🇱🇰 Colombo · Living here

Weekend getaways in Colombo

Places within easy reach of Colombo, with how long they take, how to get there and what a weekend costs. Filter by time and mode.

For Colombo
Travel time, one way
Getting there

10 getaways from Colombo

  • Negombo

    1 h · Car, Train

    A lagoon town with a fish market, a Dutch canal and long beaches, handy before an early flight.

    Stay
    Day trip / 1 night
    Per person
    LKR 10,000–LKR 50,000
    North by the airport expressway, or the slower coastal train
    November to April

  • Bentota

    1 h 30 min · Car, Train

    Wide beaches, a river safari through the mangroves and Geoffrey Bawa's garden at Lunuganga.

    Stay
    1–2 nights
    Per person
    LKR 30,000–LKR 120,000
    Southern Expressway or the coastal train south
    November to April

  • Galle Fort

    2 h · Car, Train

    A walled Dutch fort of lanes, ramparts and boutique hotels, with sunset over the lighthouse.

    Stay
    1–2 nights
    Per person
    LKR 30,000–LKR 120,000
    About two hours on the Southern Expressway, or a scenic coastal train ride
    December to April

  • Mirissa and Weligama

    2 h 30 min · Car, Train

    Surf lessons on Weligama Bay, palm-lined beaches and blue whale trips out of Mirissa.

    Stay
    2–3 nights
    Per person
    LKR 40,000–LKR 150,000
    Southern Expressway past Galle, or the coastal train
    November to April

  • Kitulgala

    2 h 30 min · Car

    White-water rafting on the Kelani River and short walks in lowland rainforest.

    Stay
    Day trip / 1 night
    Per person
    LKR 15,000–LKR 60,000
    Car east towards the hills on the Avissawella road
    Year-round; the river runs best after rain

  • Kandy

    3 h · Train, Car

    The Temple of the Tooth, a lake in the hills, botanical gardens at Peradeniya and cooler evenings.

    Stay
    1–2 nights
    Per person
    LKR 25,000–LKR 100,000
    About three hours by train from Colombo Fort, or by car
    January to April; the Esala Perahera is in July or August

  • Sinharaja Forest

    3 h 30 min · Car

    A UNESCO-listed rainforest with endemic birds, leeches in the wet and guided walks from simple lodges.

    Stay
    1–2 nights
    Per person
    LKR 30,000–LKR 100,000
    Car south-east via Ratnapura or Deniyaya
    January to April

  • Sigiriya and Dambulla

    4 h · Car

    The rock fortress at Sigiriya, the cave temples of Dambulla and elephants at Minneriya.

    Stay
    2–3 nights
    Per person
    LKR 50,000–LKR 180,000
    Car north-east via Kurunegala, or a driver for the cultural triangle
    February to September

  • Yala

    5 h · Car

    Jeep safaris for leopards, elephants and sloth bears, with the sea at the park's edge.

    Stay
    1–2 nights
    Per person
    LKR 70,000–LKR 250,000
    Southern Expressway to the south coast, then on to Tissamaharama
    February to June; parts close around September

  • Ella and the hill country

    7 h · Train, Car

    Tea estates, waterfalls, Little Adam's Peak and the Nine Arches Bridge, in cool mountain air.

    Stay
    2–4 nights
    Per person
    LKR 60,000–LKR 200,000
    Train to Kandy and on through the tea country, or a car with a driver
    January to April

Budgets are per person for the whole trip: return travel, a mid-range double room shared, and food.