Sri Lanka – the pearl of the Indian Ocean! Historically known as Ceylon, and famous for its production of Ceylon Tea, a country in South East Asia that really did take my breath away. Being only 65.6 km² with a population of 22 million, hiring a Tuk-Tuk to road trip about Sri Lanka was an absolute dream. Even now, all of my memories feel very surreal!
I poured hours and hours of my time into researching this route before embarking on my 3 week trip to Sri Lanka. I adapted the itinerary and made plenty of notes along the way. So, I am writing this post to share with you all of my tips and tricks that I picked up along the way – to save you making the same kind of mistakes that I did!
I was very torn in my decision whether or not to hire a Tuk Tuk as there are many public transport options in Sri Lanka including the buses and the trains. However, it turned out to be an incredible adventure and enabled so much flexibility when deciding where to go next. An example is that I decided to leave Arugam Bay a couple of days earlier than planned due to it being out of season, and having the Tuk Tuk meant that I could wake up and leave at 6am – providing a beautiful sunrise drive!
I hired the Tuk-Tuk through a company called Tuk Tuk Rental, who provided a 2-hour driving lesson when picking up the Tuk-Tuk, in addition to information on the simple mechanics of the Tuk Tuk in case there were any breakdowns. I was lucky enough not to experience any major breakdowns that required assistance (and the locals in Sri Lanka were so happy to help if we had any difficulties starting the Tuk Tuk). However, I did have a slight crash involving the Tuk Tuk toppling over (definitely a fault of my own when trying to off road on some rocks in a 3-wheeler!) and an incident involving someone else knocking the mirror off whilst parked. However, Tuk Tuk Rental put me in contact with a local mechanic based on the current location to fix up the Tuk Tuk – costing only £3-£5 in total for the repairs.
3 Week Itinerary
Day 1 – Day 3: Colombo
The capital city of Sri Lanka. I would advise not spending longer than 2-3 nights here. You need just enough time to rest when jet-lagged, and to visit some of the Buddhist Temples. I personally visited the Gangaramaya Temple, and the Seema Malakaya Temple.
Day 4 – Day 6: Habarana/Dambulla
This was a bit of a hefty drive – approximately 5 hours in the Tuk Tuk! It was very beautiful, and I hunted for Mango’s the entire way there, stopping at almost every fruit stand that I came across! Turns out mangos are not the fruit in season in March!
I booked a beautiful tree house accommodation in Habarana, as I wanted to stay somewhere that felt tranquil and relaxing for the first part of the trip. I stayed in Habarana Ambasewana Resort which cost £100 for 2 nights, and their buffet-style Sri Lankan dinner was to die for!
Day 6 – Day 7: Kandy
The drive from Habarana to Kandy was a very interesting one – and I plan on writing an entire post on this route which I will link here. However, I only spent 1 brief night in Kandy as we were preparing to ride one of the infamous train journeys in Sri Lanka the following day. Upon arriving in Kandy, the heavens had opened and typically, I had booked an accommodation located at the very top of a hill! Riding in a Tuk Tuk in this weather has to have been one of the most stressful experiences that I experienced throughout the entire trip, but it’s all an experience and that’s what makes the travelling so magical. I stayed in Sky Lodge Hotel, which cost £20 for the night in a Double Room. So affordable and included an amazing breakfast, which I ate whilst observing the wild monkeys jumping in the hotel pool for a morning swim! Bonus was that the hotel was mosquito free, due to it’s location being so high up! It felt incredible to be able to sleep with the windows wide open.
Day 7: Kandy – Nanu-Oya / Nuwara Eliya Train (3-4 hours)
A train journey that I could not rave about more! This was a highlight of the trip, and Tuk Tuk rentals made this so easy to organise as I paid a fee (approximately £50) for a driver to meet us at our final destination with our Tuk Tuk.
You can read about my experience on this train journey here – as there is so much to share!
After arriving in Nuwara Eliya, I could not believe how cold it was! I was warned “it’s as cold as England” – “Yeah, right..” I thought.. responding with a snuff. I mean, it definitely was not an English winter, but it was cold enough to make me grab a shirt to cover my skin! Being at almost 2000m altitude, the temperature in Nuwara Eliya had dropped approximately 15 degrees compared to other parts of Sri Lanka. The highest peak of Sri Lanka is located in Nuwara Eliya, and driving down the hills in a Tuk Tuk was an interesting experience..
Day 7 – Day 9: Ella
Ella is a tourist hotspot, with a similar vibe to other spots in South East Asia that are popular for tourists, such as Thailand. Many restaurants and bars are serving Western food and persuading tourists with their enticing happy hours. Despite this, Ella is very beautiful, offering views that feel very surreal. I stayed in Nice View Guest House for 2 nights in a double room, costing a total of £27. A simple but stunning homestay, offering hammocks and egg-chairs which were perfect to read in whilst enjoying the views.
Top things to do in Ella:
- Little Adam’s Peak Hike
- Flying Ravana Mega Zipline
- Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery – Attend a free meditation led by a Monk, and see experience the Buddhist way of life.
- Nine Arches Bridge.
Day 10 – Day 13: Arugam Bay
When arriving in Arugam Bay, I was initially delighted by the rustic beachside bars and cafes. Driving down the main street of Arugam Bay, I felt so excited by the signs for yoga studios and I was so ready for 6 nights of relaxation, beach and yoga. What I wasn’t quite expecting is that the surf season in Arugam Bay does not start until June, and until then Arugam Bay is a ghost town!
After a few days of the ‘ghost town’ vibe, Arugam Bay started to have an eerie feeling to it. Restaurant owners would call me over, desperately trying to promote their menus, before closing at 9pm due to having little or no business. Apparently Arugam Bay is the place to be from June onwards, as the Surf season moves from the Southern coast to the East coast. However, I was warned to expect price to increase by 3-5 x as much as the off-peak prices!
I stayed in Spice Trail Hotel and paid £180 for 3 nights. It was a stunning hotel, and my room had its own private garden, allowing me to privately shower outside which was an amazing touch in 35 degrees heat.
Arugam Bay Recommendations:
- Flo: local and western eats, for a very affordable price. I ate here twice during our stay. I ordered a Mezze platter, which was served with Tzatziki, Pitta bread, Feta and chicken meatballs.
- Kaffi: The first plant-based milk I’d found in Sri Lanka! I was over the moon to finally have a coconut latte after drinking black coffee for over a week!
- Kumana National Park: I went on a half-day jeep safari and had the amazing experience of seeing elephants, leopards and many other animals!
I had initially booked to stay in Arugam Bay for 3 nights, but extended this due to work commitments and the requirement of a co-working space. However, after 4 nights in Arugam Bay I felt like I had completed it (due to being out of season!). When waking up on the 4th morning in Arugam Bay, I embarked on a 5-hour journey to Hiriketiya.
Day 13 – Day 14: Hiriketiya
Being alone in Hiriketiya, I spent time practicing yoga, reading, drinking wine and watching the surfers on the beach. Despite getting ridiculously sunburnt, I had a really peaceful time in Hiriketiya. I stayed at Clics Co-Living & Co-Working Space, which cost £60 for a private room with an en-suite for 1 night. It was a beautiful hostel, perfect for digital nomads, and I would not hesitate to stay here again if I ever return to Hiriketiya (I hope that I do!).
Day 14 – Day 16: Mirissa
I spent 2 nights in Green Hill Hotel, and paid £110 in total for a double room. A simple yet lovely hotel, with a really beautiful pool area. My room opened onto the pool, which was perfect for a morning swim!
Things to do in Mirissa:
- Coconut Hill – although prepare for the swarms of tourists!
- Turtle Beach
- Mirissa Beach – popular spot for bars and restaurants playing a variety of music.
- My favourite thing to in Mirissa was actually one of my favourite things to do in the whole trip! I stumbled upon a wild Sea Turtle laying eggs at Mirissa Beach, and I was invited by the Coast Guard to visit the egg hatchery farm the following day. This was an incredible experience, and it was a massive highlight for me!
Day 17 – 18: Unawatuna
Previously reading that Unawatuna was the “party playground” of Sri Lanka, I was really excited to visit here – mainly for the beach clubs! Admittedly, it was not quite the Ibiza vibe that I was expecting. I visited Angel Beach Club for their pool party, and I felt bored after a few hours. However, it was a great opportunity to have a little drink and dance by the pool.
However, Unawatuna accomodation was very affordable, at £12 for 1 night in a private double room, and the Sri Lankan Curry at Kabala Sunset Cafe was one of the best curries that I had in the entire trip, making a night in Unawatuna worth it!
Day 19 – 20: Ahangama
Ahangama was generally more expensive that other spots that I visited, mainly due to the crowds of tourists that it attracts. With the green smoothie bars and Acai bowls, I wondered whether I was in Clapham or Sri Lanka at times! However, Ahangama is a foodie spot for sure and I ate some delicious food whilst here.
- Tahinii & Friends – This cafe made me feel like I was dining in someones garden. Steps away from the beach with a boho/beanbags on the floor seated area. I spent the day here reading my book, eating hummus and pitta bread and drinking king coconuts. It was dreamy!
- CACTUS – A cute brunch spot overlooking the beach, a little on the more pricey side for Sri Lanka.
- Mermaids Kitchen – Great spot for local food, overlooking the beach! Very affordable.
- Black Honey – Stunning boho cafe/bar, owned by a man from London! I attended a Liquid D&B event here for a liquid lunch – an event promoting sustainability. Jungle oasis with a swimming pool. Did not eat here, but the food looked incredible!
Please note – some of the restaurants in Ahangama shut down for the low season which is June – October in Southern Sri Lanka.
Day 21 – 22: Negombo & Colombo
I spent my final night in Sri Lanka in a Villa called Lioni Holidays Villa. I decided to stay in Negombo as opposed to Colombo due to it being much closer to the airport and being much quicker to access for an early flight! I paid £14 for the night in a double room, which had access to a private kitchen and a swimming pool. Very affordable spot, and it was easy enough to grab an Uber to the airport in the morning!
There we go – that is my 3-week itinerary of the Sri Lanka road trip! I loved every moment of this trip, and I wouldn’t hesitate to return if I ever get the chance. My only regret is that I didn’t try surfing in Hiriketiya, but definitely one to put on the bucket list! I’ve tried to include some of the prices for the accommodation. I stayed in a mixture of hotels, home stays and hostels and the prices typically varied from £12 – £60 per night, depending on the quality and the facilities that the accommodation offers, and also whether the area was “in” season or not.
Check out my Tik-Tok for some video’s that I created throughout the road trip.
