TOP 10 PLACES TO VISIT IN SRI LANKA WITHIN ONE DAY

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The number of places to visit in Sri Lanka within one day is endless. However, we have filtered some of the best one-day trip places for your Sri Lanka one-day tour. These one-day trip places were filtered considering the historical, natural, and cultural importance as well as the distance from Colombo, we have chosen below mentioned 5 Sri Lanka day trips to visit 5 important tourist attractions in Sri Lanka within one day. A large number of local operators such as Seerendipity tours organize a day trip to these places from Colombo and most west coast tourist resorts.

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SRI LANKA ONE-DAY TOURS

The tropical island of Sri Lanka with its multi-cultural and multi-religious society backed by thousands of years old culture is diverse and packed with adventure. Why not make a few Sri Lanka day trips from your resort and explore some interesting places on the island? From the palm-fringed, sandy beaches on the southwest coast to the enchanting landscapes in Sri Lanka’s hill country, the rugged terrain in Yala national park to the thousands of years old ancient temples in the cultural triangle, this tropical nation offers something for everyone. Walk in the Sinharaja rainforest, cycle through the cobbled stoned alleys of Galle fort or explore the fascinating underwater in Hikkaduwa marine sanctuary or see the giant blue whales on a whale watching tour. Here are a list of one-day trip places and Sri Lanka one-day trips to experience the best Sri Lanka has to offer.

Affordable Sri Lanka one-day tours from Seerendipity tours. Click www.seerendipitytours one-day trips for more information and many other one-day programs from Sri Lanka.

TOP 10 PLACES TO VISIT IN SRI LANKA WITHIN ONE DAY

There is a large number of places to visit in Sri Lanka within one day, but after considering the historical, natural, and cultural importance as well as the time taken to reach Colombo, we have chosen below mentioned 5 Sri Lanka day trips to visit 5 important tourist attractions in Sri Lanka within one day. This article is written under the heading “Top 5 places to visit in Sri Lanka within one day“. Seerendipity tours receive a large number of emails with questions like “what are the best one-day trips in Sri Lanka?“, “Can we book a Sri Lanka day tour with you?“, “Can you give us more information on Sri Lanka day tours?“. We thought now it is time to formulate this post because the inquiries for the Sri Lanka one-day tours are, in fact on an upward trend now. We hope to discuss in this article popular one-day trips in Sri Lanka and places to travel in Sri Lanka within one day. We hope this article will give you a solid start for planning your Sri Lanka day trip.

WHAT ARE THE TOP 10 PLACES TO VISIT IN SRI LANKA WITHIN ONE DAY?

The recent upgrade to the Sri Lankan infrastructure, especially the expansion of the Sri Lanka highways has enabled the people to curtail their travelling time to many far away destinations such as Yala national park, Kataragama temple, and Sigiriya rock. Here is the list of the top 10 one-day trip places in Sri Lanka. Many local tour operators offer one-day trips to these popular tourist attractions, however, the day trips to some of these destinations start as early as 05.00 AM.

  1. Negombo-37 km from Colombo-1 hour drive
  2. Downtown Colombo
  3. Kandy-117 km from Colombo-3 hours drive
  4. Witpattu national park-166 km from Colombo-3 hours drive
  5. Galle-126 km from Colombo-2 hours drive
  6. Sigiriya rock fortress-175 km from Colombo- 3 hours and 30 minutes drive from Colombo
  7. Yala national park – 287 km from Colombo-4 hours drive
  8. Kitulgala – 99 km from Colombo – 2 hours 30 minutes drive from Colombo
  9. Udawalawe national park – 257 km from Colombo-3 hours and 30 minutes drive from Colombo
  10. Bentota – 80 km from Colombo – 1 hour 30 minutes drive from Colombo
  • Sri Lanka one-day trip to Bentota with crocodile safari
  • Sri Lanka one-day whale watching trip with Galle and Hikkaduwa
  • Sri Lanka one-day tour to Udawalawe national park
  • Sri Lanka one-day jungle tour, Sinharja rainforest
  • Sri Lanka one day tour to Sigiriya and Dambulla
Affordable Sri Lanka one-day tours from Seerendipity tours. Click www.seerendipitytours one-day trips for more information and many other one-day programs from Sri Lanka.

1. SRI LANKA ONE-DAY TRIP TO BENTOTA WITH CROCODILE SAFARI

This one-day trip is based on Bentota River, where crocodile sighting is frequent with many other animals such as monkeys, lizards, and snakes. You will be exposed to the untamed wilderness as you float through the mangrove lagoons, which is one of the biggest and last remaining mangrove habitats of Sri Lanka. A visit to spice gardens, a sea turtle conservation project and Bentota beach are also included in the trip.

Important: A boat tour is a very popular activity in Sri Lanka and there are 3 main places where you can start the boat tour. The most popular is the Maduriver safari, the second most popular is the Bentota river safari starting from Aluthgama bridge and the 3 rd bot safari starts from Kaluwamodara bridge. By far the best safari is the one that starts at Kaluwamodara bridge, especially if you wish to see crocodiles during the boat safari.

2. SRI LANKA WHALE WATCHING TRIP ONE DAY

Sri Lanka has become a whale-watching hotspot in the world with guaranteed whale sightings on the trip. This one-day trip starts early hours (at 04.00 AM) from Colombo and other beach resorts, as you have to report to the Mirissa harbour by 06.30 AM. You will board the wide whale-watching boat from Mirissa harbour and on a 2-4 hours trip you will be able to have a closer look at the blue whales. This one-day trip from Colombo also includes Galle Fort, Sea turtle conservation, and Hikkaduwa beach.

3. SRI LANKA ONE DAY TOUR TO UDAWALAWE-SAFARI

This is one of the most popular wildlife tours on the island, which enables you to have a closer look at the elephants. Udalawawe is popular for elephants and there is a large concentration of wild elephants here. The elephant population is on the rise in Udawalawe as the elephant transit camp, which is a project to protect orphan elephants on the island, releases a large number of rehabilitated elephants into the jungle every year.

4. SRI LANKA DAY TOUR: SINHARAJA RAIN FOREST

Sinharaja is a UNESCO world heritage and is the largest tract of primaeval rainforest in the country. The forest spreads over 490 sq km. Sinharaja rainforest is a super-diversity hot spot with a large concentration of Fauna and Flora. This Sri Lanka one-day trip includes entire ground transportation, a nature guide to help you during the jungle trek, and all entrance fees.

5. SRI LANKA DAY TOUR: SIGIRIYA AND DAMBULLA

Sigiriya tour packages from Colombo are very popular among travellers in Sri Lanka, there is a very high demand for the Sigiriya one-day tour among foreign travellers. Even though it is a one-day tour this activity is packed with many interesting activities. The travellers are not only able to visit Sigiriya rock on this Sri Lanka one-day tour but also many other places such as Dambulla cave temple, Pidurangala temple, Ibbankatuwa ancient site as well as Minneriya for safari. This Sri Lanka one-day trip to Sigiriya starts early in the morning from Colombo, at around 05.00 AM, due to the distance to cover on the journey.

WHAT TIME SHOULD I START MY SRI LANKA DAY TRIP?

Start your trip early- starting time of your activity is one of the essential facts for the success of your journey. This is very important if you stay in a hotel in Colombo. Since the time available is only about 8-10 hours to see the tourist attractions and to drive up and down, the Sri Lanka day trips are planned in such a way that time spent on travelling is minimized to its lowest ebb, thereby you can explore the sites without a rush. Most day trips start around 05.00 (AM) from Colombo.

If you stay in Colombo, you have to pass the borders of the city before the traffic buildup, it would take around 30 minutes for you to pass the borders of Colombo early in the morning from most hotels in Colombo. However, if you start your trip at around 7.00 am from your hotel, you will be stuck in traffic and it could take as many as 2 hours for your to escape from Colombo, thereby you could lose a lot of time.

Even outside of the major cities like Colombo, it is easy to drive in the early hours due to the absence of a lot of vehicles and people on the road, on the other hand, it is very comfortable for the passengers due to the smooth drive.

However, now we have highways in Sri Lanka allowing us to drive up to 100km per hour, therefore the starting time of a few one-day tours is changed. Starting times of the popular Sri Lanka day trips from Colombo are as below.

  • One-day tour to Sigiriya dambulla 04.30 AM
  • One-day trip to Kandy 05.00 AM
  • One-day tour to Nuwara Eliya 04.30 AM
  • One-day tour to Yala national park 04.00 AM
  • One-day trip to Udawalawe national park 05.00 AM
  • One day trip to Sinharaja rainforest 06.00 AM
  • Galle one-day trip 06.30 AM
  • One day whale watching trip 04.00 AM
  • One-day tour to Bentota 06.30 AM
  • Kitulgala one-day trip 06.30 AM

Above mentioned pick-up times are valid for trips organized with a private taxi and with an experienced tourist driver/guide ( who knows the roads well for the tourist attractions). Starting time of the whale-watching trip can’t be delayed as the boat set sail in Mirissa on time. It is highly advised not to delay the Sigiriya-Dambulla day trip, thereby the passengers can climb the Sigiriya rock and Dambulla temple in the early morning and avoid the scorching mid-day heat.

STARTING TIME OF THE DAY TRIP FROM THE BEACH HOTEL

The starting time of the day trip from beach resorts is usually the same as the starting time from Colombo. However, depending on the location of your resort either on the west coast or the southern coast the starting time may vary, eg the Galle day trip from Colombo starts at 06.30 AM while starting time of the Galle day trip from Bentota is 07.30 AM. The passengers need to consult the local tour operator to know how the exact pickup time from their resort.

Sri Lanka one-day tours

Kitulgala one-day tour includes Whitewater rafting (2 hours) and a rain forest trek in the rain forest of Kitulgala. The tour includes entire ground transportation from Colombo or the beach hotel, all entrance and activity fees, a live guide and all taxes.

WHAT ARE THE TOP 5 PLACES FOR ONE-DAY ADVENTURE TRIPS IN SRI LANKA?

  • Sri Lanka one-day adventure tour to Kitulgala
  • One-day adventure trip to Nuwara Eliya
  • Sri Lanka one day adevnture tour to Ella
  • Sri Lanka one-day adventure to Adam’s peak
  • Sri Lanka one-day adventure to Bentota

1. ONE-DAY ADVENTURE TRIP FROM SRI LANKA TO KITULGALA

Kitulgala- is better known as the adventure playground of Sri Lanka. Kitulgala attracts the most number of adventure enthusiasts on the island. The remote adventure holiday spot with a rocky outcrop provides all ingredients for many adrenaline-pumping activities such as water rafting, Canoeing, mountain climbing, waterfalls abseiling, and many other activities.

To enable foreign and local travellers alike to enjoy this unique destination, a day trip from Colombo and west coast hotels of Sri Lanka, has been launched by Seerendipity tours. This one-day trip includes many interesting features such as 2 hours of trekking in the rain forest with bird watching, 2 hours of whitewater rafting, canoeing, and trekking through the remote village, accompanied by delicious local lunch.

Kitulgala is one of the best places for a one-day adventure trip from Colombo. It takes only 1 hour and 30 minutes to reach Kitulgala from Colombo. This jungle-rich countryside is located in the western province of Sri Lanka, which means that it can be conveniently reached from the most popular beach holiday destinations on the western and southern coasts of Sri Lanka.

Kitulgala is also very close to Kandy and Nuwara Eliya making it easy to reach from destinations in Sri Lanka’s upcountry. So if you are also fancied for a one-day adventure trip from Colombo, you should seriously think of Kitulagala for your one-day adventure trip in Sri Lanka.

IF YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION ON THIS ADVENTURE TRIP PLEASE READ MY ARTICLE UNDER THE TITLE “KITULGALA BOAT RAFTING AND ADVENTURE“.

2. ONE DAY ADVENTURE TRIP SRI LANKA TO NUWARA ELIYA

Nuwara Eliya is the most popular mountain resort on the island, which is an ideal venue for a one-day adventure trip in Sri Lanka. Nestled up in the hills, 1800 meters above sea level, Nuwara Eliya has a large collection of places for thrilling adventures.

Whether you are staying in Kandy or in a beach resort in the deep south of Sri Lanka, you can easily reach Nuwara Eliya, thanks to the well-developed road network. Hiking, trekking, mountain climbing, boating, horse riding, waterfall abseiling, and golfing are some of the popular activities here.

3. ONE-DAY ADVENTURE TRIP FROM COLOMBO TO ELLA

Ella, better known as a mountain backpacker’s paradise, Ella is one of the most popular mountain resorts on the island. Ella is still a laid-back village and harbours many mountains, valleys, tea plantations, waterfalls and patches of forests.

Mountain climbing, water rafting, waterfall abseiling, trekking and hiking are the most popular activities in Ella. Ella can be used as a place for a one-day adventure trip in Sri Lanka from most parts of the island.

4. ONE-DAY ADVENTURE TRIP FROM COLOMBO TO ADAM’S PEAK

Adam’s peak is one of the most popular places on the islands for a one-day adventure trip in Sri Lanka. A large number of travellers undertake the one-day adventure trip to Adam’s peak from Colombo, west coast beach resorts, south coast beach resorts and Kandy.

The Adams peak hike, part slog and part a trek in the high-altitude, the journey to this holy mountain — the 3rd tallest free-standing mountain of Sri Lanka — lures thousands of trekkers every year. Beginning amid lush green foliage on Sri Lanka’s heavily cultivated lower slopes, the hike continues up through dense, dripping rainforests to cloud forests and crosses fascinating landscapes with perennial waterways, large boulders and small eateries that serve the hikers.

The final stage (about 100 meters) is the steepest part of the climb — however, properly laid stairs make it easy to conquer the mountain. The climb starts around midnight, culminating with sunrise views from the summit over the plains far below. The cold, wet conditions and high altitude of the mountain may make it a difficult trek and a serious undertaking.

Hiking at Adam’s peak is a highly seasonal one-day adventure trip in Sri Lanka. The best time for this one-day adventure trip is from November to April.

5. ONE-DAY TRIP IN SRI LANKA FROM COLOMBO TO BENTOTA

If you are interested in water sports, mainly saltwater-based activities such as surfing, boating, sea-fishing, windsurfing, diving, snorkeling, boating and other water sports you better head on to the west and south coast of Sri Lanka.

There are hundreds of places on the south and west coast that are ideal for a one-day adventure trip in Sri Lanka. Scuba diving, snorkelling, surfing, paragliding, canoeing, and rafting are some of the popular activities here.

SRI LANKA DAY TOUR TO YALA NATIONAL PARK AND UDAWALAWE NATIONAL PARK

Exploring the rich wildlife of Sri Lanka is one of the most thrilling adventures for travellers. Sri Lanka day tours from Colombo to Yala national park and Udawalawe national park are very popular among wildlife enthusiasts. Both day tours start from Colombo early morning and return to Colombo on the same day.

With the completion of the southern expressway, it has become easy to drive to most tourist attractions in southern Sri Lanka, including Yala national park and Udawalawe national park.

If you need more information on one day trip to Udawalawe national park and Yala national park please click the below links.

Udawalawe safari one-day tour, this private tour starts from Colombo and other tourist hotels on the west coast. The tour includes an all-inclusive Udawalawe safari, entire ground transportation, a live guide, all entrance fees, and taxes.

Even though Sri Lanka is not a top-notch destination for wildlife holidays, this tropical island offers an opportunity to spot a large number of wild animals such as leopards, elephants, bears and Crocodiles. Among little more than a dozen of wildlife reserves, only a few of them are being used for Sri Lanka safaris. Yala national park, Wilpattu national park, Udawalawe national park, Minneriya national park, Kaudulla national park and eco-park are the most popular Sri Lanka safaris. However, due to travel time from Colombo, we suggest the below national parks for your Sri Lanka day tour.

SRI LANKA DAY TOUR TO THE WEST COAST OF SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka’s west coast is popular for holidays and the beaches of Bentota and Hikkaduwa are beach holiday hotspots on the island. However, Sri Lanka’s west coast offers a lot more than pristine, sandy, palm-fringed beaches. There are many dozens of important tourist attractions on the west coast such as temples, historical monuments, Forts, Lakes, museums, Mangrove forests, marine sanctuaries, etc. Bentota one-day tour and Galle one-day tour are the 2 most popular Sri Lanka day trips to explore the west coast.

  • Bentota one-day tour
  • Galle one-day tour

DURATION OF THE DAY TRIP TO BENTOTA

Bentota Beach, which lies 100 km south of Colombo is the most popular beach on the west coast. Therefore, this Sri Lanka day trip to Bentota from Colombo is on the bucket list of most visitors to Colombo. Usually, the tour starts around 07.00 AM from Colombo and ends the trip around 05.00 PM in the afternoon.

Seerendipity tours organize regular day tours to Bentota from Colombo. This Sri Lanka one-day tour includes the below-mentioned places.

  • Sea turtle conservation project
  • Madu riverboat trip (Madu River safari)
  • The cinnamon island
  • Moonstone mines and
  • Mask Museum

HOW DO WE VISIT THOSE 10 PLACES ON SRI LANKA ONE-DAY TRIPS?

Contact us at admin@seerendipitytours.com or call us on 0094774440977

With only 1 day at your disposal, you can not do much on the island, you can barely scratch the surface. Don’t try to add too many things to your road trip because you have to calculate the time to be spent on travel. You can easily overlook the time required for travelling due to the interesting attractions that you encounter on the trip. After all, you need considerable time to study the places you visit.

In this article, we are not only discussing 5 places to visit in Sri Lanka within one day but also discussing the important attractions in each place, giving you the full picture of these 5 Sri Lanka day trips.

You can easily explore all these 5 places on one-day tours from Colombo, from the airport, or from the most popular beach resorts such as Bentota, Kalutara, and Negombo. So you can consider adding a few Sri Lanka day tours listed below to your holiday package when you plan your next short holiday in Sri Lanka.

After days of hard and routine work, you might have got a short break from the office and a short sightseeing tour is a need of the hour. An excursion of one day or two days is the best option for you.

If it is well planned you will be able to see some of the very beautiful places of Sri Lanka within this short period. Same time make use of it to get away from tension and stress or daily routine office work, all these places have plenty of activities to keep you busy.

There are many places to visit in Sri Lanka within one day. Choosing the best places to explore based on what you like most, can be a relaxing time on the beach, adrenaline-pumping activities like water rafting, or watching giant blue whales.

Perhaps you are in Sri Lanka on an official visit and like to experience some interesting things Or you are in transit and waiting for your flight to the next destination and looking for a Sri Lanka tour operator such as Seerendipity tours to book a short trip from Colombo.

Whatever your requirement it is good to have a short tour, goooooooood idea, right? Having time constraints due to office work, scheduled meetings, or scheduled flights a short tour from Colombo seems to be the ideal option and of course, well deserved too.

If there are constraints on the availability of time, plan for a short gateway to the nearest yet most interesting place from Colombo. With a tour of one or two days, you will be able to explore some interesting places nearby, can take part in interesting activities, can experience Sri Lanka shopping, can indulge in a refreshing Ayurveda course, can gorge on some delicious Sri Lankan fresh seafood, have relaxed on the pristine beaches of Sri Lanka, etc.

We discuss only 5 one day trip places in Sri Lanka but there are many other places that you can visit on a day trip from Colombo or from the west coast beach resorts. Each place caters to travellers with different tastes. For instance, if you book Kitulgala one-day adventure tour, which is the best one-day adventure trip in Sri Lanka and offers you many possibilities with regards to adventure activities such as trekking, hiking, mountain climbing, and waterfall abseiling… If you head on to Udawalawe or Yala you can do a jeep safari. So consider what each destination offers before you finalize the place for your Sri Lanka one-day tour.

Choose the best vehicle for your one-day tour in Sri Lanka from a wide range of vehicles such as sedans, SUVs, mini-coach, micros, etc. We provide all kinds of vehicles at affordable rates.

CHOOSING THE BEST WAY TO TRAVEL DURING YOUR SRI LANKA ONE-DAY TRIP

Have your special attention on transport and find the best way to get around on your Sri Lanka day tour, stick to private transport with a local driver, because transport can suck your time and totally mess up your day tour.

Taxi/private transport is the best way of getting around Sri Lanka, it is safe and most importantly it saves time but the acute shortcoming of the taxi is the cost that involves it.

You have to reduce the time spent on travelling since you have only limited time for the tour. You can use transport modes such as train and public buses but they might not be the best options for you, though it is very affordable, they take a lot of time to travel between cities and are always behind the schedule, you might end up having no time for sightseeing.

So, pack your bag and make it all ready to treat yourself and enjoy life at your best during the brief vacation. Seerendipity tours offer many day trips from Colombo and with those tours you can explore most of these places chosen by the author as places to visit in Sri Lanka within one day.

Sinharaja rainforest’s day tour starts from Colombo and other major tourist hotels on the west coast. The travellers will be able to trek through the virgin rainforest of Sinharaja and encounter thousands of tropical trees, plants, veins, and orchids. Sinharaja harbours many hundred bird species too. You will get a guided walking tour of the forest with our nature guide, who explains to you the unique environment of the forest. The trip includes entire ground transportation, all entrance fees, a live guide, and taxes.

PLACES TO VISIT IN SRI LANKA WITHIN ONE DAY FROM COLOMBO

There are a large number of places to visit in Sri Lanka within one day when you start your day trips from Colombo. Below mentioned day trips from Colombo offer some thrilling options. From scenic mountains with tea gardens of Nuwara Eliya and Kandy to the idyllic beach resorts on the west and southern coast, plan your day trips from Colombo to relax, look for activities and be blessed by the divine.

1. NEGOMBO IS TOP ON THE LIST OF PLACES TO VISIT IN SRI LANKA WITHIN ONE DAY

This 7 days beach holiday package is based on a 4-star beach resort on the west coast of Sri Lanka. The beach holiday package includes arriva1/departure transfers on a luxury vehicle, daily breakfast, and dinner as well as all government taxes.

The distance to cover this one-day tour from Colombo is 40 km.
Time spent on the trip from Colombo -1 hour (10 minutes from the airport)

Negombo day trip is one of the easiest one-day trips in Sri Lanka, perhaps it is the most convenient day trip from Colombo and the airport. Negombo, the beach city of Sri Lanka near the Colombo international airport, is one of the most sought-after beach holiday destinations in Sri Lanka.

Negombo is one of the best places to visit in Sri Lanka within one day, due to its proximity to Colombo. It is just a 10-minute drive from the airport and about a 1-hour drive from Colombo, this close proximity makes it one of the best places for a day trip from Colombo even if you stay only a few hours on the island. 

The beaches of Negombo attract travellers of all age groups. The beautiful pristine beaches, affordable accommodations, restaurants, pubs, cafes, shopping, and recreation activities are the main attributes that make Negombo a favourite.

NEGOMBO FISH MARKET

The fish market is one of the must-visit attractions in Negombo. Negombo is very rich in many varieties of fish and fishing is the major livelihood of most people here. Try to hit the fish market early hours to get the best experience. Behind the fish market adjoining the sea is a flat land reserved for fish drying. A large amount of fish is scattered over the huge land and left to dry under the scorching heat of the sun.

NEGOMBO TEXTILE MARKET

The textile market is another must-visit attraction in Negombo. A large number of shops are lined up along the main road and they are full of clothes, handicrafts and food items, etc.

ST.MARYS CHURCH NEGOMBO

Amongst a large number of places to visit, this Catholic church is a must-visit in Negombo. Built in 1886, the large crucifix in the church is the most important object in the church.

MUTHURAJAWELA WETLAND

Negombo is located near the beach, hence it is popular as a beach holiday destination but Negombo is also a place to explore the rich wildlife of Sri Lanka due to its proximity to the Muthurajawela wetland. The wetland harbours a large number of aqua bird species, animals such as crocodiles, and many flora species. Muthurajawela is most popular as a destination for bird watching.

NEGOMBO BEACH, LEWIS ROAD

Negombo is one of the best places for beach holidays on the west coast, shallow water and palm-fringed beaches with snow-white sand are heaven for beach holiday lovers.

SOME OTHER IMPORTANT PLACES TO VISIT ON THE SRI LANKA DAY TOUR TO NEGOMBO

Negombo lagoon, Dutch canal, the Dutch fortress, Fishmarket

The prices of the Negombo one-day tour are without entrance fees, boat hire charges, and meals. Single supplement US$ 10.

  1. Negombo city tour from Negombo beach- Price US$ 40 P.P
  2. City tour of Negombo from Colombo – Price US$ 60 P. P
  3. One day Negombo tour from Kalutara – Price US$ 80 P.P
  4. Negombo day tour from  Bentota – Price US$ 95 P.P
  5. Day tour of Negombo from Hikkaduwa/Galle – Price US$ 120 P.P

2. PLACES TO VISIT IN SRI LANKA WITHIN ONE DAY -DOWNTOWN COLOMBO

Colombo city centre is also one of the best places to visit in Sri Lanka within one day. The city offers a large number of places to visit and many activities to keep you busy during the day and night.

Colombo is the commercial hub of Sri Lanka and the busiest city in the country. This economic hub of the island has a fascinating blend of new and old. You can see high-rise modern skyscrapers to historical buildings dating back to the first half of the 18th century. Colombo city is one of the best places for an unforgettable shopping experience.

Distance from Colombo international airport 35 km
Time required on this one-day tour from the international airport to Colombo city-1 hour

WHAT ARE THE 10 PLACES TO VISIT ON COLOMBO CITY TOUR?

  • Pettah Bazaar
  • Wolvendaal church
  • Gangarama temple
  • Viharamahadevi Park
  • Independent memorial hall
  • Galle face green
  • Pettah
  • National Museum
  • Simamalalka/Beira Lake
  • Colombo 7/ Cinnamon garden

PETTAH BAZAAR COLOMBO

The bazaar area of Pettah is one of the must-visit places in Colombo if you fancy shopping in Sri Lanka. The colourful market is full of imported and local products. The diversity of products is great so is the price. Virtually you can buy everything available on the island. Clothing, leather products, gems and jewellery, tea, and Ayurveda you name it that can be bought in Pettah.

WOLVENDAAL CHURCH COLOMBO

Wolvendaal Church is dating back to1600’s and was built by the Dutch administration of Sri Lanka. The Church is built at the highest point of Colombo. The church is one of the oldest churches on the island.

GANGRAMA TEMPLE COLOMBO

Majestically standing on the bank of Beira lake this magnificent temple is one of the oldest Buddhist institutions in the city. It has a very calm and serene atmosphere, identical to a religious place, though the temple is located in the busiest city in the country. The pompous temple differs in many ways from other Buddhist temples in the country. Don’t forget to visit the museum of Gangarama temple, which has a large number of objects with high value.

Buddhist temples are sacred places and the visitors need to have a proper dress code so that they can uphold the sacredness of the religious site. If you are foreign to Sri Lanka, and wondering what the Sri Lanka temple dress code and Temple rules are, check this article “13 RULES YOU BREAK WHEN VISITING SRI LANKA BUDDHIST TEMPLE AND SRI LANKA TEMPLE Dress CODE“.

VIHARAMAHADEVI PARK COLOMBO

The park is a green oasis and provides shelter for thousands of visitors to Colombo. A large tract of land with huge trees and plants helps you to forget the hustle and bustle of Colombo. This is a place to have a peaceful time in Colombo, the well-laid park has running tracks, play areas, waterfalls, a cafeteria, and hundreds of bunks in the shade.

INDEPENDENT MEMORIAL HALL

The reminiscent of Sri Lanka’s independence. These are the places where 1st independent parliament of Sri Lanka was summoned. The building is built after typical Sri Lankan architecture.

GALLE FACE GREEN COLOMBO

Galle face beach is the major beach of the city with a huge open area. As the name suggests it is a huge ground covered with grass, though it is a beach bordering the ocean. Galle’s face is a popular place to perform various sports and family gatherings.

5 OTHER PLACES TO VISIT ON A COLOMBO CITY TOUR

  • Colombo National Museum
  • Colombo Zoo
  • BMICH
  • Hindu temple Compannavidiya
  • Floating market Colombo

The price of the Colombo one-day tour does not include entrance fees and meals. Single supplement US$ 40

  1. Colombo city tour from Colombo/Negombo-US$ 40 P.P
  2. Colombo day tour from Kalutara/Bentota-US$ 60 P.P
  3. Colombo day tour from Hikkaduwa/Galle-US$ 80 P.P

3. VISITING KANDY ON A SRI LANKA DAY TRIP FROM COLOMBO

This is one of the most sought-after day tours in Sri Lanka. Kandy is also one of the best places to visit on a Sri Lanka day tour, Kandy differs in many ways from all other places that are identified as places to visit in Sri Lanka within one day, mainly due to its location in the mountains.

Kandy lies 500 meters above sea level and has a cool climate. Kandy is among the few places in the mountains that can be explored on a day tour from Colombo and beach resorts. This one-day trip from Colombo will not be a relaxing trip it is full of activities.

What can be seen in Kandy

Kandy is one of the most picturesque gateways from Colombo. Kandy is a cultural, historical city with a Colonial touch, essentially the British influence. Kandy is the home of the most venerated Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka and Mecca for Sri Lankan Buddhists.

SRI LANKA DAY TOURS TO KANDY FROM COLOMBO, WHAT ARE THE PLACES TO VISIT?

  • Pinnawala elephant orphanage
  • Tooth relic temple
  • Spice garden
  • Tea factory/Tea plantation
  • Royal botanical garden

TEMPLE OF THE TOOTH RELIC

The tooth relic temple is the most sacred Buddhist temple on the island and the left eye tooth of Buddha suppose to be residing there. The temple has a rich historical past and stands beside Kandy lake.

ROYAL BOTANICAL GARDEN

The biggest Botanical garden in Sri Lanka and dating back to the Kandyan kingdom. Today it is a research center, botanical garden, herbarium, and picnic place.

SRI LANKA DAY TOURS TO KANDY FROM COLOMBO – VISITING A TEA FACTORY

Tea is one of the major export goods in Sri Lanka, perhaps you don’t know that the world-renowned Ceylon tea is produced here. Sri Lanka is the home of Ceylon tea and the best Ceylon tea is coming from the upcountry of Sri Lanka. The well-maintained tea garden is very attractive and photogenic.

SRI LANKA DAY TOURS TO KANDY FROM COLOMBO – VISITING ELEPHANT PARK

Most day trips from Colombo to Kandy include the Pinnawala elephant orphanage. Pinnawala is one of the places included in most road trips in Sri Lanka too. Here you can see the largest herd of tamed elephants in the world. The number of animals in the herd now exceeds 80.

FEW OTHER IMPORTANT PLACES TO VISIT ON SRI LANKA DAY TOURS TO KANDY FROM COLOMBO

  • Kandy lake
  • Embekke Devala
  • Lankatilaka Temple
  • Gadaladeniya temple
  • Kandyan cultural show
  • A gem museum

The prices of the Kandy one-day tour do not include entrance fees and meals. Single supplement US$ 40

  1. Negombo one-day tour from Colombo-US$ 80 P.P
  2. Negombo one-day tour from Kalutara/Bentota- US$ 100 P.P
  3. One day Negombo tour from Hikkaduwa/Galle-US$ 120 P.P

If you need more information about Kandy and places to visit in Kandy please check my article “14 places to visit in Kandy“.

Udawalawe one wildlife tour can be booked from Colombo hotels and 400+ other beach resorts on the west coast of Sri Lanka

4. SRI LANKA DAY TOUR: VISITING WILPATTU NATIONAL PARK

The distance to cover from Colombo is 166 km
Time takes on the tour from Colombo -3 hours

IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT WILPATTU PARK

Area: 317 sq km
Annual Average Temperature: 27.7°C
Annual Rainfall: 1000mm
Best Time of the year To Visit: October to May
visiting hours: 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Wilpattu national park day tour is one of the most interesting one-day trips in Sri Lanka. This is the only national park that I chose as one of the places to visit in Sri Lanka within one day. Because you need to do 2-day trips from Colombo in order to explore most other popular national parks on the island such as Yala. 

THE VILLUS, WHICH IS UNIQUE TO WILPATTU

Located at the northwest corner of the island the Wilpattu national park is one of the least explored wildlife reserves on the island, it was closed to visitors for many decades due to the civil war in northern Sri Lanka. 

One of the important characteristics of the park, which differs from most other national parks in Sri Lanka is the existence of willus (natural lakes). These are shallow water holes with a sandy soil rim that stores water during the shower. They provide valuable services as the main water storage in the park for all kinds of creatures.

FAUNA OF WILPATTU

Fauna: 31 species of animals can be seen here such as Leopard, sloth bear, elephant, sambhur, wild buffalo, mongoose, spotted deer, crocodile, and monkeys are among the popular.

FLORA OF WILPATTU

Flora: many types of vegetation to be found here including littoral trees and plants such as salt grass, scrubs, and dry zone forest trees such as Weera, Palu, Milla, satin, Wewarna, and ebony.

AVIAN FAUNA SPECIES OF WILPATTU

Birds: A large number of avian fauna species have been identified in Wilpattu national park. There are many endemic birds among them. Sri Lankan jungle fowl (Gallus lafayetii), little cormorants, The painted stork, the open bill, terns, gulls, along with many species of owls, kites buzzards, and eagles, are very common here.

Some of the wetland birds such as cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis), black-headed ibis (Threskiornis malanocephalus), spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia), pintail (Anas acuta), whistling teal (Dendrocygna javanica), garganey (Anas querquedula), purple heron (Ardea purpurea), large white egret (Egretta alba modesta) can also be seen here.

Reptile & Amphibians: Gunther’s Cat Skink, Deccan Ground Gecko, Malabar Pit Viper, Humayun’sWrinkled Frog, Beddome’s Lacerta, Bombay Bush Frog, etc.

FEW OTHER PLACES TO VISIT ON A SRI LANKA DAY TOUR TO WILPATTU FROM COLOMBO

  • Manawari temple
  • Munneswaram temple Puttalam

The prices of the one-day tour to Wilpattu national park safari do not usually include entrance fees, Jeep hires and meals, however, you can book the same-day tour with the inclusion of entrance, jeep hire and all other expenses. This Sri Lanka one-day tour to visit Wilpattu national park can be booked mainly in the below-mentioned variations. The cost of the tour differs depending on the starting location.

  1. One-day tour of Wilpattu from Colombo/Negombo
  2. Wilpattu day tour from Kalutara/Bentota
  3. Wilpattu one-day tour from  Hikkaduwa/Galle

5. SRI LANKA DAY TOURS TO GALLE FROM COLOMBO

Distance from Colombo 118km
Time required to travel from Colombo -3 hours

Galle

Just a little over 100 km south of Colombo, Galle is the capital of southern Sri Lanka with its pristine beaches and hopping nightlife. Galle has a dose of history as well, the ancient seaport of Galle was part of the ancient sea trade route, and it was visited by many hundred traders from Persia, Greek, Mesopotamia, China, India, and the Arab over the last many millennia. Today Galle is a popular tourist attraction with hundreds of kilometres long of pristine beaches, forts, temples, patches of forest, Rivers, Lakes, and water sports centres.

ONE-DAY GALLE CITY TOUR FROM COLOMBO

Galle’s one-day tour is one of the most popular day trips from Colombo. Galle is the capital of southern Sri Lanka and is located towards the southern border of Sri Lanka. Galle is an important place of interest among travellers, due to the Galle Fort and other natural attractions. The fort is built by the Portuguese in the 15s and later expanded by the Dutch administration in Sri Lanka (1656-1796).

Today Galle Fort is a UNESCO world heritage site and it is a huge city with a large number of buildings and palaces built after old Dutch architecture. Today, most of these old houses and palaces are converted to hotels, guest houses, rest houses, shops, museums, and galleries.

You can wander around the Fort for many hours while exploring the museums, galleries, souvenir shops, textile shops, cafes, restaurants, churches, and temples… Galle Fort is a well-planned protective city with a huge wall and hundreds of buildings with a Sea view.

WHAT ARE THE IMPORTANT PLACES TO VISIT ON THE SRI LANKA ONE-DAY TRIP TO GALLE?

  • Mask Museum
  • Maritime Museum Galle forts
  • Martin Wickramasinghe folk museum
  • Madu River estuary
  • Hikkaduwa Beach
  • Mon stone mines

VISITING MARITIME MUSEUM ON GALLE DAY TRIP FROM COLOMBO

Galle maritime museum is located within Galle fort and it occupies a part of the storage building used by the Dutch East Indian company. A large number of artefacts are been displayed here.

GALLE DAY TRIP FROM COLOMBO – VISITING MARTIN WICKRAMASINGHE MUSEUM

Martin Wickramasinghe museum is a folk museum, which showcases the life pattern of the people of Galle. There is a large number of exhibits discovered in southern Sri Lanka, all of which are closely connected to the day-to-day life of common people.

GALLE DAY TRIP FROM COLOMBO – VISITING MADU RIVER ESTUARY

Madu rover is a Ramsar wetland and an important ecological asset of the island. Madu river provides shelter to endangered mangroves and a large extent of mangrove forest can be found along the river bank, a large number of aquatic bird species, as well as many types of animal species such as water monitors, crocodiles, monkeys, also can be spotted here.

GALLE DAY TRIP FROM COLOMBO – EXPLORING HIKKADUWA BEACH

Hikkaduwa is one of the most popular beach resorts on the west coast. Hikkaduwa is most popular for its coral reefs and the fascinating underwater world off the shore. Glass bottom boating is a popular activity among the visitors here, which enables the visitors to see large coral reefs with many fish species in the shallow water.

GALLE DAY TRIP FROM COLOMBO – VISITING MASK MUSEUM

The Galle trip from Colombo is one of the very popular one-day trips in Sri Lanka and visiting moon-stone mines is an interesting activity included in the Galle tour. Moonstones is a semi-precious stone with a grade of 4. This milky-coloured semi-precious stone can be found only in Ambalangoda, near Hikkaduwa. A large number of people of Hikkaduwa make precious jewellery with moonstones and jewellery making has become a leading cottage industry in the area. Many small shops are selling Gems and jewellery in Ambalangoda some of the jewellery is fastened with moonstones and some of them is studded with other precious stones such as sapphires, blue sapphires, amethyst, aquamarine, etc.

FEW OTHER PLACES TO EXPLORE ON SRI LANKA DAY TRIPS FROM COLOMBO TO GALLE

  • Mak museum
  • Sea turtle conservation centre
  • Stilt fisherman
  • Kande vihara (Buddhist temple)

This one-day trip can be booked with Seerendipity and the package includes entire ground transportation, English speaking guide, and entrance fees. Galle one-day tour can be booked from many other places on the west coast, However, this Sri Lanka day trip is exclusive to a private tour group.

The tour can be booked from beach resorts and the price varies depending on the hotel you are staying at. If you need more information on this one-day trip please write to us at admin@seerendipitytpours.com.

  1. Sri Lanka One-day tour of Galle from Colombo/Negombo
  2. Sri Lanka Galle one day tour from Kalutara/Bentota
  3. Galle one day tour from Hikkaduwa

ONE DAY TRIP TO THE CULTURAL TRIANGLE, IS IT POSSIBLE?

One day trip to the cultural triangle is possible from Colombo, however, the travellers need to start the trip at around 05.00 from, Colombo. This is mainly due to the distance to cover from Colombo to the north-central province. Even with the very early morning starts you will not be able to visit all major cultural and historical sites within a day; you will be able to see a few chosen sites. Eg you can visit the Sigiriya rock fortress and Dambulla golden temple or Polonnaruwa historical city or Anuradhapura ancient city on a one-day trip to the cultural triangle. As an experienced tour operator, we strongly recommend you allocate time and money for at least a 2-day cultural triangle tour, thereby you will be able to visit a few important sites and have plenty of time to explore them.

If you look for a one-day Sri Lanka day tour, similar to what we have published above, please don’t hesitate to contact us, we can help you to plan the best Sri Lanka tour package for you.

WHY YOU SHOULD BOOK YOUR SRI LANKA ONE-DAY TRIP WITH SEERENDIPITY?

Seerendipity tour is an entirely locally owned travel company with a head office in Colombo. The highly experienced local staff is a key strength of Seerendipity tours and they can plan your dream holiday to Sri Lanka.

Best price for your Sri Lanka vacation packages

When you book a tour with us, you directly book the tour with the local company, which means there are no middlemen and therefore you can guarantee the best price. Simply get in touch with us and let us know when you travel and what you like to see.

Plan your best Sri Lanka vacation packages with experts

Our staff makes a personalized program for you, which you can change until you find the best package for you. You can also browse our existing tour packages for inspiration; all our ready-made tour packages are customizable and can be tailored to meet all your expectations. Write to us at admin@seerendipitytours.com, Tel 0094-77-440977, WhatsApp 0094-77-4440977

 

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60 thoughts on “TOP 10 PLACES TO VISIT IN SRI LANKA WITHIN ONE DAY”

  1. Dominik

    Excellent article on Sri Lanka’s one-day trips. I never being to sri Lanka but I know that Sri Lanka is a nice holiday destination. After reading your article on sri Lanak day trips, I feel like I should go to sri Lanak to visit a few beautiful places. Thank you.

    Reply
  3. Itaka

    Нi therе, of course this article is truly
    good and I have learned a lot of things about sri Lanak tourist attractions.
    thanks.

    Reply
  4. ceyshan

    Thanks for the article on “TOP 10 PLACES TO VISIT IN SRI LANKA WITHIN ONE DAY”. We will be in Colombo for 2 weeks in Jan 2023. We are probably going to take a few trips you suggest here.

    Reply
  5. judy

    Very nice and descriptive article on places to visit in Sri Lanka. We are flying to sri Lanka in November and hoping to take some of the day trip you mention here.

    Reply
  6. Natalia Raval

    We are in Sri Lanka next week. Recommend us the best 2 one day Sri Lanka trips, we love nature and culture.

    Reply
    1. Sanjeewa Padmal (Seerendipity)

      Hi Natalia
      I would like to recommend you Sigiriya one day tour and a one-day tour to Galle. Both are interesting itineraries and include historical monuments and bit of nature (wildlife tour in Sigiriya trip, riverine mangrove forest in Galle tour)

      Reply
  7. Elodie Nazir

    My wife and I enjoy wildlife tours and nature tours. Is there a possibility to plan a Sri Lanka tour by combining some of the one-day trips places you mentioned in the article? Can you recommend us a company to get it done?

    Reply
  8. Ruth Gvaza

    Wonderful article about places to visit in Sri Lanka on a day trip. I thought Sri Lanka is a small island and many a beach holiday destination. I did not think that Sri Lanka offers such a great variety of places to visit.

    Reply
  11. Eddie Rougler

    Great job, well-written article. I will be traveling to Sri Lanka in the near future with my girlfriend. We love to have a relaxing holiday but like to visit a few interesting places too. This article on Sri Lanka one day trip places gave me a very good idea about Sri Lanka day trips. What do you recommend for us taking a few Sri Lanka one-day trips or a taking 3-4 days Sri Lanka tour.

    Reply
    1. Sanjeewa Padmal (Seerendipity)

      Dear Mr Eddie
      Thanks for the comment.
      I would like to suggest you book a few one-day trips in Sri Lanka from your resort. Most travelers say that their holiday becomes monotonous when they are staying a long period in the same place. Doing a few day trips during your beach stay gives some vividity to your beach holiday.

      Reply
  14. Jonelle morgans

    Nice article on Sri Lanka one-day trip places. WE did the Galle one day tour from Colombo when we were in Colombo 3 years back It was a nice place by the sea and excellent place to have a refreshing holiday.

    Reply
    1. Sanjeewa Padmal (Seerendipity)

      Hi Glen
      Thanks for the comment. There is a big demand for Sri Lanka one-day trips and a large number of travelers inquiring about one-day trip places in Sri Lanka. Therefore I thought of making this article because it is very useful for travelers, who are interested in Sri Lanka one day tour. I get a lot of comments for it.

      Reply
    1. Sanjeewa Padmal (Seerendipity)

      HI Thuman
      Thanks for the comment. I thought of writing this article because there is a big demand for Sri Lankan one-day trips, especially from foreign travelers. This article is very useful for many travelers because a large number of them search for interesting Sri Lankan one-day trip places.

      Reply
  19. Leonard

    Excеllеnt article on “TOP 10 PLACES TO VISIT IN SRI LANKA WITHIN ONE DAY”! We are linking to this great post on our sitе.
    Keep սp thе good writing.

    Reply
    1. Team seerendipity

      Which part of Sri Lanka. If you plan to visit the north or east coast April to November. If you plan a trip to the south or west best time from November to April

      Reply
  25. Rashmi Harilal

    We did the Galle one day trip mentioned in this article, it was a nice one day tour with many interesting places. We stopped for lunch in Galle and we could sample the best seafood dish in Sri Lanka. Excellent article with plenty of information about Sri Lanka.

    Reply
  26. Nidesh Kashyap

    Wow incredible ,
    We are coming from Maharashtra & we would like to get your advice, what are the best Ramayana sites in Sri Lanka?

    Reply
  27. Angel sinek

    Well researched article about Sri Lanka one day tours, great peace of work. Thank you. Highly useful anyone, who need information to plan a Sri Lanka day trip.

    Reply
  29. Shenal imitiaz

    The best thing about this blog post is, it is not only useful to plan a Sri Lanka day trip, but it gives you the total picture of a Sri Lanka in a traveler perspective.

    Reply
  30. Rameena

    Thanks for the finest info on Sri Lanka, your articles are providing the best information. About all services you want more and flawless information.

    Reply
  32. Imamul

    Highly competently written article with tons of very useful information. We recently finished our Sri Lanka trip. Even though we did not take one day trips when we visited Sri Lanka, the information led us to find a prefect local trip planner in Sri Lanka. Thanks.

    Reply
  33. Linday joy

    We have visited Udawalawe on a day trip from Colombo, it was good but had to start the trip very early morning.

    Reply
  34. Elan stathi

    After reading the article we decided to take the Wilpattu national park. It was a good and good choice for wildlife lovers, but we did not see any leopard, unfortunately.

    Reply
  36. olimandi

    Wow this is an amazing article. Sri Lanka is a country where the travellers can explore different cultures, places and religions.

    Reply
  37. Gerhardt

    Excellent article and very well written. The information was very helpful for us to plan our Sri Lanka trip. Thank you.

    Reply
  40. Zenda ani

    Sri Lanka is an amazing country and they have very beautiful places. We were in Sri Lanka 2018 and dis a tour while visiting I important tourist places like cultural sites, wildlife parks etc. Sri Lanka is a perfect place for sightseeing and leisure.

    Reply
  43. Melanie joseph

    I was looking for a webpage to get some ideas about Sri Lanka short trip. luckily I found this web site. None of the web pages I red so far was so much descriptive. Excellent article on Sri Lanka trips.

    Reply
  46. may Magmudar

    I really loved this article..had covered most places mentioned in the article, but very detailed and helful.keep up the good work.

    Reply

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