Category: Sri Lanka

Located in Central Sri Lanka and classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991, Dambulla’s Buddhist Golden Caves Temple was built in the first century BC and used to serve as a shelter for monks during the rainy season. Called Raja Maha Vihara originally, the caves are carved from a huge granite rock and […]

Kandy is the kind of city that sneaks up on you. On paper, it’s Sri Lanka’s second-largest city and the island’s cultural and religious capital. In person, it’s a bowl of misty green hills, ancient temples, a lake that turns pink at sunset, and enough street food smells to make you forget you had a […]

Of all the places I wanted to visit in Sri Lanka, the Sigiriya Lion Rock Fortress was the one. The only one I’d actually heard of before planning the trip, the rock that shows up on every Sri Lanka mood board, every “must-see” list, every conversation about the island. I’d built it up considerably in […]

There’s a moment when your jeep rounds a bend at the edge of the Kaudulla Reservoir and suddenly, out of nowhere, hundreds of elephants appear. Grazing, bathing, rumbling at each other, babies stumbling around on oversized feet. It’s the kind of scene that makes you forget you were ever worried about the bumpy ride or […]

Ella was hands-down one of my favorite stops on my Sri Lanka trip — and I say that having visited over 30 countries. Perched high in the hill country, surrounded by emerald tea plantations, misty peaks, and spectacular waterfalls, this small town punches way above its weight. You can hike to jaw-dropping viewpoints in the […]

Nuwara Eliya. Say it with me: nuhr-elly-ah. Most people butcher it the first time, and that’s fine. What matters is that you actually go, because this misty, colonial-tinged hill town in the heart of Sri Lanka‘s tea country is genuinely one of the most surprising places I visited on the island. I expected pretty plantations. […]

With about 80% of its population being Buddhist, Sri Lanka is a high center for Buddhism. The temples in Sri Lanka are amazing, you’ll feel peace and serenity. Walking barefoot on the cold stones, surrounded by incense burning and devotees chanting, you’ll discover a unique atmosphere… Here are some of my favorite and famous temples […]

Sri Lanka is starting to attract more and more tourists, and now is the perfect time to go. The culture and the way of life there, are really preserved. Contrary to many Asian countries, the western influence is minimal. Visiting Sri Lanka is truly a great experience, the country has a lot to offer in […]

Planning a trip to Galle? Good call. This UNESCO-listed coastal fort town is one of the most atmospheric stops on any Sri Lanka itinerary — part open-air museum, part foodie hub, part sunset-watching paradise. I visited in January and I’ll tell you exactly what’s worth your time (and what you can skip). Galle at a […]