The high season (December to March) opens up activities that are impossible or dangerous
during the monsoon. This is when the seas are calm for boating and the trails are dry for
hiking.
Here are the top 20 experiences you should try to fit into your itinerary.
Ocean & Adventure
1. Blue Whale Watching in Mirissa: This is the prime season. The ocean
is calm, and Blue Whales (the largest animals on earth) migrate past the south coast. Seeing
one blow water 30 feet into the air is unforgettable.
2. Learn to Surf in Weligama: The waves are gentle and consistent. You
can hire a board and an instructor for about $15 on the beach and stand up on your first
day.
3. Snorkeling with Turtles in Hikkaduwa: You don’t need a boat. You can
walk into the water at “Turtle Beach” and giant wild sea turtles will swim right up to you (please
do not touch them).
4. Hot Air Ballooning in Dambulla: This only runs during the high season
when the wind is low. Floating over the jungle and seeing Sigiriya rock from the sky at sunrise is
magical.
5. River Safari in Madu Ganga: Take a boat through the mangrove
tunnels. You can see monitor lizards, monkeys, and visit a “Cinnamon Island” to see how the
spice is made.
Culture & History
6. Climb Sigiriya Rock Fortress: Do it at 7 AM or 4 PM to beat the heat.
The climb involves 1,200 steps, but the ruins of the sky palace at the top are worth every
step.
7. Cycle Through Polonnaruwa: Rent a bicycle and ride through the
ancient ruins. It is flat, shaded by trees, and feels like riding through an open-air museum.
8. Walk the Galle Fort Ramparts: This is a daily ritual. Locals and tourists
gather on the fortress walls at 5:30 PM to fly kites and watch the sun dip into the Indian
Ocean.
9. Visit the Temple of the Tooth (Kandy): Go during a “Puja” ceremony
(usually dawn or dusk) to hear the drums and see the room where the Buddha’s tooth is
kept.
10. Climb Adam’s Peak (Sri Pada): Only possible in this season. Join
thousands of pilgrims climbing the thousands of steps at night to reach the temple at the summit
by dawn. Ideally, start at 2 AM.
Nature & Wildlife
11. Leopard Safari in Yala: Book a full-day jeep safari. Keep your eyes
peeled for the elusive leopard, sloth bears, and crocodiles.
12. Visit the Elephant Transit Home (Udawalawe): Watch baby elephants
who were orphaned being fed milk. Unlike other places, they are released back into the wild
when they are old enough.
13. Hike to “World’s End” (Horton Plains): A beautiful 9km loop trek
through cloud forests that ends at a terrifyingly high cliff edge.
14. Release a Baby Turtle: Visit a conservation hatchery in Bentota or
Kosgoda. Many allow you to release rehabilitated or baby turtles into the ocean at sunset.
Food & Lifestyle
15. Take the Kandy to Ella Train: The most beautiful train ride in the
world. Hang out of the open doors (carefully) and watch the tea plantations roll by.
16. High Tea at the Grand Hotel: Put on your nice clothes and enjoy a
colonial-style High Tea on the lawn of the Grand Hotel in Nuwara Eliya.
17. Eat “Kottu Roti” at a Roadside Shop: Listen for the rhythmic
“chop-chop” sound of metal blades on a hot plate. It’s a spicy stir-fry of chopped bread,
vegetables, and meat.
18. Take a Cooking Class: Learn the secret of roasted curry powder.
Many guesthouses in Ella and Galle offer classes where you go to the market, buy veggies, and
cook a feast.
19. Ayurvedic Massage: Sri Lanka is famous for Ayurveda. Get a
full-body oil massage and a steam bath to recover from all the hiking.
20. Sunset at Coconut Tree Hill: Walk to the end of Mirissa beach to this
private coconut grove. The view of the ocean framed by palm trees is the ultimate tropical
postcard.
