A Sri Lanka Travelogue: Following a Model Itinerary Discovering all 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites via Chartered Taxi An 8-night, 9-day solo journey recounted!

The author undertook a trip to Sri Lanka from 10th to 19th November, utilising a chartered taxi for eight nights and nine days.

The following is the author's actual itinerary for travelling in Sri Lanka. All eight destinations.World Heritage SiteI succeeded in visiting.

I stayed at several Bawa-designed hotels along the way and was also able to experience Ayurveda.

 

This article summarises the entire travel process of all authors, from the preparatory stage onwards.

 

Preparing for a trip to Sri Lanka

First, when planning a trip to Sri Lanka, various preparations are necessary.

The following content covers everything you need to know to prepare.

 

• How to Book Cheap Flights
• How to Make a Plan
• How to book a hotel
• Clothing
• Belongings
• How to obtain a visa
• How to obtain Wi-Fi and SIM cards
• How to take out travel insurance

This is written from the perspective of the author who actually undertook the journey, so I believe it contains information that will be of use to you.

 

For travel within Sri Lanka, use chartered taxis.

The author was originally a backpacker during their student days, so they initially planned to visit Sri Lanka as a backpacker.

However, on this occasion, I decided to use a chartered taxi for the tour for the following two reasons.

 

• Since becoming a working adult, I haven't had time.
• Upon checking public transport, the intercity rail network is underdeveloped.
• Public transport cannot be booked in advance.
• The hotels and tourist attractions I wish to stay at are mostly located away from the city centre.

The following summarises the reasons why the author chose 'Sri Lanka Taxi Service', a taxi charter company they actually used, along with their impressions of using it.

→ Unravelling the Truth About Sri Lanka Taxi Charter Service: A Traveller's Firsthand Review of the Word-of-Mouth Favourite Charter Company!

 

To cut to the chase, one must conclude that chartering a taxi is the most practical option in Sri Lanka at present.

Not only Japanese travellers, but also most European backpackers were using chartered taxis for their travels.

 

In practice, using a chartered taxi also offered the following benefits:

 

• They also provided information on exchange bureaux offering favourable rates and SIM cards.
• They handled various bookings that could only be made locally on our behalf.
• He also holds a tourist guide qualification and acted as a guide at the ruins.
• They were happy to accommodate my request to change the plan midway through.

 

For a comfortable and thoroughly enjoyable experience, chartering a taxi is a practical option.

 

Official:The official page for Sri Lanka Taxi Service is here

 

As Asanka from the Sri Lankan taxi service frequently features in the author's forthcoming daily travelogue, I should like to introduce him beforehand.

 

A highly experienced driver aged 35. He accommodated the author's detailed requests, and I am certain that without him, the trip would not have been so fulfilling.

They provided comprehensive support for the author's travels in clear, easy-to-understand English.

If you absolutely cannot manage English, there are apparently Japanese-speaking drivers available, so you might wish to enquire!

 

Official Page of Sri Lanka Taxi Service

 

Incidentally, we had discussed this beforehand and had our Sri Lankan itinerary arranged for us.

After that, it was simply a matter of booking hotels to match this itinerary, so I was able to take it quite easy even during the preparation stage.

 

 

Day 1 of the trip: Arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport via a connecting flight from Haneda International Airport

The first day was largely spent travelling.

Haneda 8:40 → Shanghai 10:40 (3 hours due to a 1-hour time difference)
Shanghai 13:40 → Colombo 19:00 (7 hours 50 minutes including a 2 hour 30 minute time difference)

The time difference between Tokyo and Colombo is three and a half hours.

 

In the travelogue for Day One, we cover the following points:

 

• How to obtain Wi-Fi at Haneda Airport
• How to transfer at Shanghai Pudong International Airport
• Meeting the driver at Bandaranaike International Airport
• Nigombo Hotel Reviews

 

 

 

Day 2 of the trip: From Negombo, sightseeing in the ancient city of Anuradhapura, then on to Heritance Kandalama.

From the second day, beginning with the ancient capital of Anuradhapura, the journey to explore Sri Lanka's World Heritage Sites finally commences.

 

Anuradhapura is a historic ancient capital where the Sri Lankan dynasty first established its capital, and is registered as a World Heritage Site.

The itinerary for the second day was as follows, and it proved to be the longest journey of the entire trip.

 

The following account of the second day's itinerary details the journey from Negombo to Anuradhapura, including sightseeing, and the overnight stay at the Heritance Kandalama, a Bawa-designed property.

• Sign up for a SIM card near Negombo
• Exchanging money near Anuradhapura
• Anuradhapura Sightseeing
• Ayurveda en route to Heritance Kandalama
• The Charm of Heritance Kandalama

 

Day 3 of the trip: Sightseeing at Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya Rock

On the third day of the trip, we visited two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Polonnaruwa, the next capital after Anuradhapura, and Sigiriya Rock.

Sigiriya Rock is arguably Sri Lanka's most famous World Heritage Site, a palace built atop a rock often referred to as the Machu Picchu of the East.

Polonnaruwa was the capital following Anuradhapura, and like Anuradhapura, the city itself is registered as a World Heritage Site.

 

The itinerary for the third day is as follows:

 

The ability to arrange such a plan is precisely the power of chartering a taxi.

Visiting two World Heritage sites in a single day using public transport is difficult, and staying at the Heritage Kandaramu, nestled within the forest, is also not possible.

 

On the third day of the trip, we would like to inform you of the following points.

 

• Highlights of Polonnaruwa
• Highlights of Sigiriya Rock

I've included not only what's written in the guidebook but also what I heard from Asanka, so I hope you'll find it useful!

 

 

Day 4 of the trip: Dambulla Cave Temple and experiencing a puja at the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy

On the fourth day of our trip, we departed from the Heritance Kandalama where we had stayed for two days and visited two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Dambulla Cave Temple and Kandy.

These past three days have been a whirlwind of World Heritage sites.

 

【Dambulla Cave Temple】

At the Dambulla Cave Temple, one can view Buddha statues from the three periods of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, and Kandy, along with wall paintings from the Kandy period.

 

【Candy Buddha's Tooth Temple】

Kandy is a town itself designated as a World Heritage Site, and it is the place where the final capital of the Sri Lankan kingdom was established.

The Sacred Tooth Relic was transferred from Polonnaruwa to this site, and I experienced the puja ceremony where the relic is unveiled three times daily.

 

The itinerary is as follows:

The journey from Heritance Kandalama to Dambulla took about 30 minutes, but the journey from Dambulla to Kandy took about 3 hours.

The content for Day 4 covers the following points:

• Highlights of the Dambulla Cave Temple
• Tea factory tour near Candy
• Observing the Candian Dance
• Puja Experience at the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
• Review of the Queen's Hotel, built during the British colonial era

 

Day 5 of the trip: To Nuwara Eliya by the Highland Railway! High tea at Heritance Tea Factory!

On the fifth day of our trip, we left the World Heritage sites behind and took the highland railway to Nuwara Eliya, the tea-growing region.

In Nuwara Eliya, we stayed at the Heritance Tea Factory, a converted tea factory that is immensely popular with Japanese visitors.

 

【Highland Railway】

A four-hour train journey to Nuwara Eliya.

I was on my feet for three hours and I'm absolutely knackered.

 

【Heritage Tea Factory】

At Heritage Tea Factory, we enjoyed tea-picking experiences and savoured high tea.

It was the best hotel I stayed at during my trip to Sri Lanka.

 

 

The itinerary for the fifth day of the trip is as follows.

 

In the article covering the fifth day of the trip, we cover the following points.

• How to avoid standing throughout the journey on a mountain train
• The scenic side of the mountain train and hidden gems
• Heritance Tea Factory: Tea Factory Tour and High Tea
• The Comfort of Heritage Tea Factory

 

 

Day 6 of the trip: Visiting World's End at Horton Plains National Park

From the sixth day of the trip, we shall once again embark on a journey to visit World Heritage Sites.

Up until now, I'd only visited World Heritage Sites, but on the sixth day I went to Horton Plains National Park, a World Natural Heritage site.

 

We departed from the Heritage Tea Factory at 5 a.m., as the weather at the World's End could potentially deteriorate after 10 a.m.

We walked for nine hours to reach Horton Plains National Park and spent about three hours sightseeing there.

 

After visiting Horton Plains National Park, we headed to a hotel near the Sinharaja Forest Reserve in preparation for the following day.

The following is the itinerary for the sixth day of the trip.

 

For the sixth day of the trip, the article covers the following points:

• How to get to Horton Plains National Park
• How to Explore Horton Plains National Park
• The quality of hotels near the Sinharaja Forest Reserve

 

Day 7 of the trip: Sightseeing in Galle at the Sinharaja Forest Reserve

On the seventh day, we visited the second World Natural Heritage site, the Sinharaja Forest Reserve, and the final World Heritage site, Galle.

 

【Sinharaja Forest Reserve】

Sinharaja Forest Reserve is Sri Lanka's only tropical rainforest, where one can observe diverse ecosystems.

For someone who dislikes insects, it was the most gruelling sightseeing experience, yet it proved to be a surprising one.

 

【The Fortified City of Goa, a World Heritage Site】

Goal is a fortified city where the colonial era of Portugal, the Netherlands and Britain remains strongly evident.

Having been given a detailed explanation of Asanka's birthplace while sightseeing, we also enjoyed afternoon tea at the luxury hotel Amanga.

 

The distance travelled on the seventh day is as follows.

The journey from the hotel to Sinharaja Forest Reserve took 30 minutes, and from Sinharaja Forest Reserve to Galle took approximately two and a half hours.

In the seventh day of the travelogue, the following points are covered.

• Criteria for Good and Bad Hotels
• How to Explore the Sinharaja Forest Reserve
• Highlights of Goal Tourism
• High Tea at the Amanga Hotel in Gole

 

Day 8 of the trip: Sightseeing in Colombo

On the eighth day, we departed Galle in the morning, where we had stayed the previous night, and headed towards our final destination, the most prosperous city of Colombo, where we spent the day sightseeing.

The journey will take approximately three to four hours by car.

 

【From the goal to Colombo's beautiful coastline】

On the eighth day, which was a Sunday and the day after the presidential election, many facilities and restaurants were closed.

During that time, we visited temples where one can see Buddha's hair and temples designed by Bawa.

 

【Gangarama Temple】

 

Today I thoroughly enjoyed Asanka, Sri Lankan cuisine, and the final afternoon tea.

For a detailed account of the eighth day's travelogue, please see below.

 

 

Day 9 of the trip: After experiencing authentic Ayurveda and sightseeing in Colombo, we returned to Japan.

On the final day, we first visited Exserendib Ayurveda Cure & Therapy to experience authentic Ayurveda.

→ Exserendib Ayurveda Cure & Therapy

The spa is featured in guidebooks and offers Japanese-speaking staff, yet the price is not excessive at 15,000 Sri Lankan rupees (approximately ¥9,000) for 90 minutes.

Additionally, a complimentary consultation with an Eastern medicine practitioner is included. (This price is very reasonable for a total of approximately two and a half hours.)

 

Afterwards, we strolled through Colombo's bustling Pettah district, visited Geoffrey Bawa's residence, and then set off on our journey home.

In the travelogue for the final day of the trip, the following points are covered.

 

• Details of authentic Ayurveda
• The bustling scene in the Peta district
• The state of Geoffrey Bawa's Residence No. 11
• Procedure when only one transit ticket is issued
• Reflections on a Trip to Sri Lanka

 

Summary of the Sri Lanka Travelogue

Having completed an eight-night, nine-day whirlwind trip, I find myself reflecting that whilst utterly exhausted, it was a tremendously fulfilling journey.

Thanks to Asanka, we were able to visit two or three tourist attractions or World Heritage Sites per day in Sri Lanka, where transport is not particularly well developed.

When travelling in Sri Lanka, hiring a taxi is generally a good option, unless you are a student backpacker.

→ 【Sri Lanka Taxi Charter Service】 A Traveller's Perspective: Unravelling the Truth About Sri Lanka Taxi Charter Service – The Charter Company with a Reputation Built on Word-of-Mouth!

 

This trip to Sri Lanka aimed to visit all of the country's World Heritage Sites.

Having actually visited these places, I can say that the following World Heritage Sites and tourist attractions are well worth seeing.

• Sigiriya Rock (Day 3)
• Puja Experience at the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Day 4)
• Various Tea Experiences in Nuwara Eliya (Day 5)
• Goal Sightseeing (Day 7)

With the above carefully selected itinerary, you can experience everything in a whirlwind 5 to 6 days by chartering a taxi.

Sigiriya Rock is particularly impressive, offering a truly magnificent view, and is a place you really ought to visit at least once.

 

Next time I visit Sri Lanka, I'd like to go on a safari and tour some resorts to experience another side of the country!