Top 15 Most Visited Tourist Places in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is rated as the best island of its size in the world and a popular honeymoon destination for Indians. Tourist attractions of Sri Lanka include pleasant climate, biodiversity hotspots, tropical beaches and natural scenic beauty.

Koneswaram Temple

Koneswaram temple is a Hindu temple in Sri Lanka dedicated to Lord Shiva and well known for its chariot festival. The Dakshina Kailasa Manmiam and the complex has Golden statue of Lord Shiva in sitting posture and statue of Ravana, the mythical king of Lanka.

Munneswaram temple, Nainativu Nagapooshani Amman Temple, Tenavaram temple and Nallur Kandaswamy temple are few most significant Hindu temples in Sri Lanka.

Dambulla Cave Temple

Dambulla Cave Temple or the Golden Temple of Dambulla is composed with five caves and a world heritage site. The cave temple situated close to Kandy and Colombo, one of the must visit place in Sri Lanka.

Bentota

Bentota is the main tourist attraction in the Galle district and best destination for watersports in in Sri Lanka. Tourist attractions of Bentota include Bentota Beach,Kosgoda Turtle Hatchery and Buddhist temple.

Mirissa

Mirissa is a popular tourist destination and best known as dolphin watching location in Sri Lanka. The favorite beach town of Mirissa is also a fishing port and known for its tuna and butterfish.

Nuwara Eliya

Nuwara Eliya is well known for its picturesque landscape and temperate climate.  The city is an important place for tea production in Sri Lanka and also known as the coolest area of the country.

Unawatuna

Unawatuna coastal town is very famous for its beautiful beaches, coconuts trees and corals. Its rice biodiversity and potential for Eco-Tourism makes it major tourist attraction in Sri Lanka.

Hikkaduwa

Hikkaduwa town is a well known international destination for board surfing and second best surfing spot in Sri Lanka. The beach of Hikkaduwa is a popular tourist destination and famous for night life.

Kandy

Kandy is the home of The Temple of the Tooth Relic and attracts large number of foreign tourists from all parts of the world. The city was declared as a heritage site and the Tooth temple is most sacred places of Buddhist.

Ella

Ella is surrounded by dense covered hills, lowlands and tea plantations. The small town is also home to numerous varieties of flora and fauna.

Anuradhapura

Anuradhapura is a heritage site, famous for its well preserved ruins of buildings. Jetavanaramaya is the tallest stupa in the world, located in the heritage city of Anuradhapura.

Polonnaruwa

Polonnaruwa is the most cleanest and beautiful city of the country and attract tourist for its best planned archaeological relic. The toque macaques monkeys are another attraction of the city along with Hatadage, Rankoth Vehera, Gal Vihara rock temple of the Buddha.

Sigiriya

Sigiriya is a historical monuments of Sri Lanka, located near the town of Dambulla and famous for a massive ancient rock fortress of 660 ft high.

Adams Peak/Sri Pada

Adams Peak or Sri Pada is a tall conical mountain and sacred mountain. The mountain is an important place of pilgrimage for Buddhists, Hindus, some Muslims and Christians.

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage facility was planned to attract foreign visitors and now become a tourist attractions. The orphanage house largest herd of captive elephants in the world.

Yala National Park

Yala National Park is best known for its variety of wild animals and most visited national park in Sri Lanka. Lunugamvehera National Park is the largest national park in Sri Lanka, followed by Yala National Park that offers a variety of ecosystems.

Minneriya National Park of Sri Lanka is situated in dry zone and attracted large number of Sri Lankan elephants on the open grass fields. The park is also an Important bird area and habitat for endemic purple faced langur monkey and Sri Lankan leopard.