Sri Lanka · best-of list
16 Top Things to Do in Sri Lanka
All 16 things to do our route editors picked in Sri Lanka, across 4 destinations, gathered in one list. 9 come with an insider tip, and 5 cost nothing to visit.
Our curated picks
16 things to do in Sri Lanka, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Sigiriya & Dambulla 5 picks
Dambulla Cave Temple
Sigiriya & Dambulla · On our Sri Lanka: Rock Forts to the South Coast route
Five cave shrines filled with Buddha statues and painted ceilings, a UNESCO site.
Photo: Lankapic · CC BY 2.5
Pidurangala Rock
Sigiriya & Dambulla · On our Sri Lanka: Rock Forts to the South Coast route
Neighboring rock with a short scramble to the top and the best view of Sigiriya.
Tip: Climb for sunrise; final section needs hands.
Photo: Tejaswi Sankhe · Google
Polonnaruwa Ancient City
Sigiriya & Dambulla · On our Sri Lanka: Rock Forts to the South Coast route
Medieval royal capital of palaces, stupas and the carved Buddhas of Gal Vihara, 60 km east.
Tip: Rent a bicycle at the gate to tour the ruins.
Photo: Theo de Wolf · Google
Sigiriya Rock Fortress
Sigiriya & Dambulla · On our Sri Lanka: Rock Forts to the South Coast route
5th-century palace atop a 200 m rock, with frescoes, a mirror wall and lion-paw gate.
Tip: Start at 7 am opening; bring water.
Photo: Arun A · Google
Sigiriya village cooking class
Sigiriya & Dambulla · On our Sri Lanka: Rock Forts to the South Coast route
Home cooking sessions teaching rice and curry with clay pots and fresh coconut.
Tip: Ask your guesthouse; many hosts offer them.
Photo: Diyana Cottage · Google
Galle 4 picks
Galle Fort
Galle · On our Sri Lanka: Rock Forts to the South Coast route
UNESCO-listed walled town of Dutch villas, churches and boutiques on a headland.
Tip: Walk the ramparts at sunset.
Photo: Rovin Shanila · CC BY-SA 4.0
Galle Lighthouse
Galle · On our Sri Lanka: Rock Forts to the South Coast route
White lighthouse on the fort's southeast corner, Sri Lanka's oldest light station site.
Photo: A.Savin · FAL
Japanese Peace Pagoda
Galle · On our Sri Lanka: Rock Forts to the South Coast route
White stupa on Rumassala hill with sea views back to Galle.
Photo: Helitha Lochana · Google
National Maritime Museum Galle
Galle · On our Sri Lanka: Rock Forts to the South Coast route
Museum in a Dutch warehouse covering shipwrecks and seafaring along Sri Lanka's coast.
Photo: Ji-Elle · CC BY-SA 3.0
Kandy 4 picks
Bahirawakanda Vihara Buddha Statue
Kandy · On our Sri Lanka: Rock Forts to the South Coast route
Huge white Buddha on a hill overlooking the city.
Photo: Arnaud Dupont · Google
Ceylon Tea Museum
Kandy · On our Sri Lanka: Rock Forts to the South Coast route
Former tea factory in the hills with old machinery and a top-floor tasting room.
Photo: calflier001 · CC BY-SA 2.0
Kandyan dance show
Kandy · On our Sri Lanka: Rock Forts to the South Coast route
Evening performance of drumming, acrobatic dance and fire-walking at the Kandy Lake Club.
Photo: Peter “L3p” Brands · Google
Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
Kandy · On our Sri Lanka: Rock Forts to the South Coast route
Sri Lanka's holiest Buddhist site, housing a tooth of the Buddha beside Kandy Lake.
Tip: Attend the evening puja with drums; wear white if you can.
Photo: بالعقل نبدأ · Google
Ella 3 picks
Ella Rock
Ella · On our Sri Lanka: Rock Forts to the South Coast route
Harder half-day hike along rail tracks and through forest to a cliff-top viewpoint.
Tip: Go with a guide or offline map; trails split often.
Photo: Henry Rosas · Google
Nanu Oya to Ella train
Ella · On our Sri Lanka: Rock Forts to the South Coast route
Three-hour ride over the high plateau via Ohiya and Haputale, through tea country, tunnels and cloud forest.
Tip: Kandy-side service was suspended after the 2025 cyclone; check status before booking.
Photo: සුන්දර ලෝකය · Google
Nine Arch Bridge
Ella · On our Sri Lanka: Rock Forts to the South Coast route
Colonial-era stone railway viaduct set in jungle and tea fields.
Tip: Check train times and watch one cross from the café terraces.
Photo: MichaelJames2468 · CC BY-SA 4.0
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the things to do in Sri Lanka?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 16 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Sri Lanka has the most things to do on this list?
Sigiriya & Dambulla has the most (5 of 16), followed by Galle (4) and Kandy (4).
Are any of these free?
5 picks on this list are marked free in our route notes: Galle Fort, Ella Rock, Nine Arch Bridge, Galle Lighthouse and Japanese Peace Pagoda. Check ahead, since parking or special exhibits can cost extra.
More lists for Sri Lanka
Top things to do nearby
Destinations on this list
- Sigiriya & Dambulla 5 on this list
- Galle 4 on this list
- Kandy 4 on this list
- Ella 3 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.