I spent 3 weeks backpacking around Sri Lanka in January 2024 because I found a cheap flight there after visiting Nepal. Sri Lanka was never really on my radar before but then but this tiny teardrop shaped country SHOULD be on everyone’s radar! Sri Lanka is known for its beautiful beaches, tea plantations, and safaris. 
This is everywhere I went in Sri Lanka!
Sri Lanka is perfect because it has every type of scenery, great food, super friendly people, and it’s easy to travel around! The cuisine is also very vegetarian friendly! 
There are also so many solo travelers around Sri Lanka that it was very easy to make friends!
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I flew into Colombo which is the main airport and then you can decide to either backpack north or south. I decided to go south and head straight to the beach right away. I stayed in Mirissa but there are a ton of cute beach towns and hostels. Then I headed north to Ella, Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, and Sigiriya. I also took many day trips to other beaches since it’s the perfect place for beginners to surf and visited Galle Fort. 
Here is a video format I made of this blog on Tiktok if you want to watch the short version.
I flew into Colombo and only spent 1 night here. There isn’t much to do in Colombo and you have to fly in here. I’d recommend visiting Galle Fort.
Where I stayed: Rockwell Colombo
This is a nicer hotel but it’s quiet and perfect for one night.
Where to stay on a budget: Drop Inn Hostels
I took a private car to Mirissa which is a cute beach town. 
Where to stay: Yasi’s Surf Lodge or The Hostel Mirissa Coliving
Other great hostels on the coast to stay at:
I stayed at Yasi’s and would go to Mirissa Coliving to hang out or work for better wifi sometimes. Yasi’s is in a great location and has a big beds.
What to do:
- Take a day trip to Galle Fort which you can do from Mirissa or Colombo
- Visit Turtle Beach in Hikkaduwa and swim with turtles
- Hike to Parrot Rock, Secret Beach, and Coconut Tree Hill for the best views
- Beaches at Midigama, Dikwella, Matara Beach, and Unawatuna
Where to eat:
- No. 1 Dewmini Roti Shop for the best roti
- Milky Wave for ice cream
- Hey Mama for amazing brunch
- Shady Lane for brunch
- Lolami Cafe for fancy brunch
- Mila for fancier dinner
- Coco Gate for local food
- Dhana’s Curry Pot for all you can eat vegetarian buffet (SO GOOD)
- Curry Gedara
Next I took the bus to Ella to stay for 4 days, First, you can stop at Yala National Park for a safari.
Ella is known for its hikes and beautiful bridge to see the train. 
Where to stay: Bunk Station Hostel
Bunk Station is the closest accommodation to the bridge which I went to every day for sunset and it was beautiful.
What to do:
- Visit Ravana Pool Club for a nice pool day
- Hike Little Adam’s Peak
- Tour Uva Halpewatte Tea Factory Tour
- Take a tuktuk to Ravana Waterfall
- Visit Nine Arches Bridge for sunset and watch the train pass
- Lipton’s Seat hike for a full day hike
- A cooking class at Matey’s Hut
Where to eat:
- Rainbow Cafe
- Ella Siyapatha Hut Restaurant
- Mozzarella by Nero Kitchen for pizza
- Matey’s Hut
In between, you can stop at Yala National Park to do a safari. I didn’t since I had just done a safari in Nepal but you might be able to see cheetahs there. Book a safari here.
I took the train from Ella to Nuwara Eliya 
Most people miss Nuwara Eliya since it isn’t as popular but the tea fields are the most beautiful in Sri Lanka and the train ride is stunning. Here is the website to buy train tickets. Nuwara Eliya was heavily colonized by the British for tea production so the town itself is very industrial but the fields surrounding the town are amazing and there are beautiful spots for afternoon tea. 
I spent 3 days and 2 nights in Nuwara Eliya.
Where to stay: AGP Home
I stayed at a guesthouse instead of a hostel in Nuwara Eliya since there aren’t many nice hostels. The guesthouse is super nice and about $30 a night.
Things to do:
- Have high tea at the Grand Hotel for a bit of a luxury experience
- Do a waterfall and tea field tour. This is a good option!
- Walk around Victoria Park
Where to eat:
- Cafe Noshers for delicious food
- Araliya Food Court
- The Grand Cafe
I took a shared taxi from Nuwara Eliya to Sigiriya but you can also stop in Kandy on the way.
I skipped Kandy because it seems like a big city and I didn’t really want to visit but most people do since it’s well connected. You can just spend 1 night here touring the city. I spent 3 nights in Sigiriya.
Where to stay: Roy’s Villa 
Roy’s Villa might be the best hostel I’ve ever stayed at and I’ve stayed in over 80 hostels. If you wanna stay here, you need to book it EARLY as it’s always sold out. Most activities I did was with the hostel since the city isn’t walkable and we needed transportation everywhere. 
Things to do:
- Hurulu Eco Park for safari
- Sigiriya Lion Head
- Pidurangala Rock where you can see the Sigiriya Lion Head and it’s cheaper but the hike is pretty intense
- Dambulla Royal Cave Temple
Where to eat:
- I actually ate at the hostel for most meals and there’s always a family dinner every night!
- Mr. Caffeine Cafe
After a few days in Sigiriya, I headed back to Colombo for a night before flying out of Sri Lanka! I hope you enjoy traveling around Sri Lanka as much as I did! 
