9 Days in Sri lanka - Travel Itinerary

9 days only? Yesss! Couldn't afford more days, but there is a good reason for that - I'll explain it and the end... but hey, I could make myself a picture of Sri lanka! How cool is that?! :) See my 9-day travel itinerary below and let me know what do you think! 

Sri Lanka - Travel Itinerary

Day 1

From Switzerland to Midigama - the Surfers' Paradise

After arriving in Colombo, I immediately rushed to the South of Sri lanka to meet my friend Mateja who has already been surfing in Midigama for a week. It was about a 4-hour drive with a personal driver (a common way of travelling in Sri lanka), which costed as much as 60 EUR. I could have also chosen a much cheaper way - to go by train or bus (only a couple of Euros) but with all the travelling from Switzerland, I was tired and wanted to arrive to Midigama as soon as possible. When arrived, I was surprised by these incredible beautiful beaches with lush vegetation, brown-coloured sand and turquoise water (yesss, I love this colour :P) Have a look:

9 Days in Sri lanka - Midigama Beach
9 Days in Sri lanka - Midigama Beach
9 Days in Sri lanka - Midigama Beach
9 Days in Sri lanka - Midigama Beach

Mateja and I went for a fresh pineapple juice at the hotel and bar called Rams. The best thing of it was probably the location itself. Great beach vibe with hammocks and a scenery for a perfect postcard! :=)

9 Days in Sri lanka - Midigama Beach
9 Days in Sri lanka - Midigama Beach
9 Days in Sri lanka - Midigama Beach
9 Days in Sri lanka - Midigama Beach

A couple of hours later, after visiting Mirissa (see the section below) we were rewarded with an awe-inspiring sunset over the Midigama beach! Priceless!

9 Days in Sri lanka - Midigama Sunset
9 Days in Sri lanka - Midigama Sunset

Our Place to Stay

My friend and I stayed at the Asanka Surf Camp. It has a top location and comes with a great atmosphere. Also the served food is very delicious! Nonetheless, the rooms are basic and not the most comfortable out there.

9 Days in Sri lanka - Asanka Surf Camp in Midigama
9 Days in Sri lanka - Asanka Surf Camp in Midigama
9 Days in Sri lanka - Midigama
9 Days in Sri lanka - Midigama
9 Days in Sri lanka - Midigama
9 Days in Sri lanka - Midigama

Mirissa - A Beach Resort 

My first day already included a trip to Mirissa. It was a 15-minutes funny bus ride to the most touristy part of the Southern coastline of Sri lanka. Once there, I was unfortunately turned off by the many tourists on the beach but after a bit of strolling further, some amazing beaches with less tourists followed. 

9 Days in Sri lanka - Mirissa Beach
9 Days in Sri lanka - Mirissa Beach
9 Days in Sri lanka - Mirissa Beach
9 Days in Sri lanka - Mirissa Beach
9 Days in Sri lanka - Mirissa Beach
9 Days in Sri lanka - Mirissa Beach

I was thrilled to see the small island which was just a few steps from the main coast of Mirissa. It provided great views over the nice surroundings. Very recommendable, if you find yourself in Sri lanka!

9 Days in Sri lanka - Mirissa Beach
9 Days in Sri lanka - Mirissa Beach

Day 2

Udawalawe National Park - Wildlife

Sri lanka has a rich wildlife - I was happy to attend a safari at the Udawalawe National Park, although it is not as famous as the much bigger and crowded Yala Park. It was a tough day since we had to wake up at 4:30 am and drive 3 hours to the entrance of the park. Then, our group was invited to enter a safari jeep (woohoo) and begin the epic journey through the observation land. On our safari, we encountered some Asian elephants, many peecocks, two lizards, a bunch of Asian buffaloes, colourful birds, but also funny monkeys! 

9 Days in Sri lanka - Watching an Elephant in Udawalawe National Park
9 Days in Sri lanka - Watching an Elephant in Udawalawe National Park
9 Days in Sri lanka - Peecock in Udawalawe National Park
9 Days in Sri lanka - Peecock in Udawalawe National Park
9 Days in Sri lanka - Watching a Lizard in Udawalawe National Park
9 Days in Sri lanka - Watching a Lizard in Udawalawe National Park

9 Days in Sri lanka - Watching buffaloes in Udawalawe National Park
9 Days in Sri lanka - Watching buffaloes in Udawalawe National Park

Although, we didn't see a half of the animals as Jerry and I saw in Kruger Park, South Africa, we were happy that we went for it! The animals and also the landscape were impressive and the whole day turned out to be a great adventure.

9 Days in Sri lanka - Lake in Udalawawe National Park
9 Days in Sri lanka - Lake in Udalawawe National Park
9 Days in Sri lanka - Lake in Udalawawe National Park
9 Days in Sri lanka - Lake in Udalawawe National Park

9 Days in Sri lanka - Safari in Udalawawe National Park
9 Days in Sri lanka - Safari in Udalawawe National Park

Tangalle - Another Beach Town

On our way back to Midigama, we stopped at one of the beaches of Tangalle. It was well worth it, as the beaches were incredibly gorgeous! Tangalle might be also a great vacation spot if you're planning to spend a few days at the coastline in Sri lanka!

9 Days in Sri lanka - Tangalle Beach
9 Days in Sri lanka - Tangalle Beach
9 Days in Sri lanka - Tangalle Beach
9 Days in Sri lanka - Tangalle Beach
9 Days in Sri lanka - Tangalle Beach
9 Days in Sri lanka - Tangalle Beach

9 Days in Sri lanka - Tangalle Beach
9 Days in Sri lanka - Tangalle Beach

Day 3

Galle - the Bohemian City

On Day 3, I did a bit of solo travelling, as my friend had some important errands to run in Jaffna. So I decided to visit Galle alone. It is a nice beach town on the Southwestern coast of Sri lanka. After a 30-minute tuk tuk drive, I arrived to this town. After walking around the small and narrow streets of Galle, I became a huge fan of the various souvenir shops, cafes and restaurants in the cute center. I had a very delicious vegetarian kottu in one of the Galle's restaurants and a great cup of coffee in the Lavazza cafe! I loved my time there. Hopefully, I will return to Galle one day and spend some more days!

9 Days in Sri lanka - Galle
9 Days in Sri lanka - Galle
9 Days in Sri lanka - Galle
9 Days in Sri lanka - Galle
9 Days in Sri lanka - Galle
9 Days in Sri lanka - Galle

9 Days in Sri lanka - A Delicious Vegetarian Kottu in Galle
9 Days in Sri lanka - A Delicious Vegetarian Kottu in Galle
9 Days in Sri lanka - Galle
9 Days in Sri lanka - Galle
9 Days in Sri lanka - Galle
9 Days in Sri lanka - Galle

9 Days in Sri lanka - Galle
9 Days in Sri lanka - Galle

Day 4

Midigama to Colombo - Where I Stayed in Colombo

Day 4 was spent for travelling - Starting in Midigama and driving 4 hours to the capital city of Sri lanka - Colombo. My friend came back from Jaffna, so we met again in Colombo, in the hotel CityRest Fort (recommendable!). After sipping some awesome cocktails just a couple of steps from the hotel, we went to bed early in order to have a good rest before the train ride to Kandy.

Day 5

From Colombo to Kandy - the Spiritual Centre

It was early in the morning, when my friend and I had to take the train from Colombo to Kandy, a religious and historical city in the Central part of Sri lanka! For a second, we almost thought we won't be able to take the ride, as there was a long queue at the ticket office. Kandy is a famous destination among travellers, so if you're planning to visit it, make sure to book the train tickets in advance! Obviously, we didn't do it, but we were fortunate and got seats! It took us about 2.5 hours to reach Kandy. The train ride was beautiful though!

9 Days in Sri lanka - Train Ride from Colombo to Kandy
9 Days in Sri lanka - Train Ride from Colombo to Kandy

In Kandy, we payed a small amount to enter the Buddhist Temple of the Tooth - this is a place where many Sri lankan people gather and pray to Buddha. We had the chance to observe the spiritual rituals and get a glimpse of the religion proceedings in Kandy. The truth is, Mateja and I weren't a big fan of the city center itself, but the visit to this temple was a great experience. 

9 Days in Sri lanka - Temple in Kandy
9 Days in Sri lanka - Temple in Kandy
9 Days in Sri lanka - Buddha Statue in Kandy
9 Days in Sri lanka - Buddha Statue in Kandy
9 Days in Sri lanka - Buddha Temple in Kandy
9 Days in Sri lanka - Buddha Temple in Kandy

9 Days in Sri lanka - Friendly girls at the temple
9 Days in Sri lanka - Friendly girls at the temple
9 Days in Sri lanka - Temples in Kandy
9 Days in Sri lanka - Temples in Kandy

After visiting the temple and observing the spiritual rituals of local people, we went for a stroll around the artificial lake in Kandy, called Kiri Muhuda resp. the Sea of Milk. Nice but nothing special. 

9 Days in Sri lanka - Lake in Kandy
9 Days in Sri lanka - Lake in Kandy

We went for a homestay experience in the Kandy's hills. Our stay was at Onalies. The owner and our host was a very friendly, open and talkative woman who grew up in Colombo. She offered us a great cup of coffee and in the evening, she showed us the baking process of Sri lanka's typical food called rotti

9 Days in Sri lanka - Making coconut rotti
9 Days in Sri lanka - Making coconut rotti

Day 6

Train Ride from Kandy to Ella

The Day 6 started with an epic 7-hour train journey from Kandy to Ella. The ride was very picturesque, indeed, as it belongs to one of the most beautiful train rides worldwide. We passed many tea plantations, misty forests and rice fields. A trip worth taking!

9 Days in Sri lanka - Train Ride from Kandy to Ella
9 Days in Sri lanka - Train Ride from Kandy to Ella
9 Days in Sri lanka - Tea plantations Ella
9 Days in Sri lanka - Tea plantations Ella

Day 7

Ella - a Destination for Hikers and Tea Lovers

After the loooong train journey, we were happy to strech our legs again and arrive to this amazing town called Ella. We stayed at one of the best places in the town, called the Tunnel Gap Resort. It is surrounded by tea plantations and hills. After a delicious dinner - an amazing vegetarian kottu - we went to bed to fill up the energy for the next day.

9 Days in Sri lanka - Our stay in Ella
9 Days in Sri lanka - Our stay in Ella
9 Days in Sri lanka - Delicious Breakfast at our Stay
9 Days in Sri lanka - Delicious Breakfast at our Stay
9 Days in Sri lanka - Tea plantations in Ella
9 Days in Sri lanka - Tea plantations in Ella
9 Days in Sri lanka - Tea plantations Ella
9 Days in Sri lanka - Tea plantations Ella

Day 8

Visiting the Tea Factory and Hiking the Little Adam's Peak

On the next day, we went for a scenic 3 km walk to the tea factory, located at one of the Ella's hills. On our way, we evidenced tea picking by local women. A great snap! 

9 Days in Sri lanka - Picking Tea in Ella
9 Days in Sri lanka - Picking Tea in Ella
9 Days in Sri lanka - Tea Picking in Ella
9 Days in Sri lanka - Picking Tea in Ella
9 Days in Sri lanka - Tea Plantations in Ella
9 Days in Sri lanka - Tea Plantations in Ella
9 Days in Sri lanka - A Quick Look into a Primary School in Ella
9 Days in Sri lanka - A Quick Look into a Primary School in Ella

Visiting the tea factory was a good choice. We learned about the production of Sri lanka's black and green tea and were taken on a tour around the factory. At the end, we could taste different sorts of black tea. Definitely a nice experience!

9 Days in Sri lanka - Different Tea Forms in Ella
9 Days in Sri lanka - Different Tea Forms in Ella
9 Days in Sri lanka - Drinking Tea in Ella
9 Days in Sri lanka - Drinking Tea in Ella

What is more, there is a spacious balcony in the tea factory, from which you can enjoy some nice views over the hilly landscape!

9 Days in Sri lanka - View from the Tea Factory in Ella
9 Days in Sri lanka - View from the Tea Factory in Ella

After the tea factory we took a hike to Little Adam's Peak. It was a 30-minute scenic hike. At the top, we were rewarded with great views over Ella, the majestic mountain Ella's Rock and it surroundings. The majority of the hike was easy, maybe the last few steps were a bit steep but no big deal! :P

9 Days in Sri lanka - Hiking the Little Adam's Peak
9 Days in Sri lanka - Hiking the Little Adam's Peak
9 Days in Sri lanka - Hiking the Little Adam's Peak
9 Days in Sri lanka - Hiking the Little Adam's Peak
9 Days in Sri lanka - Hiking the Little Adam's Peak
9 Days in Sri lanka - Hiking the Little Adam's Peak
9 Days in Sri lanka - Hiking the Little Adam's Peak
9 Days in Sri lanka - Hiking the Little Adam's Peak
9 Days in Sri lanka - Hiking the Little Adam's Peak
9 Days in Sri lanka - Hiking the Little Adam's Peak

9 Days in Sri lanka - Hiking to the Little Adam's Peak
9 Days in Sri lanka - Hiking the Little Adam's Peak

Day 9

Long Journey from Ella to Colombo and Back Home

Well, this was it, I had to end my trip by taking another 9-hour trip from Ella to Colombo and afterwards driving to the airport. Mateja went back to the South for one day before she went on to Singapore.

In a Nutshell...

Visiting Sri lanka was a great choice! I enjoyed the most of the time, with some exceptions when I got scammed or wasn't satisfied with the price-performance ratio of the offered services. But in general, I found it a very interesting country to explore in terms of culture, nature and food. As I had only 9 days to spend on the island, I didn't manage to visit the famous Sigiriya Rock, the Turtle Hitchery, Nuwara Eliya and many great places in the Central part of the island too. I would be really thrilled to see these places too! However, there was a reason, why I had only 9 days in total - I'm starting a new job in Economics. I see it as a great opportunity to develop my skills and knowledge. It is all about learning new things, right?! :)

 

If you want to read more about Sri lanka, make sure to visit the Sri Lanka Travel Blog.

Travel Insurance

Do you need a travel insurance for your trip to Sri lanka? When we go travelling, I usually use World Nomads.


Have you visited Sri lanka? What was your favourite part? Let us know in the comments below!

You might also like



Leave a comment

Write a comment

Comments: 15
  • #1

    TripSriLanka.co (Thursday, 02 February 2017 07:54)

    Thank you for writing about Sri Lanka. Really complementing. The pictures are so lively. Really enjoyed. Keep posting, Hoping for a sequel for this.

  • #2

    Sonja (Friday, 24 March 2017 10:47)

    Thanks guys! :)

  • #3

    Rachith (Tuesday, 20 June 2017 10:13)

    Great post..! Really amazing thanks for writing this wonderful post about Sri Lanka. Seems like you enjoyed the Sri Lankan beaches very much...The pictures are amazing...hope you visit those missed places on your next visit to Sri Lanka.

  • #4

    Sonja (Thursday, 22 June 2017 14:07)

    Thank so much Rachith! Yes, I was impressed by the beaches, I didn't expect them to be SO beautiful! Would go back any minute ;)

  • #5

    Praveen (Monday, 23 October 2017 14:02)

    awesome article about Sri Lanka. Seems to within 9 days of short period time you covered a lot in here. Really like bit about Midigama beach still a underappreciated beach are in the island. Hope this article will be a eye opener for future travelers. Thank you for sharing the article with us.

  • #6

    lakshan (Monday, 12 February 2018 07:10)

    i created a blog by collecting photos taken in my Sri lanka traip. hope this will be useful for you when visiting there.

    https://homestaysrilanka.blogspot.com

  • #7

    riya80515 (Friday, 28 September 2018 14:07)

    First of all, really appreciate you sharing your travel experience with us. The blog was really helpful as it gave me an insight of the place. Being a fellow-traveller even I share my travelling experience through my own Website. So visit me at <a href="https://www.akbartravels.com/holidays/international-tour-packages/sri-lanka-tour-packages">Srilanka tour package</a>

  • #8

    Rick (Saturday, 29 December 2018 14:07)

    its awesome<a href="https://www.travelwideflightsuk.co.uk/"> travel blog</a>

  • #9

    Taniya (Thursday, 20 June 2019 14:42)

    Your 9 days in Sri Lanka are very pleasant. Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge about holidays. Theapartmentscanggu.com

  • #10

    Albania Tourism (Wednesday, 16 October 2019 16:05)

    Great places to visit. You should consider visiting Albania, a place of many beauties.

  • #11

    Ryan (Wednesday, 13 November 2019 10:17)

    Such a good places to see ever in life.
    https://airporttransfer.lk/en/

  • #12

    Tom Peacock (Saturday, 03 December 2022 21:04)

    My name is Tom Peacock from USA, I want to say thank you to Dr Emu for the good thing he has done for me, Though am not sure if this is the best forum to show my joy and happiness for what he has done for me but i can't hide my happiness and my joy so i have to share it with people, my marriage got crashed about two years ago and i tried all i could within my power but to no avail. I saw a post and testimonial about the good things Dr Emu has been doing so I decided to give it a try. though he is always a busy man but when he responded back to my email, he gave me 48 hours for my marriage to be restored really just like he said my marriage was restored since then I am happy and i am living happily i am so grateful to Dr Emu you can always email him here: {emutemple@gmail.com} or WhatsApp: {+2347012841542}

  • #13

    Laura Hobson (Saturday, 10 December 2022 01:19)

    I was really stressed by Acid reflux issues with my newborn and had consulted Chief Dr Lucky. He gave us a thorough consultation and the medicines were equally effective. In a couple of weeks there was big improvement in my son and we are very pleased with the progress. We cannot thank Chief Dr Lucky enough. Highly recommended.

    Email chiefdrlucky@gmail.com

    WhatsApp +2348132777335

    Facebook page http://facebook.com/chiefdrlucky

  • #14

    Thomas Gibson (Friday, 27 January 2023 07:13)

    I want to use this opportunity to tell the whole world on how I become rich and famous. I’m 93 years old. I was passing through difficulty in business and there was no hope of me coming out of my debt. I borrow money in my bank to do my business and I run at lost on the business I got frustrated and decided to be playing lottery to see if I can win and make my business grow and I have played for years now nothing good is coming my way on till I meet someone online talking about Dr Ayoola on the internet. He was taking about how this Dr Ayoola help him to win mega million lottery game. I said to myself if this is true and decide to contact him and told him to help me as well I later read more about this man and see how he has been helping people all over the world. I have faith in him and choose to work with him. After working with him he told me what I need to do for the number to be given to me which I did after he finish working he said I will have a dream and the number will be review to me in the dream. That night has I was sleeping I dream a number immediately he call me and gave me the same number I dream of and ask me to go and play the number. Today I’m here testifying of the good work he did for me I played the number and I won the sum of 1, 000,000 million dollars in a lotto max. You can contact Dr Ayoola for help if you want to win big in lottery game he has the gift of giving right number contact him today and thank me email him today Via email: drayoolasolutionhome@gmail. com or https://www.facebook.com/Dr-Ayoola-105640401516053/ text or call +14809032128

  • #15

    Thomas Gibson (Friday, 27 January 2023 08:56)

    I want to use this opportunity to tell the whole world on how I become rich and famous. I’m 93 years old. I was passing through difficulty in business and there was no hope of me coming out of my debt. I borrow money in my bank to do my business and I run at lost on the business I got frustrated and decided to be playing lottery to see if I can win and make my business grow and I have played for years now nothing good is coming my way on till I meet someone online talking about Dr Ayoola on the internet. He was taking about how this Dr Ayoola help him to win mega million lottery game. I said to myself if this is true and decide to contact him and told him to help me as well I later read more about this man and see how he has been helping people all over the world. I have faith in him and choose to work with him. After working with him he told me what I need to do for the number to be given to me which I did after he finish working he said I will have a dream and the number will be review to me in the dream. That night has I was sleeping I dream a number immediately he call me and gave me the same number I dream of and ask me to go and play the number. Today I’m here testifying of the good work he did for me I played the number and I won the sum of 1, 000,000 million dollars in a lotto max. You can contact Dr Ayoola for help if you want to win big in lottery game he has the gift of giving right number contact him today and thank me email him today Via email: drayoolasolutionhome@gmail. com or https://www.facebook.com/Dr-Ayoola-105640401516053/ text or call +14809032128