The Most Beautiful Places in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka was on my list for years before I finally got to explore Sri Lanka. And while the weather was not the best, I could not help but fall more in love with the country. After all, there are so many beautiful places in Sri Lanka and I loved exploring as many of them as I could during my 10 days in Sri Lanka.

As a student, I was inspired to visit Sri Lanka by a poem I read. It told of the country’s natural beauty and as soon as I finished the poem, I felt this strong urge to go there and see Sri Lanka with my own eyes. Hopefully, this list of Sri Lanka’s beautiful places will have a similar effect on you. They might not be poetic, but then again a picture is supposed to say a thousand words.

The order of listed beautiful places in Sri Lanka is counter-clockwise and organized in such a way, that you can see them all in one adventure.

Top 3 Beautiful Places in Sri Lanka

The is a seemingly endless amount of beautiful places in Sri Lanka, but the following are my personal choice of five places you cannot miss while in Sri Lanka:

1. The Most Beautiful Scenery: Ella
2. The Best Place in Sri Lanka for Elefant Encounters: Kaudulla & Minneriya National Park
3. The Most Beautiful View: Pidurangala Rock

Be sure to read the rest of the article to find out more about what these beautiful places in Sri Lanka have to offer and to see which other places are also worth a visit.

My Own Sri Lanka Trip

Upon arrival, I admittedly had a hard time arriving in Sri Lanka as I was still enchanted by Vietnam, but by the time I had to leave, I wanted nothing more than to stay there longer. Therefore, it is safe to say that I will be back in Sri Lanka as soon as possible. There are so many things that I still want to do and more beautiful places I want to see, and I am sure that you will feel the same way once you have been to Sri Lanka.

I explored Sri Lanka in a tuk tuk which I rented with a friend. It is not what everyone does and at times it was scary, but we wanted a somewhat unique experience, so it was the perfect choice for us.

We started out in Negombo and drove to Unawatuna. From there, we explored Galle before heading to Tangalle via Mirissa. Afterward, we headed upwards to Ella and Kandy and took the train to Nuwara Eliya. Then we headed to Sigiriya, did an elephant safari in Kaudulla National Park, and headed to Trincomalee. We stayed there for a few days before heading back to Negombo via Anuradhapura.

Travel Budget: This trip was one of the least expensive ones in my life. You can read all about it in my guide about travel in Sri Lanka on a budget. It includes a list of all expenses and serves as the perfect travel budget planning aid.

1. Unawatuna

Unawatuna is one of the places you have to visit as it is undeniably one of the most beautiful places in Sri Lanka. And chances are that you have seen at least some pictures of it on social media.

It is the location of the palm rope swing and ship rock, and also has some of the best sunsets in Sri Lanka. In addition to that, there is a very high likelihood that you will be able to see a big turtle while swimming at a certain section of the beach.

2. Galle

Galle is the location of an old Dutch fort that is incredibly picturesque. Therefore, I personally consider it one of Sri Lanka’s most beautiful places. While there, you should spend at least a few hours wandering around the fort. The buildings are really cute and interesting, so you will not regret your visit. There are also several museums, that are worth exploring if you want to learn more about the Dutch period of Sri Lanka’s colonial history.

3. Mirissa

Located on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, Mirissa is insta-famous thanks to the coconut tree hill and the peacock mural in town. However, this town has still maintained a certain laid-back charm that makes it a great place to spend a day or two.

In addition to the ‘famous’ spots, Mirissa also offers great beaches, as well as whale watching tours. During said tours, you can observe the whales that inhabit the area permanently. Be sure to read the reviews so you can choose an ethical tour operator.

On top of that, this beautiful place in Sri Lanka also offers amazing food. In fact, the kotu I ate in town was what made me add Sri Lanka to the list of foodie destinations.

4. Tangalle

Tangalle is located in the south of Sri Lanka and is an amazing place if you want beaches. After all, the beaches stretch kilometers along the coastline, and if you head there during the off-season you might even end up having this beach for yourself.

Aside from that, Tangalle is also a bird watching hot spot. Hereby, the Tangalle Lagoon is the best place to spot a variety of birds. You can even rent a kayak and do bird watching while paddling between the mangroves.

5. Ella

Ella is a town in central Sri Lanka and a must-visit place if you visit Sri Lanka. While there, you can visit the Nine Arch Bridge and hike Little Adams Peak or Ella Rock. If you only do one of these hikes, you should choose Little Adams Peak, as the view is significantly better. From the endpoint of the trail, I could see both Ella Rock and Ravana Waterfall in the distance.

I recommend planning most of the activities early in the morning, as the afternoons can be quite rainy once the monsoon season has arrived.

And do not forget to catch the train to Kandy or Nuwara Eliya. The scenery on both sides of the track is stunning. It is no wonder, that this train ride in Sri Lanka can be found on lists of the best train rides in the world.

6. Sigiriya & Pidurangala

7. Kaudulla National Park

Kaudulla National Park and Minneriya National Park are the best places in Sri Lanka to see elephants. These two national parks are where the yearly gathering occurs. Hundreds of elephants come to this location due to the receding water in the man-made water reserves, which allows nutritious grass to grow.

Seeing all these elephants should be more than enough to inspire you to visit Sri Lanka. At least, if you love elephants as much as I do.

I have to admit that this is only a small selection of pictures I took during the elephant safari in Kaudulla National Park. I love these stunning animals, so this experience was one of my Sri Lanka highlights. Seeing around two hundred elephants in their natural habitat was incredible. Therefore, I would say that the two national parks are some of the best places to take photos in Sri Lanka.

Which safari company to choose? Read my review of Minneriya Safari Tours. It serves as a good reference even if you want to book your safari with another operator.

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Did this list of beautiful places in Sri Lanka convince you to visit the country?

As said in the very beginning, this list only shows some of Sri Lanka’s beautiful places, as there are too many to count. And I am sure, that you will find fantastic spots that I completely missed while there. Be sure to let me know which fantastic place you discovered, so I can see it with my own eyes when I finally return to Sri Lanka.

I sincerely hope that this list convinced you to visit the country or helped you find places to add to your trip itinerary. After all, I love the country and want to share its beauty with you. Please do not hesitate to ask me if you have any questions about traveling around Sri Lanka. I am more than happy to share what I know.