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Kuala Lumpur to Sri Lanka: Colombo, Sigiriya, Kandy, Ella and Mirissa

Kuala Lumpur → Colombo → Sigiriya → Kandy → Ella → Mirissa

Sigiriya
"Sigiriya_(141688197).jpeg" by Wrobell, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence
Colombo city skyline at night (Colombo)
Photo: Gihanud2001, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sri Lanka loop & whales Best season (general guide): Dec–Apr

Sri Lanka packs ancient cities, mountains, tea estates and beaches into an island you can cross in under two weeks. This route travels from Colombo to Sigiriya, Kandy and Ella, then down to the south coast at Mirissa. From Kuala Lumpur there are non-stop flights to Colombo, and the rest of the journey is by road and rail.

After a night in Colombo, the road north reaches Sigiriya, the 5th-century rock fortress listed by UNESCO, and the cave temples of Dambulla. Kandy's Temple of the Tooth is one of the most important sites of Buddhism. The train from Kandy into the hills to Ella winds through tea estates, and from Ella you can walk to Little Adam's Peak and the Nine Arches Bridge. The road then drops to the coast at Mirissa, where whale-watching boats look for blue whales and other species, and Galle's Dutch fort is nearby.

December to April is the best time for this route, as the south and west coasts are drier and Mirissa's whale season is at its peak. The south-west monsoon arrives around May.

Book the Kandy to Ella train in advance. Choose whale-watching operators that follow responsible rules, and dress modestly at temples.

Pacing note: start the Sigiriya climb early, before the heat and the crowds. The train from Kandy to Ella is slow but scenic, so plan it as a travel day. Mirissa's whale boats leave at dawn, so take the trip on your first full morning there.

Suggested outline

  1. Kuala Lumpur

    Start

  2. Colombo

    By air · 1 night suggested

    Sri Lanka's main city and arrival point, with Galle Face Green on the seafront and markets in the Pettah.

    Colombo
    "Colombo_city_skyline_at_night.png" by Gihanud2001, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence

  3. Sigiriya

    Overland · 2 nights suggested

    A rock fortress rising from the plains, with frescoes and a lion gate on the way to the summit. Reached by road from Colombo.

  4. Kandy

    Overland · 2 nights suggested

    The hill capital around a lake, home to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.

    Temple of the Tooth
    "Temple of the Tooth, Sitting Buddha statues.- Kandy.jpg" by Pierre André Leclercq, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence

  5. Ella

    Overland · 2 nights suggested

    A village in the tea hills, at the end of one of the island's most scenic railway journeys from Kandy.

    Ella, Sri Lanka
    "Ella_railway_station.jpg" by Dan arndt, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence

  6. Mirissa

    Overland · 3 nights suggested

    A beach town on the south coast where boats go out to look for blue whales in season.

    Mirissa
    "Mirissa-Plage_(3).jpg" by Ji-Elle, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence

Day by day

  1. Day 1 · Colombo — Arrive in Colombo· Kuala Lumpur → Colombo (by air)
  2. Day 2 · Sigiriya — Drive to the Cultural Triangle· Colombo → Sigiriya (overland)
  3. Day 3 · Sigiriya — Climb Sigiriya early; Dambulla caves
  4. Day 4 · Kandy — Drive to Kandy; the lake· Sigiriya → Kandy (overland)
  5. Day 5 · Kandy — Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
  6. Day 6 · Ella — Scenic train Kandy to Ella· Kandy → Ella (overland)
  7. Day 7 · Ella — Little Adam's Peak and Nine Arches Bridge
  8. Day 8 · Mirissa — Drive to the south coast· Ella → Mirissa (overland)
  9. Day 9 · Mirissa — Whale-watching boat (in season)
  10. Day 10 · Mirissa — Beach day
  11. Day 11 · Mirissa — Travel home from Mirissa· Mirissa → Colombo (overland), then Colombo → Kuala Lumpur (by air)

A suggested pace only; expedition days are set by the operator.

Flights, leg by leg

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Colombo

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Sigiriya

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Kandy

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