: Booking.com | HotelsCombined

Book Le Grand Galle: Booking.com | HotelsCombined

Day 10: Colombo

Itinerary Overview

On Day 10, spend some final time relaxing in Unawatuna or at the nearby pretty Jungle Beach, before driving to Colombo for your departing flight.

If you have time, you may want to take a Colombo city tour before your flight.

Driving from Unawatuna to Colombo

Driving Distance: 110km to Colombo airport or 125km to Colombo city

Driving Time: 1.5-2 hours with good roads

10 Day Sri Lanka Itinerary Extension Options

This 10 day Sri Lanka itinerary is fairly packed with activities and driving. If you have the luxury of time, you could easily stretch the itinerary out over 2-3 weeks.

Personally, I would happily have spent an entire week meandering around the little Hill Country villages, hiking through the tea plantations and chillaxing with stunning views. Conversely, extend your stay in the Cultural Triangle if you love culture and history or on the South Coast if you crave the ocean.

Another great extension option is Yala National Park, located between the Hill Country and the South Coast. Yala National Park is Sri Lanka’s premier safari destination, with good chances of spotting the elusive leopard. This would normally be my jam, but we’d recently visited Tanzania so decided to focus on the other Sri Lankan sites.

Have a thing for luxe resorts (and some serious spare cash)? Pop over to the stunning Maldives islands, only a short 1.5 hour flight from Colombo and without a doubt the most ridiculously beautiful islands I’ve ever visited.

Whatever you choose to do, I have no doubt that you’ll have an amazing Sri Lankan adventure. Happy planning!

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