7 Days Active Travel Itinerary for Sri Lanka - from Sunrise on the East Coast to Sunset on the West Coast

7 Days Active Travel Itinerary for Sri Lanka

The tear-shaped island of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean, is not only an idyllic destination for beach bums and heliophiles (sun lovers), but also for heritage buffs, adventurers and nature lovers. From the soul-filling sunrises on the east coast of Sri Lanka to the heart-warming sunsets on the west coast, there's enough in between for wildlife, cultural, heritage and historical experiences.
I had recently travelled to Sri Lanka amid the economic crisis, as the country was promoting international tourism as an help to its economy. Since Sri Lanka is a small island nation and the internal travels too long, the activities and destinations can be planned in any order of your comfort.

Sri Lanka travel - sunrise on east coast to sunset on west coast

Sunrise at Trincomalee, East Coast of Sri Lanka

Trincomalee, on the east coast of Sri Lanka, is one of the oldest cities in Asia and one of the finest natural harbours of the world. Due to its strategic location, Trincomalee has historically served as a seaport for international trading. The port has seen many historic wars in the seas around it, and has been successively occupied by Portuguese, Dutch, French, British and Japanese powers. 
Trincomalee is now a famous beach destination, for its white sand beaches, calm blue waters and beautiful beach resorts. The coastline here is dotted with Nilaveli, Uppuveli, Trincomalee and Marble beaches.
Go for a swim in the blue waters, chill out on the sunbeds by the beach, sip on some cocktails with local drinks. Don't forget to wake up for a gorgeous sunrise at any of the beaches on the East Coast of Sri Lanka to add to your worthy moments!

Sunrise at Nilaveli beach, Trincomalee, East Coast of Sri Lanka

Snorkeling / Scuba Diving at Pigeon Island National Park, Trincomalee, East Coast of Sri Lanka

A day trip to Pigeon Island National Park from Trincomalee is definitely not to be missed. Just a km away from Nilaveli beach, Pigeon Island can be approached by a 15-mins boat ride. The marine National Park of Pigeon Island is a protected area fringed by coral reefs under the turquoise blue waters. 

Snorkeling at Pigeon Island National Park, Sri Lanka

​After a long wait for the oceans, I got to put on my snorkel, masks and fins. With snorkelling, I don't need to track my air usage and time under water, which allows me to spend endless time with my reef friends. I spotted a blacktip reef shark (my aquatic love) as soon as I finned my first kicks. The preserved corals of the shallow waters were more attractive than the reef fishes. 
For Scuba Divers, there are more than 20 dive sites around Pigeon Island for easy & relaxed diving. I'm yet to explore the dive sties, because my diving trips need to be planned exclusively for diving, where all I do is Eat-Dive-Sleep-Repeat!

Coral Reef at Pigeon Island National Park, Sri Lanka

Koneswaram Temple at Trincomalee, East Coast of Sri Lanka

The ancient Koneswaram Temple in Trincomalee, also known as Thirukonamalai Konesar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Its earliest records are from 6th century BC, originally built in Dravidian architectural style. The temple has been restored multiple times by the ruling kingdoms Pallava, Chola, Pandyan and Jafna and these styles reflect on the temple design. The temple was destroyed by the Portuguese in the 17th century and later in the 1950, the local authorities recovered the original idols and artefacts to reconstruct the temple. There are many historical and mythological associations with this temple.

Thirukonamalai Konesar Temple, Trincomalee, Sri Lanka

​The trendy wall art on a historical Shiva temple. I was fascinated to see new art forms being adopted as a part of preservation and restoration of ancient monuments.

Modern Wall Art, Koneswaram Temple, Trincomalee, Sri Lanka

​Elephant Safari at Hurulu Eco Park, Central Province, Sri Lanka

The dry evergreen forest reserves of Hurulu Eco Park in the central province of Sri Lanka are known as habitats for Sri Lankan Elephants. There are 2 more national parks in the surrounding areas and you could choose either of the 3 for your journey. The elephants migrate to the surrounding nationals parks and the best time for sighting large  herds of elephants is:

• Minneriya National Park - July to September
• Kaudulla National Park - October to November
• Hurulu Eco Park - December to January

Elephant safari at Hurulu Eco Park, Central Province of Sri Lanka

​Cimbing Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Central Province, Sri Lanka

Sigiriya is a historical rock fortress of Sri Lanka, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
King Kashyapa had built a palace on top of the rock and a city around around it. Sigiriya was the capital during his reign in the first century. Sigiriya means lion rock in Tamil language, derived from the lion formed gateway on the mid way to the palace. After the king's death, Sigiriya was was used by Buddhist monks as a monastery.

Sigiriya Rock Fortress, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sri Lanka

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​​The palace is ruined, but some of the caves and frescoes have been preserved. A short hike to the top of the rock gives some mind-blowing views of Sri Lankan landscapes.

View from the top of Sigiriya rock fortress, Sri Lanka

​Village Trail at Kayanwala Wewa, Central Province, Sri Lanka

Rural Tourism and village trails are hands down the best way to experience the culture of any destination. The villages surrounding Sigiriya, host travellers for local experiences. A walking trail or a bullock cart ride, followed by a catamaran ride on the Kayanwala Lake takes you to a farmer's village where they serve fresh Sri Lankan cuisine cooked in traditional style. The meal includes boiled rice with a variety of curries and pickles served on a lotus leaf. This could be the best local food to experience in Sri Lanka.

​Village Trail at Kayanwala Wewa, Central Province, Sri Lanka

​Village Trail at Kayanwala Lake, Central Province, Sri Lanka

​Heritage trail at Dambulla Golden Temple, Central Province, Sri Lanka

Dambulla Golden Temple built on a 150m high rock, is such a unique Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka, I was swept away! It is the largest and the best preserved cave temple of Sri Lanka, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The temple complex and be accessed by steps through the rock. It has five caves dedicated to Buddha, other gods and kings of Sri Lanka. The paintings with intricate designs on the walls and ceilings of the caves depicting the life of Buddha are quite adorable. Dambulla monastery has more than 150 glamorous statues of Buddha in different sizes and forms.

Dambulla Cave Temple, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sri Lanka

Buddha paintings & statues at Dambulla cave temple, Sri Lanka

​A huge golden statue of Buddha, a buddhist museum and a golden Pagoda at the base of the Dambulla rock, are recent additions to the cave temple. 

Golden Buddha, Dambulla Golden Temple, Sri Lanka

Golden Pagoda, Dambulla Golden Temple, Sri Lanka

Gangaramaya Temple, Colombo, Sri Lanka​

Gangaramaya Temple is a marvellous Buddhist temple in the heart of Colombo. It is a modern architecture reflecting Sri Lankan, Indian, Thai and Chinese styles. The temple is built with cultural influence from all the ancient Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka. The main temple is loaded with unique artefacts and statues.

Gangaramaya Temple, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Gangaramaya Buddhist temple, Colombo, Sri Lanka

​Seema Malaka, an extension of Gangaramaya Temple looks gorgeous on the Beira Lake. The original structure had sunk in the lake. It was redesigned and reconstructed to be used as an assembly hall for buddhist monks and a mediation centre of everyone.

Seema Malaka on Lake Beira, Colombo, Sri Lanka

​Kelaniya Raja Temple, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara, also known as Kelaniya Temple is a Buddhist temple, close to Colombo. The exquisite paintings and statues depicting the life of Buddha are a major attraction in the temple. The buddhist folklore says that Buddha preached on a gem-studded throne in the Kelaniya Stupa, next to the temple. He had gifted this throne to the king of Kelaniya. 

Kelaniya Raja Temple, Sri Lanka

Kelaniya Raja Buddhist Temple, Sri Lanka

​Sunset at Galle Face, Colombo, West Coast of Sri Lanka

When in Colombo, spend your evenings at the Galle Face for incredible sunsets!
​Those were my last moments spent in Sri Lanka, before taking my flight back home.

Sunset at Galle Face, Colombo, West Coast of Sri Lanka

​I had stayed at Cinnamon Hotels during my 7-days trip to Sri Lanka.
Cinnamon Grand, Colombo, West Coast - 2 nights (arrival & departure)
Cinnamon Lodge, Habarana, Central Province - 3 nights
Trinco Blu by Cinnamon, Trincomalee, East Coast - 1 night
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My power-packed travel itinerary was curated by Sri Lankan Airlines, and I got to indulge in a an array of experiences that Sri Lanka has to offer.

For staying connected during this unforgettable journey, I relied on TSIM’s Sri Lanka eSIM, which proved to be highly affordable and offered excellent network connectivity throughout my trip. Installing the esim was super easy and it saved my time for searching for local sim cards upon arrival.