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Honeymoon Places in Sri Lanka

Bentota is a Sri Lankan city the name of which is taken from a mythical demon ‘Ben’ who ruled the tota or the river banks. Heading southwards from Beruwela, you reach Bentota. It is situated approximately 62 km south of Colombo. This is an exotic beach located along the Colombo- Galle road. The lagoons here stretch along the beach adding a glimpse of serenity accredited to its archipelago rich in bird life and tropical greenery.  

The beautiful city is adorned by a serene atmosphere and towering palm trees. Many tourists take the city as a combined excursion with Columbo and Beruwela. Locals from Columbo head to Bentota for an ideal weekend getaway. Here, the local population is predominantly composed of the Singhalese Buddhists.

Bentota is also a fitting hideout for tourists owing to the diverse accommodation options right from resorts to stays keeping in view varying budgets. You can also find a myriad of Ayurveda treatments and umpteen number of water sports and adventure activities leaving the adrenaline driven people spoilt for choice. This phenomenal tourist place offers you snorkeling, wind surfing, water skiing on the estuaries or rivers, parasailing, scuba diving along with a host of other activities to keep you engaged. 

Rock gently in the mild breeze, slip into a hammock and crack open a coconut, assuring that the hours, days or may be weeks’ slip by calmly. That’s Mirrisa or for you! It is a small town located on the Southern Cost of Sri Lanka in the Matara District of the Southern Province. Situated at an elevation of 4 meters above the sea level, Mirrisa lies at a distance of about 240 km from Colombo and 4 km south east of Wligama. It is a small yet quickly developing beach of Sri Lanka.

Modern resorts envelope the beach and there is a myriad of simple cafes along the sand that may well seem to appear and vanish with the tides. At present, the government is taking measures in context to the sand encroaching constructions and has put an absolute ban on it for the time being however, since the tourists visiting here is rising every year, the ban may soon see a lift. None the less, the beach and the nightlife here make it a prominent tourist attraction. Being a massive fishing port, people swamp in large numbers to fish here.  Other activities common here include dolphin and whale watching.  

Often ensconced within tags to the effect of being “the future of Sri Lanka tourism”, Kalpitya has of late ascended unprecedentedly in the global tourism radar. The town which is located in the North Western province of the country, is essentially a remote peninsula consisting of a total of fourteen islets. The Kalpitiya beach is the indisputable highlight of the quaint town, and is reached by a lagoon that is connected to the aforementioned islets that comprise it.

The beach, a slice of paradise in Sri Lanka dotted with coastal palm trees and blanketed by a spotlessly blue sky that is so characteristic of it, is still relatively not as popular as you would guess, albeit its popularity like the town itself is on a trajectory of steady and steep ascent. As far as activities are concerned, one would never tire of the immense range of possibilities that the beach offers.

There is of course the run of the mill list of activities one would check off at any coastal destination, but the beach is especially famous for its aquatic biodiversity, and is home to an immense number of marine species that abound in its waters. Visitors can go on casual swims and even take it to snorkeling to view the underwater life up close, and jeep excursions covering a massive terrestrial range of the peninsula are famous too.

Nuwara Eliya, which literally means, ‘City of Light’, is the coolest city of Sri Lanka. The picturesque landscapes of this beautiful city will surely blow your mind if you love visiting hill stations. With the highest mountain peak in Sri Lanka, Nuwara Eliya boasts on its natural beauty.

Nuwara Eliya is also the prime tea producing land in Sri Lanka. With is lush green terraces, it produces some high quality aromatic tea. Due to its cool climate in a hot and humid country like Sri Lanka, Nuwara Eliya is also referred to as ‘Little England’. During the winters, the nights are chilling. But as soon as the day breaks, the place gets warm and comfortable.

In April, the natives of Nuwara Eliya celebrate Tamil New Year by taking out band carnivals on the street. If you are planning to come down to the city of lights during the festivals, you might not get an accommodation in the hotels easily.

The main attraction of this city is the highest peak in Sri Lanka named Pidurutalagala, which is 2524 m high. The other attractions include a beautiful golf course, an oasis named Victoria Park, Lake Gregory, and many more alluring tourist spots.

If you have a query like where to stay and where to eat in the city, here are some suggestions. The Blackpool Hotel, Heritance Tea Factory, Jetwing St. Andrew’s, Stafford Bunglow, etc., are few good places for your stay. Grand Indian, Salmiya, Mackwoods’s Labookellie Tea Centre, etc., are great ideas to visit and dine in.

If you want a happening nightlife in Nuwara Eliya, visit 19th Hole Pub for some good drinks. If you are wondering where to shop in this city and you can bargain hard, visit Cargil’s. There you will get a lot of stuffs cheaper than other markets. Happy shopping!

Most of us tend to talk about the African safari but in the process, forget that even the beautiful and one of the largest continents – Asia too consists of a range of unique ecosystems that connects to the country of India by another place called Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is known for many things especially its range of largest safaris and the beautiful city of Harbarana.

One can simply enjoy a stroll through this city by witnessing the numerous contrasts of green and ethnicity of the whole country. The elephant being one of the most significant animals there – there are numerous other animals that will come to sight too.

Harbarana is actually quite small when we speak about its geographical occupation in Sri Lanka. Situated in the Anuradhapura district, the city is perfect for visitors as not only is there a range of varied activities that they can choose from but also has numerous mid-range and up hotels aimed at package tourists. Avid travelers will know that Harbarana also serves as a departure point for numerous locations of greater interest.

Harbarana is a popular tourist destination especially for safari-lovers. There are special sessions conducted in the Habarana jungle and the Minneriya sanctuary that takes visitors through the beautiful and rich flora and fauna that is singular to the place. Other primary attractions of the place include the ruins of the fortress Sirigiriya, the roads that lie between Colombo and Trincomalee, Polonnaruwa and Batticaloa and its delicious food.

The area has some of the best hotels and the wild life and greenery just adds extra value to the place.

Rated among the major cities of Sri Lanka, Kandy is a special city. Surrounded by dense forests and mountain ranges, acquiring a height of 500 meters from the sea level, the tourist plces in this town gives you a feeling that you are living in a modern valley. Nature supports this place immensely and makes it the city with a pleasant climate. A city with lakes and special landscapes is always a delight when you plan to spend some romantic evenings and playful late nights while mooning around.

Kandy has a rich historical background covering the major events of the medieval era and colonial era. Every square inch of this nicely planned town has a piece of Sri Lankan history to share with you. You can feel the pulse of royalty in some colonial architecture and feel the divine blessings while visiting a large temple where science meets religion and together they try to explain the complexity of life. The Colonial-era constructions left an imprint on various cities of the world, current generations term these imprints as "old world charms." While moving in the capacity of a tourist, Kandy gives you this opportunity to capture the old world charm where the ambiance of the city plays a pivotal role and transports you into the world where things were easier and more enjoyable. For many of you, it can also become a travel in time when you will visit this nice city that has a mystique associated with it.

If you wish to explore the evolution of a cityscape and witness that how historical factors contribute to it, then the town of Kandy is the right place for that. Check out the map of the city drawn in 1815 and visit the present city. You will understand the point that we are trying to make here, also about the tourist places in Kandy. The town of Kandy added a value to its legacy and never changed its roots for the sake of development. This one virtue makes this town worth a visit.

The remnants of Anuradhapura are unequivocally the most expressive sites of South Asia. This sprawling complex is composed of an opulent collection of architectural and archaeological marvels: gigantic brick towers, crumbling temples, humongous dagobas and archaic pools that were all constructed during the rule of Anuradhapura which went on for several thousand years. At present, most of the sites here remain in use solely as temples and holy places. Incessant ceremonies retain the very ebullience and buoyancy of Anuradhapura which is a stark reverse of the the ambience at Polonaruwa.     

Present day, Anuradhapura is significantly different. It is rather engaging albeit sprawling city. Its main street is orderly in comparison to the the ugly concrete agglomerations found elsewhere. This saintly city was entrenched around a cutting from the 'tree of enlightenment' which is supposedly the Buddha's fig tree. Legends say that in the 3rd century B.C, the tree was brought there by Sanghamitta who was the founder of an order of Buddhist nuns.  

Ceylonese’s religious and political capital, Anuradhapura bloomed for 1300 years but was then eighty-sixed post the invasion in 993. Shrouded in the dense jungles for several years, this magnificent tourist place with its breathtaking places to see, resorts, monuments, palaces and monasteries is accessible all over again.  

Hikkaduwa is a small town in extreme south of Sri Lanka. This is a place with a great beach, perhaps the second best in Sri Lanka. If you love surfing, Hikkaduwa is your paradise. This small town was hit by tsunami in 2004 and was totally destroyed, killing a lot of locals and tourists. There is a tsunami photo museum too which you must visit to see the damages that Hikkaduwa suffered. Since then, it’s re-growing from scratch.

There are a lot of tourist spots in Hikkaduwa. The beach is the prime attraction. Apart from the sea, there are national parks, Buddhist monasteries, really good restaurants, and many more places to pay a visit. In short, Hikkaduwa is a complete tour package.

The food in Hikkaduwa is mouth-watering. As it is situated near the sea, you will get great sea-foods in the beach side shacks and restaurants including shrimps, clams, oysters, crabs, octopuses, etc. There are tasty options for the vegetarians too like tropical fruits.

The nightlife in Hikkaduwa is not much famous. You will get some night clubs and bars in the town but they aren’t that much known. There are a lot of hotels and resorts facing the sea, you can choose one of them for your stay. Your hotel or resort might organise a whole night party on weekends.

Located towards extreme south in Sri Lanka, Unawatuna is a beach city. 108 km south of Colombo, it is one of the major tourist attractions in Sri Lanka. The city is rich in biodiversity. Unawatuna is bird-watchers’ paradise. You can spot more than about fifty species of birds there on the Rumassala Hills. The rare birds seen there are a variety of bulbuls, barbets, sunbirds, swallows, crows etc. There are a number of coral reefs too that you just can’t afford to miss.

If you love scuba diving, or haven’t tried yet, head to Unawatuna to get a lifetime memory. There are a lot of historical places in Unawatuna like museums and temples. A 2300 years old heritage temple is there in the main city of Unawatuna. You must also visit a peace pagoda near the Jungle Beach.  The other adventurous activities that you must try are surfing, water biking, snorkelling, etc.

The local food of Unawatuna is just delicious. You will get the best of sea foods. There are a lot of beach-side restaurants that offers great food and drinks.

The nightlife in Unawatuna is not much famous. Small parties are organised by the resorts on the beaches during weekends. Some happening places for nightlife in Unawatuna are Koha Surf Lounge, 680 Blue, etc.

The other nearby places that you can visit are Dalawla, Thalpe, Weligama, Tangalla, Mirissa and Dondra.

This historic city of Sri Lanka is located on the country’s southwest coast, and is famous for its portuguese heritage and dutch colonial buildings. The best tourist places in Galle includes grand museums, mansions, churches and mosques. Offering the ocean and pretty sunsets, the beautiful city of Galle was founded by the portuguese in the sixteenth century, and you will find the city embracing its ancient heritage every inch. Galle will remind you of its dutch and portuguese lineage, a town famous for its rich Sri lankan cuisine, pepper pot towers and bastions. The city gives you a Mediterranean feel with its bright sunny skies, beaches and blue waters, rainforests of Kanneliya and Hiyare, the city’s narrow lanes lined with various shops that sell you everything from intricate jewellery to shoes and garments.

If you visit Galle between November and April, you can drop by a Mirissa to see the largest animal on the planet; a blue whale. For a beach lover who loves the ocean and the warm sun, there’s no better place to go other than this tropical retreat. The rainforests of Kanneliya and Hiyare are famous for the nature walks they offer, you will see small animals and an excellent diversity when it comes to the flora and fauna. To sum it up, the tourist places in Galle offers you a variety like no other place in the country.

You can explore historical buildings, relax at any beach, go scuba diving, go cliff jumping at Flag Rock, go for safaris, discover the city and its culture on foot, shop artefacts, go for nature walks, and simply relax at your hotel while enjoying the tropical spirit. You can even go on boat trips in the Indian ocean; you may be able to spot humpback whales, dolphins, blue whales, sperm whales etc. The Sri Lankan cuisine has been largely influenced by the Dutch cuisine, as you will find from the dishes.

Jaffna is slowly and steadily re emerging as the citadel of the Hindu art, culture and tradition. Despite all odds, it is once again welcoming the visitors and looking forth to rise again. It is an unimposing, intriguing as well as the most unfrequented destination that can be a roughly rewarding place to invest days when you wish to experience, discover and live the Tamil and Sri Lankan culture.  

Certainly, decades of embargoes, war, emigration as well as loss of life and property have deeply affected the historic Tamil town. More so, for tourists who come here from the south, the impact of all this is very evident given its bombed churches, ruined homes as well as the civic buildings pockmarked by the shrapnel and bullets which are every bit part of the scene.

Around one in five structure of the city has faced the war damage. However, all this has now been left behind and the people see Jaffna for its insights into the Tamil people.  It is also an ideal base for the forays to the idyllic islands just towards the west as well as the trips along the coastline along with the lagoons of the nearby peninsula.