Right now, record numbers of travellers are flocking to Sri Lanka. Here’s how to swerve the crowds and find the best off-beat locations the island has to offer.
Sri Lanka has seen challenging times since the turn of the century, from the devastating impact of the 2004 tsunami, to the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings. The covid-19 pandemic brought global travel to a halt – causing a 73.5% decline in tourism in Sri Lanka alone. In 2022, an economic collapse led to shortages of fuel, food and essential medical supplies, alongside frequent power blackouts across the island. With tourism identified as the third largest and fastest growing source of foreign currency in 2018, its depletion had troubling implications for an already fragile economy.
Fast forward to 2024, and things are looking up for the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, and it’s about time. In January, a Sri Lankan minister announced the tourism sector saw a 122% growth compared to the previous year. The country welcomed approximately 1.48 million tourists in 2023, almost double that of 2022. Now ranked the 5th fastest growing travel destination in the world, it is set for greater and more sustained tourism in 2024. In June alone, Sri Lanka recorded 113,470 arrivals. Sunshine and downpours do indeed coexist on this island of microclimates.
It’s easy to see the appeal. A budget beauty with diverse and landscapes, Sri Lanka offers everything from ancient cities, rich in cultural and spiritual history, to the emerald peaks and tea plantations of the hill country, and the tropical beaches of the south coast.
The downside is that the island’s most popular locations can quickly become overcrowded, especially during peak season. From January through to April, south coast towns like Mirrisa and Weligama are often overrun with surf newbies and day trippers snapping coconut palms for the ‘gram, or squeezing onto packed out whale-watching vessels. It is almost impossible to get a seat on the iconic Kandy to Ella rail stretch, and six wheel drives outnumber elephants at Yala National Park. Here’s how to swerve the crowds and find the best off-beat experiences Sri Lanka has to offer.
Wilpattu
Wilpattu National Park is a 45-minute drive from Anuradhapura, the ancient capital of the North Central Province. One of the largest and oldest national parks on the island, it is ideal for travellers wanting to observe Sri Lanka’s wildlife away from the throngs of visitors at the more popular southern parks. Expect dino-esque monitor lizards, crocs lurking at the water’s edge, grazing warthogs, an abundance of exotic birds, and too many monkeys to feel completely at ease in an open-top. You might even spot leopards moving through the undergrowth at first light, or elephants bathing in the shallows of one of the park’s many lakes.
Mihintale
Also close to Anuradhapura is Mihintale, a mountain peak where King Devanampiyatissa is said to have encountered Arahant Mahinda, a Buddhist monk, and son of Emperor Ashoka. It was this legendary meeting in 243 BCE which inaugurated the presence of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, and turned Mihintale into this beautiful-beyond-words modern day pilgrimage site.
More adventurous travellers might start their journey at the local town and trek through the forested hills, caves and granite boulders to reach Mihintale Rock Peak. At just over 300m, the summit offers panoramas of picturesque countryside, and unobstructed views of the Mihintale Buddha Statue and Mahaseya Dagoba. Head to the dagoba for sunset, when the sky softens into pastel tones and the air fills with the rhythmic chanting of monks.
Pidurangula
Pidurangula may not have the fame of Sigiriya’s Lion’s Rock but it offers the best view of it in all of Sri Lanka. Located a few kilometres north, this volcanic rock formation is a quieter, more affordable alternative for those drawn to hikes and views over bucket-list sights.
Arrive before sunrise – when it’s coolest and least crowded – and allow around 30 minutes to reach the summit. From the top, you’ll be level with Lion Rock where you can stand at level with the Lion’s Rock and watch dawn break around it.
In and around Jaffna
The Tamil North is geographically and culturally distinct from the southern part of the island. Jaffna, the region’s capital, has more in common with Southern India – from its dry heat and dusty roads, to its red-and-white striped Hindu temples and freely roaming cows. Nallur Kandaswamy temple, the gold-encrusted gem of Jaffna, is a highlight. Time your visit to coincide with a puja ritual, and follow a procession of worshippers through the centuries-old temple as they move between shrines and offerings.
Beyond the city, the peninsula is best explored by scooter. Spend a day cruising down causeways to the islands off the west coast of Jaffna. From Punkuvutidu, board a boat to Nainathivu to join pilgrims at the beautiful and ancient Nagadeepa Temple. Continue to Kayt’s most northern point, a tiny jetty of colourful wooden fishing boats and board a final ferry to Karainagar, an island of palm trees and white sand beaches. End the day at 17th-century Fort Jaffna, watching the sun set over its star-shaped walls.
The Knuckles
The Knuckles Mountain Range stretches across central Sri Lanka, its ridgelines resembling a clenched fist against the skyline. It’s a landscape of dense forest, waterfalls and remote trekking routes, as well as a biodiversity hotspot home to a plethora of wildlife, including lizards, sambar deer, wild boar, elephants, loris and bandicoots.
It is highly unadvisable – and actually prohibited – to trek in The Knuckles without a guide, but there are many guided day hikes or multi-day trekking adventures which depart from Kandy.
South coast hideouts: Hirikitiya and Tangalle
Describing Hirikitiya as ‘off-beat’ these days is a stretch, but this crescent-moon cove, where jungle meets ocean, feels more secluded and intimate than neighbouring towns of Mirissa and Weligama. Where there were once little more than a few wooden huts along the palm-clad shoreline, you can now find cafes, remote working hubs and plenty of rookie boarders trying out the gentle waves. A 30-minte drive east is Tangalle, a peaceful paradise with 7km stretch of white sand beach, which becomes a stomping ground for turtle hatchlings come sundown.
Essentials
Getting there and around
Whilst this piece focuses on off-beat locations, Sri Lanka is an island of well-accommodated tourist hubs with an efficient public transport system including public buses which can be used to access most of the island, not to mention some of the most beautiful train journeys in South Asia, if not the world. It’s advisable to reserve a seat on the train if you can, as the most popular routes can get very busy during peak season.
When to go
Sri Lanka is a country of microclimates with back to back monsoons on different sides of the island. The north and the east coast see rain October to January and the drier weather May through September, whilst the west and south coast and the hill country has its monsoon May to September, and is dry and sunny from December through until March.
Where to stay
There is accommodation to suit all budgets in Sri Lanka, from luxurious hotel resorts to hostels for under £8 per night. An increasing number of families are now offering ‘homestays’ for travellers, an authentic and budget-friendly option which also involves delicious home-cooked food and local travel expertise.