If you are looking at this Sri Lanka Itinerary East Coast, the chances are you will be travelling between May and October.
This is the high season period for Sri Lanka’s east coast. During this period, the southwest coast around Galle and beyond experiences monsoons.
That’s not to say the southwest is off the cards during the monsoon. We have spent plenty of time at Hiriketiya Beach in the far south during the monsoon. While there are drizzly days, there are also nice spells.
If you are visiting Sri Lanka between November and April, check out this itinerary.
Sri Lanka is a beautiful country rich in culture and diverse landscapes. Travelling with kids is a really viable option due to the range of activities, resorts and landscapes on offer.
It is fast becoming the destination to explore due to its unique things to do. Beaches, temples, wildlife…there really is something for everyone in Sri Lanka.
We have been living in Sri Lanka for over a year now and have loved exploring every corner of the country.
To get to the east coast of Sri Lanka, there is quite a bit of driving involved so that most tourists will make a stop along the way. Hence, this post will take you through the best spots to stop on the way to the east.
Here is our Sri Lanka east coast itinerary with or without kids, starting in Negombo, stopping in Sigirya, and the incredible Gal Oya National Park and Pasikuda before circling back.
Sri Lanka Itinerary East Coast
Negombo
If you are travelling for a long haul to reach Sri Lanka, the chances are you may want to make a stop and rest rather than hitting the road straight away.
Luckily, Negombo is pretty close to the airport and features several nice hotels and colonial guesthouses. This is the ideal first stop on a trip to Sri Lanka. We can recommend two spots for different budgets.
The first is Jetwing Lagoon hotel and is situated slightly out of the hustle and bustle of Negombo town, between the beach and the lagoon. The site is calm and quiet compared to the busy town centre.
Jetwing hotels are known for their sustainable hospitality approach—they use no plastic, use renewable energy sources, and invest in local communities.
There are plenty of hotel options, but the ethos of the Jetwing Group is inspiring. The hotel’s staff and facilities and the amazing food were fantastic.
The hotel’s standout feature is the 100-meter-long pool! Our room was light and airy and had a lagoon view. Next to the lagoon is a large grassy area, perfect for bird watching during sunset!
Another hotel recommendation that is just 25 minutes’ drive from Colombo Airport is The Wallawwa. It is a little more expensive but perfect for that first night of rest before heading to the east coast of Sri Lanka.
Settle into a beautiful spot before taking a tour of the on-site farm. Brimming with fruits, vegetables, and herbs, it offers a tantalizing introduction to Sri Lankan cuisine. Meet the charming resident goats known for their endearing floppy ears.
The jungle pool, tucked away amidst tall palm trees, offers a refreshing escape from the warm sun. Dine at the on-site restaurant, overlooking meticulously landscaped gardens adorned with colourful flowers, and savour the Sri Lankan curry, served on multiple small plates.
Beach Negombo
We ventured into Negombo to check out the famous beach. There is a beautiful Hindu temple on the way into town, which we would have loved to explore, but it was closed when we drove past. Once we got to Negombo, we went straight to the beach, and it is vast.
Negombo Lagoon
Another nice activity in Negombo is a speed boat trip across the lagoon. This was great fun because we saw the local fishing villages around the lagoon and lots of wildlife.
Hotels in Dambulla
When looking for hotels in Dambulla, we decided to continue onto Jetwing Lake when we left the East coast.
Dambulla is in the middle of Sri Lanka and about a 3-hour drive from Negombo. We did what lots of tourists do in Sri Lanka and hired a car, and it cost us $ 70 USD.
Dambulla is well-positioned for lots of sightseeing and is a rough halfway point to the East Coast. The hotel is situated just outside of Dambulla in the countryside, overlooking the hills. The location is amazing, and the view from our room was breathtaking.
Dambulla Cave Temple
A very short tuk-tuk drive from Jetwing Lake is the Dambulla cave temple. I highly recommend you go and have a look around if you are near the area because they are amazing.
There is a 20-25 minute climb up stairs to get to the temple so i wouldn’t recommend bringing a push chair. There are several caves to visit, all of which are well-lit, nice and cool.
A local suggested walking in on the opposite side of our descent. This was so we could also visit the Golden Buddha statue.
This was a great tip as the journey up was about half the distance from going down. The Golden Buddha in Dambulla is huge and quite a contrast to the cave temples.
Sigiriya
When planning this trip, I knew I wanted to climb Sigiriya, also known as Lion’s Rock.
There are 1200 stairs to the top, so, I knew it would be slow progress. It can be a little pricey to go to the top so nearby Pidurangala rock is another great option for a fraction of the price.
Sigiriya Rock Climb
We had been advised to get there early in the morning to climb. It would be cooler and quieter to climb when the gates opened at 7 a.m.
There were a few people at that time of the morning but otherwise it was empty. We did the climb with a few stops in just over 30 minutes.
There were sections of the climb where the stairs and walkway were bolted to the rock, so you really need to be careful around these spots.
Minneriya National Park Safari
If you are heading to central Sri Lanka, I would recommend doing an elephant safari at Minneriya National Park. We had a private jeep with Minneriya Safari Tours which collected us from our hotel.
After a very bumpy 20 minute drive into the national park, we were treated to over 200 elephants next to the lake. A word of caution, there were lots of other jeeps so it did feel quite busy. Gal Oya which we will come onto shortly is a really good alternative.
That said, the jeeps kept their distance from the elephants and they did not seem bothered by the cars.
Pasikuda Beach
A further two-hour drive completed our itinerary to the East Coast. Pasikuda Beach is stunning. It’s a wide, golden sandy beach with shallow water.
The summer months are the best time to visit the East Coast, as the sea is calm and the weather is far drier than in other parts.
There are many resorts on this stretch of beach. The best place to stay is Maalu Maalu Resort. They serve delicious food and have stunning rooms, and the resort is just a few steps from the beach.
The pool is huge, and there are tonnes for the kids onsite, especially with the animator who sets up games throughout the day.
This was a standout place for us as a family. We felt super chilled and could enjoy the beauty.
There are many things to do in Trincomalee beautiful place on the east coast worth considering.
Sailing in Padikuda
Sitting in Pasikuda Bay was a large catamaran, so I decided to take a 3-hour sailing trip with Sail Lanka. Initially, we had planned on doing a sunset cruise, but it was too windy in the afternoon.
We were collected at 9 a.m. on the beach and taken to the catamaran, where 2 other families joined us. It was lovely to see so many children on the boat. It was such a family-friendly activity in Sri Lanka.
We sailed for an hour, dropped an anchor, and had a swim. We were then treated to fresh fruit and snacks before sailing back to the bay. The boat is in immaculate condition, and the crew is incredibly helpful.
Gal Oya National Park
If you are looking for something a little off the beaten track in Sri Lanka, Gal Oya National Park is the ideal spot. It’s only a couple of hours drive from Pasikuda and serves tourists on the east coast quite well regarding unique safari experiences and wilderness.
In Gal Oya, you can enjoy stunning mountain scenery and a beautiful lake that attracts a lot of wildlife, especially elephants. Our trip to the park felt far less intrusive on the wildlife than other safari experiences, as we were on a boat on the lake.
Gal Oya National Park offers the only safari boat experience in the country. In addition to elephants, the park is full of unique birds, porcupines, and civic cats. And yes, there are leopards, although they are rarely spotted.
Gal Oya Lodge
We stayed at Gal Oya Lodge, which is just on the perimeter of the park. This incredible spot is an experience in itself. Featuring eco bungalows and villas, we were blown away by the comfort and luxury.
It’s not easy to get comfort and eco-perfect. There is an onsite research centre and several naturalists who attend to guests.
We took a walk around the area with an amazing naturalist. We learned so much in such a stunning environment surrounded by towering mountains and wildlife; it was super educational.
The days can be quite warm and sweaty, so the pool, which is perfectly positioned for a view of Monkey’s Rock, is the ideal spot to cool off!
Talking of Monkey’s Rock, the staff can take you on an early morning walk to the top. It’s not for the faint-hearted, and it is a little challenging, but it is very much worth the hard work.
The elevated views of the valley below are astounding. The elevation took us above the clouds, and so we looked down on them, which was pretty cool.
Gal Oya Lodge arranged our boat safari tour and drove us to the launch in their safari vehicle. Immediately we saw an elephant on a tiny island surrounded by water. Out of all the safari trips we’ve been on.
Perhaps the best part of Gal Oya Lodge is the food. They do both Sri Lankan and international cuisine incredibly well.
Internal Flights Sri Lanka
We decided to use internal flights in Sri Lanka to get back to Colombo with Cinnamon Air for a few reasons. Firstly, it would have been a 6+ hour journey in the car.
Secondly, I knew it would be an amazing experience and I was not wrong. When I booked the flight I had no idea we would be the only passengers on the plane. It was expensive, however, it was one of the highlights of our trip.
We would have loved to have taken the train more on this trip but it just didn’t work out. Had my son been a bit older there is no doubt we would have used more public transport.
We only got to see a fraction of what Sri Lanka has to offer on this trip, next time we might try Ayurveda retreats. There is no doubt we will be back again.
Have you enjoyed reading this post about a Sri Lanka itinerary East Coast?
Leave us a comment, we love hearing from you.
Related Posts:
Disclaimer: This post about Sri Lanka East Coast Itinerary contains affiliate links, using, them it will not cost you any extra. We will receive a small commission to keep us writing.
Kelly
Sunday 5th of January 2020
It’s a very interesting read would like to know what the best way to get from airport to east of island?