Planning guides

Sri Lanka Travel Journal

Practical, opinionated guides from the team who drive this island for a living.

LatestPlanning

The Best Time to Visit Sri Lanka (It Depends Which Coast)

Sri Lanka runs on two monsoons on opposite schedules, so half the island is always in its dry season. Here is how to pick your dates.

21 Aug 20262 min readRead the guide

The archive

9 more articles on planning, routes, food and the practicalities of getting around.

PlanningItineraries

The island looks small on a map. The roads say otherwise. A realistic guide to what fits into 7, 10 and 14 days.

12 Aug 20262 minRead

PlanningCulture

Temple dress codes, the sarong trick, why you want a jacket in the hills, and the small courtesies that matter more than you expect.

3 Aug 20262 minRead

TrainsHill Country

Which class, which side, how far ahead to book, and whether the whole seven hours is really necessary.

25 Jul 20262 minRead

WildlifeSafari

Leopards, guaranteed elephants, or somewhere without a queue of jeeps. An honest comparison of the three main parks.

16 Jul 20262 minRead

FoodCulture

Rice and curry is not one dish, hoppers are worth getting up for, and kottu is the sound of the evening.

7 Jul 20263 minRead

TransportPlanning

An honest comparison of the four ways to move around the island, and when each one actually makes sense.

28 Jun 20263 minRead

FamiliesPlanning

Short drives, elephants over ruins, and the beaches that are actually safe to swim from.

19 Jun 20263 minRead

SurfingAdventure

Two coasts, two seasons, and one of the friendliest places in the world to learn.

10 Jun 20263 minRead

HikingAdventure

A sunrise pilgrimage, a cliff that drops 880 metres, cloud forest ridges, and the easiest good view in the country.

1 Jun 20263 minRead