Sri Lanka is small in size yet vast in story. Ancient kingdoms rose from its central hills; Arab traders, Portuguese, Dutch, and British left forts, railways, and tea estates; and wildlife still roams plains where kings once hunted. Today, travelers come for a rare mix: sacred temples, mist-laced tea country, and coconut-fringed beaches within a day’s reach of one another.

In nine days you’ll trace a graceful arc through the island’s essentials. Begin in Kandy to witness the Temple of the Tooth and day-trip to Sigiriya and Dambulla. Roll through tea-carpeted hills on the Kandy–Ella train, hike Little Adam’s Peak, and wander the stone arches that carry trains over emerald valleys.

Finish amid salt air and sunset promenades along Galle’s ramparts, then swim at Unawatuna or Dalawella and, in season, head to Mirissa for whale watching. Cards are widely accepted in cities; cash helps in rural shops. Apply for Sri Lanka’s ETA online before you fly, and note that trains and popular restaurants book up quickly in peak season (December–March and July–August).

Kandy

Cradled by misty hills, Kandy is Sri Lanka’s cultural heartbeat. Drumbeats and incense drift from the Temple of the Tooth, the island’s most revered Buddhist shrine. Around town, leafy lanes, a tranquil lake, and hillside viewpoints make for gentle exploring between cups of Ceylon tea.

• Top sights: Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Kandy Lake loop, Udawattakele Forest Sanctuary, Bahirawakanda Buddha viewpoint, Ceylon Tea Museum (Hantana).
• Food & coffee: Natural Coffee (espresso and local roasts by the Temple), Buono (Italian-style coffee and fresh bakes), Balaji Dosai (legendary vegetarian dosa and thali), The Empire Café (Kandyan curries in a restored building), Slightly Chilled Lounge (rooftop views, Sri Lankan and Chinese dishes).
• Fun fact: The Temple’s nightly puja includes drummers whose rhythms echo royal ceremonies dating back to the Kandyan Kingdom.

Where to stay: Browse boutique hotels and villas near the lake or on quiet hillsides: VRBO Kandy stays and Hotels.com Kandy hotels.

Getting in: Fly to Colombo (CMB) via Trip.com flights or Kiwi.com flights. Transfer to Kandy by car (3–3.5 hours, roughly $75–100) or train from Colombo Fort (2.5–3 hours, $2–7; check Trip.com Trains for schedules; reserve seats when possible).

Day 1 — Arrive Sri Lanka, transfer to Kandy

Afternoon: Arrive at CMB and drive/train to Kandy. Check in and stretch your legs on a gentle loop around Kandy Lake, where monitor lizards bask and temple spires peek through trees.

Evening: Early dinner at The Empire Café for peppery black pork curry and coconut sambol, or Balaji Dosai for crisp masala dosas with sambar. Cap the night with lime sodas and hill views at Slightly Chilled Lounge.

Day 2 — Temple, forest sanctuary, and hilltop views

Morning: Coffee at Natural Coffee (good espresso near the Temple). Visit the Temple of the Tooth during a puja to see drummers and monks tending the relic shrine; modest dress required. Walk the shaded paths of Udawattakele Forest—watch for toque macaques and crimson-backed flamebacks (woodpeckers).

Afternoon: Lunch at The Empire Café (try the jackfruit curry). Taxi up to Bahirawakanda Buddha for sweeping photos, then continue to the Ceylon Tea Museum in Hantana to trace tea’s journey from leaf to cup.

Evening: See a Kandyan dance performance at Kandy Lake Club—touristic but an evocative sampler of drumming and fire-walking traditions. Dinner at Royal Bar & Hotel’s verandah for old-world ambiance and Sri Lankan classics.

Day 3 — Day trip: Sigiriya, Dambulla, and elephants (full day)

Depart Kandy around 5:30–6:00 a.m. (2.5 hours to Sigiriya). Climb Sigiriya Lion Rock early to beat the heat and crowds—5th-century frescoes, mirror wall inscriptions, and sky-level palace ruins reward the effort. Alternatively, hike nearby Pidurangala for sunrise views of Sigiriya itself.

Continue 30 minutes to Dambulla Cave Temple, where five gilded caves shelter Buddha statues and ancient murals. Lunch at Priyamali Gedara, a rustic spot serving lotus-root, pumpkin, and green-bean curries on lotus leaves. In the afternoon, join a safari in Minneriya or Kaudulla (elephant herds are most reliable July–October; outside those months, guides often switch to Hurulu Eco Park). Return to Kandy in the evening.

Ella

Ella is tea country distilled: waterfalls sparkle off ferny cliffs; a toy-like train threads through pine and tea; and cafés hum with hikers swapping trail tips. It’s the perfect base for short scenic hikes and slow hours with a view.

• Top sights: Little Adam’s Peak, Nine Arches Bridge, Demodara Loop, Ravana Falls, Uva Halpewatte Tea Factory tour.
• Cafés & eats: Café Chill (the traveler’s hub; kottu, burgers, and cocktails), Matey Hut (roti, dhal, and pol sambol made to order), Ellement Hiking Bar (grilled seafood and hearty salads), 98 Acres viewpoint café (smoothies with valley views).
• Local gem: Ella Spice Garden’s hands-on cooking class—grind spices, cook curries, and leave with recipes.

Where to stay: Valley-view chalets or tea-bungalow-style stays: VRBO Ella stays and Hotels.com Ella hotels.

Getting here from Kandy: Take the scenic Kandy–Ella train (6–7 hours, $3–10; reserve observation or 1st/2nd class on Trip.com Trains where available). A private car via the A26/A5 takes ~4.5–5 hours ($90–120) if you prefer flexibility or are traveling with luggage.

Day 4 — Kandy to Ella on the world-famous train

Morning: Board a morning train from Kandy. The ride is a highlight of any Sri Lanka itinerary—tea gardens, mist forests, and photo-ready viaducts roll past your window.

Afternoon: Arrive in Ella, check in, and refuel at Café Chill (try the devilled chicken or jackfruit burger). Walk to the Nine Arches Bridge; time your visit to watch a train cross while you stand at a tea-strewn vantage point.

Evening: Sunset drinks at 98 Acres café above valley slopes. Dinner at Ellement Hiking Bar—grilled prawns, veggie skewers, and a passionfruit mojito hit the spot after a travel day.

Day 5 — Little Adam’s Peak, tea, and waterfalls

Morning: Sunrise hike to Little Adam’s Peak (easy, 30–45 minutes from the trailhead; panoramic views over Ella Gap). Coffee and smoothies back at 98 Acres café or grab egg hoppers from a street stall.

Afternoon: Tour Uva Halpewatte Tea Factory—walk the withering floors, see rollers at work, and taste grades from BOP to FBOPFEXSP while learning how terroir shapes Sri Lanka tea. Picnic lunch with short eats (vegetable roti, fish buns) en route to Ravana Falls for a refreshing spray and photos.

Evening: Dinner at Matey Hut—order coconut roti with lunu miris and a spread of pumpkin, beetroot, and dhal curries. Nightcap at Café Chill’s rooftop.

Day 6 — Cooking class or Ella Rock

Morning: For hikers, start early for Ella Rock (3–4 hours round trip; hire a local guide for clear paths and viewpoints). Prefer slower travel? Linger over coffee at a lane-side café and browse spice shops for cinnamon, cloves, and Ceylon pepper.

Afternoon: Join Ella Spice Garden’s cooking class (typically ~3 hours): learn to temper mustard seeds, build a coconut-milk curry base, and prepare pol sambol and gotu kola salad. You’ll eat what you cook—come hungry.

Evening: Casual dinner at Café Chill or try a wood-fired pizza and grilled calamari at a small main-street pizzeria. Rest up for tomorrow’s coastal change of scene.

Galle

Galle Fort is a living museum wrapped in sea breeze: Dutch-colonial lanes, artful boutiques, pastel houses, and the lighthouse above the reef. Outside the walls, turquoise coves at Unawatuna and Dalawella beckon with snorkeling, surf, and lazy lunches.

• Top sights: Galle Fort ramparts, lighthouse, Dutch Reformed Church, National Maritime Museum, Unawatuna and Dalawella beaches, day trip to Mirissa (whales in season), Koggala Lake and Handunugoda Tea Estate.
• Food & coffee: Poonie’s Kitchen (salads, smoothie bowls, and lime-mint coolers), Pedlar’s Inn Café (savory pies and pastries), A Minute by Tuk Tuk (sea views and Sri Lankan seafood), The Tuna & The Crab (Japanese–Sri Lankan fusion), Fortaleza and The Fort Printers (elegant courtyard dining).
• Fun fact: The Fort’s grid was laid by the Dutch; the British added clocktowers and verandahs. Today, sunset strolls along the walls feel like a nightly community ritual.

Where to stay: Sleep in a restored merchant’s house inside the Fort or a beach villa nearby: VRBO Galle stays and Hotels.com Galle hotels.

Getting here from Ella: The simplest route is a private car via the southern expressway (4.5–5.5 hours, $120–150). Public transport is possible but slow with transfers; if you prefer rails, take an early train to Colombo then connect to the coastal line to Galle (all-day journey; check Trip.com Trains for times).

Day 7 — Transfer to Galle and explore the Fort

Morning: Depart Ella by car after breakfast, pausing for a last photo of Ella Gap.

Afternoon: Check in and lunch at A Minute by Tuk Tuk in the Old Dutch Hospital—order black pepper prawns or a curry rice set with sambols. Wander the Fort’s lanes: Dutch Reformed Church, Maritime Museum, art galleries, and tiny gem shops.

Evening: Walk the ramparts from the lighthouse to the clocktower for a blazing Indian Ocean sunset. Dinner at The Tuna & The Crab (try the crab curry or tuna tataki) or The Fort Printers for refined Sri Lankan tasting plates in a serene courtyard.

Day 8 — Beaches and (in season) whales

Morning: If traveling November–April, drive 45 minutes to Mirissa for a responsible whale-watching cruise (blue and sperm whales frequent these waters—choose operators that keep distance and brief passengers on etiquette). Otherwise, start with a swim at Unawatuna or Dalawella; the reef-protected shallows are ideal for a relaxed morning.

Afternoon: Beachside lunch at Wijaya Beach on Dalawella (famous prawn curry and thin-crust pizza; snorkel for sea turtles just offshore when the sea is calm). Lounge at Jungle Beach or try a beginner surf lesson at Unawatuna’s gentle break.

Evening: Back in the Fort, enjoy light, fresh plates at Poonie’s Kitchen or seafood and grilled vegetables at Fortaleza. Gelato at Isle of Gelato as you stroll beneath lantern-lit ramparts.

Day 9 — Fort mornings, lake boats, and departure

Morning: Coffee and chia pudding at Poonie’s Kitchen, then pick up last-minute gifts—hand-loomed textiles, cinnamon sticks, or locally designed jewelry. If time allows, take a short drive to Koggala Lake for a one-hour boat ride among cinnamon islands and bird-filled mangroves, or visit Handunugoda Tea Estate to taste its famed “Virgin White Tea.”

Afternoon: Depart for Colombo airport via the expressway (2–2.5 hours by car; plan extra time for airport security). Alternatively, take the coastal train to Colombo Fort (~2–2.5 hours) and a taxi to CMB; check Trip.com Trains for schedules and Trip.com flights or Kiwi.com flights for onward travel.

Practical dining notes throughout your trip: In Kandy, Natural Coffee and Buono are your best bets near the Temple; Balaji Dosai is a vegetarian institution. In Ella, Café Chill and Matey Hut deliver crowd-pleasing Sri Lankan flavors; book Ella Spice Garden in advance. In Galle, Poonie’s is perfect for light, fresh fare, while The Tuna & The Crab and The Fort Printers handle celebratory dinners with finesse.

Getting around recap: Use the scenic train where it shines (Kandy–Ella), then opt for a private car for Ella–Galle and your airport transfer to maximize time and comfort. For flights and rail references, keep Trip.com flights, Kiwi.com flights, and Trip.com Trains handy.

Where to book stays quickly: Kandy — VRBO | Hotels.com • Ella — VRBO | Hotels.com • Galle — VRBO | Hotels.com

In nine days, you’ll touch Sri Lanka’s greatest hits without rushing: Kandy’s sacred rituals, a bucket-list train into tea country, hikes above Ella Gap, and sunsets from Galle’s storied walls. Keep your camera ready, your appetite open to spice, and your plans flexible—Sri Lanka rewards curiosity at every bend in the road.