South Asia
Solo travel in Sri Lanka
3/5English level
Solo travel in Sri Lanka
Compact island where scenic train rides, tea hills, wildlife safaris and surf beaches sit within a day of each other. Easy for solo travelers; tuk-tuk haggling and post-2022 price rises are the trade-offs. The easiest place to start is Ella.
Best places in Sri Lanka for solo travelers
| Place | Solo | English | Locals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ella | 4/5 | Widely spoken | Friendly |
| Kandy | 4/5 | Widely spoken | Friendly |
| Galle | 4/5 | Widely spoken | Friendly |
| Mirissa | 4/5 | Widely spoken | Friendly |
| Weligama | 4/5 | Widely spoken | Friendly |
| Arugam Bay | 4/5 | Widely spoken | Friendly |
| Unawatuna | 4/5 | Widely spoken | Friendly |
| Hikkaduwa | 4/5 | Widely spoken | Friendly |
| Ahangama | 4/5 | Widely spoken | Friendly |
| Hiriketiya | 4/5 | Widely spoken | Friendly |
| Colombo | 3/5 | Widely spoken | Friendly |
| Sigiriya | 3/5 | Widely spoken | Friendly |
| Nuwara Eliya | 3/5 | Widely spoken | Friendly |
| Negombo | 3/5 | Widely spoken | Friendly |
| Trincomalee | 3/5 | Common in tourist areas | Friendly |
| Bentota | 3/5 | Common in tourist areas | Friendly |
| Tangalle | 3/5 | Common in tourist areas | Friendly |
| Jaffna | 3/5 | Common in tourist areas | Friendly |
Solo travel by place
- EllaSolo travel
- ColomboSolo travel
- KandySolo travel
- GalleSolo travel
- MirissaSolo travel
- WeligamaSolo travel
- Arugam BaySolo travel
- SigiriyaSolo travel
- UnawatunaSolo travel
- HikkaduwaSolo travel
- Nuwara EliyaSolo travel
- NegomboSolo travel
- AhangamaSolo travel
- HiriketiyaSolo travel
- TrincomaleeSolo travel
- BentotaSolo travel
Sources
- US State Department travel advisory
- Department of Immigration and Emigration
- Sri Lanka ETA (official)
- Dialog Tourist SIM
- Sri Lanka Tourism
- Speedtest Global Index: Sri Lanka
- World Bank open data
Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.