Backpacking Sri Lanka: 28 best places to visit
The most rewarding stops for backpackers in Sri Lanka, ranked and mapped — and real routes through them, written by travellers who went.
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Sigiriya
Central Province
The lion rock fortress.
2
Kandy
Central Province
Hill capital, Temple of the Tooth.
3
Ella
Uva Province
Tea hills and the Nine Arch Bridge.
- 4
Galle
Southern Province
Dutch fort by the sea.
5
Yala National Park
Southern Province
Leopards and elephants.
6
Mirissa
Southern Province
Whales and palm beaches.
7
Nuwara Eliya
Central Province
Cool 'Little England' tea country.
8
Unawatuna
Southern Province
Curved swimming bay.
9
Anuradhapura
North Central Province
Ancient sacred city.
10
Polonnaruwa
North Central Province
Medieval ruined capital.
11
Dambulla
Central Province
Golden cave temples.
12
Arugam Bay
Eastern Province
Sri Lanka's surf capital.
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Adam's Peak
Sabaragamuwa Province
Sacred sunrise pilgrimage climb.
14
Trincomalee
Eastern Province
East-coast beaches and diving.
15
Colombo
Western Province
Buzzing seaside capital.
16
Hikkaduwa
Southern Province
Reef, turtles, nightlife.
17
Horton Plains National Park
Central Province
World's End cliff walk.
18
Jaffna
Northern Province
Tamil north, temples, islands.
19
Weligama
Southern Province
Beginner surf and stilt fishers.
20
Tangalle
Southern Province
Quiet wide sand beaches.
21
Udawalawe National Park
Sabaragamuwa Province
Reliable elephant sightings.
22
Bentota
Southern Province
River and beach resorts.
23
Haputale
Uva Province
Lipton's Seat tea vistas.
24
Negombo
Western Province
Beach town by the airport.
25
Kalpitiya
North Western Province
Kitesurfing and dolphins.
26
Mihintale
North Central Province
Cradle of Sri Lankan Buddhism.
27
Kitulgala
Sabaragamuwa Province
White-water rafting jungle.
28
Batticaloa
Eastern Province
Lagoons and quiet east coast.
Backpacking routes through Sri Lanka
Real trips through Sri Lanka, drawn on maps by the people who took them.
Sri Lanka's Classic Line: Hill Country Trains to South Coast Beaches
The famous Kandy to Ella train, tea country hikes and the south coast surf towns of Mirissa and Galle: a two-week Sri Lanka route with 2026 costs.
Ancient Cities and the Empty East: Sri Lanka's Cultural Triangle to Arugam Bay
Climb Sigiriya, cycle Polonnaruwa's ruins and end on the east coast at Trincomalee and Arugam Bay: the Sri Lanka loop most travellers miss, with costs.
Been backpacking in Sri Lanka?
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