Claire’s Sri Lanka Travel Guide: When to Go, Where to Stay and a Two-Week Itinerary.
By Claire Oliver, owner of Luxury Dream Holidays
There were birds flying overhead as I stepped out of the van in Anuradhapura. The sky was turning orange, we were dressed in white, and we had bought flowers to take with us into the sacred city. I remember thinking it was like walking into some sort of movie set, exactly what I had hoped I would find in this beautiful country of contrasts.
That evening became one of my favourite experiences in Sri Lanka. There were plenty of others: watching two sisters cook our dinner in the middle of a paddy field, travelling by train into the tea-covered hills, and discovering that pineapple makes an absolutely delicious curry.
Sri Lanka had escaped me for so many years, but I finally embarked on one of my bucket list adventures when I joined a six-night trip with our trusted partners Authenticities. I knew there would be so many wonderful places to visit, we're all aware of some of the iconic ones, but what really surprised me was how much I enjoyed the moments between them, the conversations, the meals, the wildlife right outside my room, and the glimpses of everyday life from the vehicle window.
I came home wanting to go straight back on my own holiday, preferably with twice as much time to soak it all up.
I flew with Etihad via the Middle East. On arrival, we had airport assistance, which meant being helped through the formalities and sitting comfortably with a cup of tea while our luggage was collected, a lovely start after a long journey. Our first stop was The Wallawwa in Kotugoda, around half an hour from the airport, where we went for brunch and a chance to freshen up rather than an overnight stay. It felt wonderfully tucked away, more countryside than airport-adjacent, and with just 18 rooms and suites, it's an intimate place, like so many in Sri Lanka. With our tight schedule, we continued north that day for the three and a half hour journey to Anuradhapura, though ideally I'd suggest sleeping over and starting fresh the next morning.
We stayed two nights at Ulagalla Resort near Anuradhapura, in an individual villa with its own pool, surrounded by vegetation. For someone who loves wildlife as much as I do, it was just the right place to be. Monkeys came to the pool, there was a monitor lizard on my roof, and at any time a tusker, a giant male elephant, could be passing through the grounds. Staff would let guests know when he was around, and hearing about the conservation work at the hotel really brought home the practical challenge of people and wildlife sharing the same space.
Our evening at the Stupa in Anuradhapura was especially moving. A Buddhist festival was taking place, and we'd been asked to wear white, as the locals would be dressed, and we left our shoes in the vehicle before entering, as no shoes are worn around this sacred place. Around us were worshippers in white and monks in orange robes. We bought flowers as an offering, the same as everyone else. Generations of families had gathered, as had groups of friends and neighbours, a real occasion. Several people came over to talk to us, thanking us for being so respectful. There was a real sense of being allowed to observe something that mattered deeply to the people around us, and I found that far more powerful than simply being told the history. A good guide makes a huge difference in places like this, someone who can explain what you're looking at, how the sites connect, and how to behave respectfully somewhere still very much used for worship.
The following day, we explored more of the monastery ruins and visited Sri Maha Bodhi, the sacred fig tree recognised as the oldest known human-planted tree, over 2,000 years old. Standing somewhere so historic was incredible.
In the evening, we were taken out into the paddy fields, where a table had been set for dinner. Two sisters were cooking in a kitchen over the fire. We watched them preparing different curries and little dishes before sitting down to eat in that setting. There was such care in the whole experience, the location, the welcome, the chance to understand something about what was being put in front of us. It became one of the meals I remembered most clearly when I got home.
Then came Sigiriya, standing in front of that rock is quite something on its own, even before you decide whether to climb. I stayed below the summit while others in our group continued upwards, and I certainly didn't feel I'd wasted the visit.
We stopped at Water Garden Sigiriya for refreshments before heading for Kandy, then at a spice garden, where I watched a small snake wrap itself around a branch, before the heavens opened. Water ran through the gardens like a river, tuk-tuks were brought up to get us back to the vehicle, and the rain followed us into Kandy, where flooding affected our plans.
We were supposed to visit a market with a local family, choose ingredients and cook with them at home. We missed the market, but the cooking still went ahead, properly involved over their fire stoves rather than just watching a demonstration. It was a lovely evening despite the weather, and a reminder of how much the right people on the ground can help when plans change. That flexibility is part of how we plan and look after your holiday, especially when a journey has several moving parts.
The train journey from Kandy to Hatton was probably my outstanding highlight, and something I'd always dreamed of, that picture you want of the train winding up the mountains while you hang out of the door. Even now, thinking about it makes my heart race a little. The old signs and clocks at the station, boarding the train, then watching villages and tea plantations fold into the slopes as we climbed.
Arriving at Ceylon Tea Trails felt like being welcomed into somebody's home. We stayed in a restored tea planter's bungalow with its own pool and hot tub overlooking the plantations. After breakfast, the chef would come and talk about lunch, might suggest fish, then ask if anyone fancied something else. Later, another conversation about dinner. I loved that, being looked after in such a personal, relaxed way. We took a guided walk through the plantations towards the lake, and visited the tea factory, learning about grading and selling. Something you use every day suddenly having a much longer story behind it, I find that endlessly interesting.
On the road south towards Udawalawe I even spotted an elephant on the back of a flatbed lorry, road transport apparently sometimes needed when an elephant requires medical care elsewhere. Quite the unexpected sight. At the Elephant Transit Home itself, I watched young, orphaned elephants arriving for feeding, trumpeting and gathering together, cared for by Sri Lanka's Department of Wildlife Conservation with the aim of eventually returning them to the wild. We also stopped for a pottery lesson, taught by a master potter who had travelled for hours to share his skill with us. That detail stayed with me, the effort he'd made just to teach a small group of visitors passing through.
By the time we reached Tangalle I was ready to slow right down. A quick dip in the pool, a cocktail, a shower and change before a drinks reception and dinner on the terrace overlooking the ocean. There was birdlife and paddy fields around the grounds, and after moving between so many places, it finally felt like somewhere to stop, take a breath and enjoy where I was. A single night gives you a glimpse. Several nights give you a holiday.
Galle was our last real stop, lunch at Galle Fort Hotel and a walk with a resident host who told us about growing up there. We watched children jumping into the water while he talked about learning to swim there as a boy himself. Those personal stories made the walk feel completely different from simply following a list of historic buildings. There were cafés and shops to browse, glimpses into old solicitors' offices, the famous stilt fishermen of Koogala, and the chance to hire one of the old Morris Minors for a ride through the streets.
My strongest memory of Sri Lanka is the welcome I received. The sisters cooking in the paddy fields, the family teaching us to prepare dinner, the chef discussing lunch each morning, the guide sharing stories about his childhood, all of it made the trip feel personal rather than just a list of places ticked off.
So my advice is to arrive curious. Try the food, listen to the stories, respect the places you visit, and leave enough space in the itinerary to enjoy them properly.
And do try the pineapple curry.
Claire Xx
Thinking about Sri Lanka? Tell me what you’d love from the trip and how you like to travel, and I’d be delighted to help put the right places together, with time to enjoy them properly. You can start with my suggested two-week itinerary and Sri Lanka FAQs, then get in touch when you’re ready to talk through your own version.
Useful Links:
UK government Sri Lanka travel advice - Entry rules, local advice and updates.
TravelHealthPro’s Sri Lanka advice - For health preparation, vaccines, etc.
UNESCO’s Anuradhapura page - To learn about the breathtaking sacred city.
Enjoyed travelling with me? My Isles of Scilly guide is another very personal look at a place I love, with plenty of advice for planning your own visit.
