Discover the Beauty of Sri Lanka in Photos

Written By: The Planet D

Enjoy our favourite Sri Lanka photos from our four different visits to one of our favourite countries!

We fell in love with Sri Lanka the first time we visited in 2010.

We spent a month traveling around by trains, local buses, and tuk-tuks.

We have been back to Sri Lanka three more times and each was a very different experience and captured many more Sri Lanka photos.

Sri Lanka in Photos

My how Sri Lanka has changed and blossomed over the years while still retaining its charm and beauty.

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Elephants at Kaudulla National Park, Sri Lanka

Elephants of Sri Lanka in photos

Sri Lanka has a huge volume of elephants and they are working hard to conserve their habitat.

There are many national parks and wildlife preserves for elephants to roam and for tourists to see them in their natural habitats.

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Family of Elephants at Kaudulla National Park

While we saw many elephants in the national parks and elephant sanctuaries, it was also common to see them walking along railroad tracks and paved road sharing the streets with buses and motorcycles.

Trains

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Waiting for the train in southern Sri Lanka

It is a cultural experience to ride the trains of Sri Lanka. The old trains date back to the colonial days and they slowly wind through the highlands offering gorgeous views.

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Riding the train is a must do in Sri Lanka.

Many people hang out the windows and doors, but we were happy to sit on the wooden benches.

Culture of Sri Lanka in Pictures

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An aerial view of the famous Sigiriya, Sri Lanka

We were lucky to be able to take a helicopter tour over the heavenly site of Sigiriya.

Sigiriya was an ancient city dating back to the third century BC.

It is located between the towns of Dambulla and Habarane and is the most viisted site in all of Sri Lanka.

You can climb to the top of the 370 meter high massive rocky plateau.

See: The Top Things to do in Sri Lanka

Adam’s Peak

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Prayer flags blow in the wind on Adams Peak.

One of our most memorable experiences in Sri Lanka was taking part in the annual Adam’s Peak Pilgrimage.

Starting our climb in the middle of the night, we made our way past religious artifacts for Muslim, Hindu and Christian faiths, and shops and stores selling souvenirs.

View: Adams Peak Pilgrimage, a photostory

Wildlife of Sri Lanka

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Enjoy: Leopard SpottingSri Lanka Safari – The Best of Yala National Park at Yala National Park

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A peacock shows off in Yala National Park

We have never seen such a spectacular peacock as we did at Yala National park in the South.

Sri Lanka Safari bear in yala

Our first two times to Sri Lanka, we didn’t see a sloth bear, but they are coming back in numbers and are more common to see.

With proper conservation, they will thrive.

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A rare Albino turtle at the Kosgoda Turtle Hatchery, Sri Lanka

Sea turtles have a rough life, but the Kosgoda Turtle hatchery is doing their best to help save the sea turtles by farming eggs and releasing them into the wild.

Kandy

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The Royal Palace of Kandy in Sri Lanka

Kandy was the ancient capital of Sri Lanka and visiting the Royal Palace is a must.

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Dodanduwa Temple

Beaches Sri Lanka Pictures

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Beautiful beaches on the west coast of Sri Lanka

We loved spending a good chunk of time in Hikkaduwa. It made for a great base to explore the coast and make our way to Gall and Una Watuna.

But what we loved the most was chilling out on the beach and learning to surf!

Aragum Bay is probably the best beach in Sri Lanka. It’s also a popular spot for seasoned surfers.

Tea Terraces

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The stunning green hills of Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is famous for its tea production and you cannot visit the country without spending time among the tea terraces of Nuwara Eliya.

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The sprawling tea fields of Ella, Sri Lanka

We have a soft spot for Sri Lanka, it is often at the top of our list of places we recommend to visit.

Scenery of Sri Lanka

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Sunset in Tissa, Sri Lanka

This photo was taken in Tissa the day before our wildlife safari in Yala.

We spent the day exploring the beautiful countryside.

Tourism is at an all time high with grand resorts opening up everywhere.

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The lush green hills of Central Sri Lanka

Hiking to Ella Rock is a great day trek. Spending time in the highlands is a must.

We hope that after viewing these photos, you will feel the same way.

One thing that hasn’t changed though, is the beauty of the land and the generous spirit of the people.

When visiting Sri Lanka, a lot of people take a side trip to the Maldives. See all the things there are to do in the Maldives too!

Remembering the Tsunami

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A touching memorial to the victims of the Tsunami
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Tsunami Museum Sri Lanka

We hope you enjoy the Sri Lanka pictures we have shared with you. We love the country of Sri Lanka and especially its people. We hope you get the chance to visit and that these Sri Lanka photos inspire you to travel there too!

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Travel Planning Resources

Looking to book your next trip? Why not use these resources that are tried and tested by yours truly.

Book Your Flights: Start planning your trip by finding the best flight deals on Skyscanner. We have used them for years and have found that they have the best flight deals.

Book your Hotel: Find the best prices on hotels with these two providers. If you are located in Europe use Booking.com and if you are anywhere else use TripAdvisor.

Find Apartment Rentals: You will find the cheapest prices on apartment rentals with VRBO

Travel Insurance: Don't leave home without it. Here is what we recommend:

  • Safety Wing - Occasional Travelers.
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Book Your Activities: Looking for walking tours, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more? Then we recommend Get Your Guide.

Need more help planning your trip? Make sure to check out our Resources Page where we highlight all the great companies that we trust when we are traveling.

About The Planet D

Dave Bouskill and Debra Corbeil are the owners and founders of The Planet D. After traveling to 115 countries, on all 7 continents over the past 13 years they have become one of the foremost experts in travel. Being recognized as top travel bloggers and influencers by the likes of Forbes Magazine, the Society of American Travel Writers and USA Today has allowed them to become leaders in their field.

Leave a Comment

33 thoughts on “Discover the Beauty of Sri Lanka in Photos”

  1. There’s no doubt. Sri Lanka is a gift given by God.A magical island paradise full of natural beauties,glorious history and friendly locals.your collection of photos is amazing.Last year I was fortunate to visit Sri Lanka could cover all the provinces within two weeks.My tour was organized by Rameca Travel and Leisure. I would thank them for organizing a great to for me. Hope to visit Sri Lanka again and HE HE !! hope to meet Dave and Deb at Sri Lanka.

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  2. Amazing photo collection which proves Sri Lanka is a paradise Island. Thank you Deve and Deb for sharing our counties beauty with the world.

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  3. Your blog should win the best Travel Blog Design Award, as for the photos, what camera did you use? They have such clarity!

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  4. Wow, amazing, wonderful, places…
    The images talk and explain how beautiful Sri Lanka is and why it deserve a visit at least once in a lifetime.

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  5. Beautiful pictures. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. The pictures alone would sell me on Sri Lanka. I have been reading a lot about Sri Lanka lately. It seems to be growing in popularity.

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  6. Wow! Albino turtle/ tortoise, It is the first time that I know albino turtle exist from your blog. Thank to your blog!

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  7. I need to go to Sri Lanka, these wonderful pictures are of all that I am totally fixated on: trains, tea ranches and Asian Elephants! I’ve heard such astonishing things about Sri Lanka, I think I’ll pop the pot on and enjoy some hunger for new experiences!

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  8. I’ve been seeing more and more about Sri Lanka in the blogopshere lately. It looks like such a diverse country. Really interesting.

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    • Hi Dean, yes, it’s been on the Internet a lot because of the conference that happened there in October. It’s a beautiful destination. We were there in 2010 and then again this past November and it was a little too short this time around, I’d love to go back to really get a feel of how much it has changed.

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  9. Beautiful pictures. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. The pictures alone would sell me on Sri Lanka. I have been reading a lot about Sri Lanka lately. It seems to be growing in popularity.

    Traveling by train seems like a great way to go. I have always loved train travel (both modern trains and old style trains, including steam engine trains). You get to see so much while relaxing comfortably on the train.

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    • If you like train travel, you will love traveling in Sri Lanka. They go slowly through the Rice Terraces and mountains, it’s like stepping back in time. And the scenery is so beautiful.

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    • We’ve actually been to that elephant orphanage. So wonderful, but so sad that so many elephants are in need of help.

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  10. As always your pictures was awesome, sure you are professional photographer, do you have any pictures of your traveling in Bali

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    • We don’t have a lot of photos from our time in Bali. When we were there, we had just bought our first digital camera so we were just getting used to it. We have some on the blog if you search Bali, but we really need to go back for a visit again. We were there in 2004!

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  11. We’ve heard lots of good things about Sri Lanka lately, and your photos now give us another reason to plan a trip there.

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  12. Oh my goodness guys! I have to go to Sri Lanka, these glorious pictures are of everything I am completely obsessed with: trains, tea plantations and Asian Elephants! I’ve heard such amazing things about Sri Lanka, I think I’ll pop the kettle on and indulge in some wanderlust!

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    • Climate Vietnam is a tropical monsoon climate. The Vietnamese territory is located in the tropics, at the same time, on the southeastern edge of the continental Asia, bordering the South China Sea (part of the Pacific Ocean), so it is directly influenced by the type of windy climate. trade season, usually blowing in low latitudes.

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  13. Your blog should win the best Travel Blog Design Award, as for the photos, what camera did you use? They have such clarity!

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    • Thanks Christine, we really appreciate the kind words. IT’s a new design and we are thrilled with it. We use a Canon 5D MKII with Canon L series lenses. Cheers!

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