When you are visiting Sri Lanka, you’ll land in Colombo Bandaranaike Airport which locates in the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is a vibrant place filled with hustle and bustle of the city. Although there are many attractions in the capital, they are quite crowded with lots of people. On the other hand, there are many spectacular places in its neighborhoods, which are ideal for day trips. Enjoying a single-day trip from Colombo is the best way to relax before starting or after exploring your trip to Sri Lanka.
Here we are going to show you the top places you can visit during a single day from Colombo. These places are wonderful family-friendly destinations with activities suitable for both adults and kids. When you have some free time in Colombo, you can enjoy these awesome places within one day and come back to your hotel in the evening. We hope these suggestions will help you to enjoy lovely day trips from Colombo.
1. Madu River
Madu River is an estuary and a RAMSAR wetland, near Balapitiya town along the Colombo – Galle highway. The river flows through a terrain where it creates a large number of islands, and the ecosystem creates a beautiful wetland. You can enjoy a boat ride through the canals in the estuary to see the unique flora and fauna in the area.
Madu River is a famous ecological hotspot with a large number of Mangrove species on riverbanks. Going through the tunnels of Mangroves is one of the major highlights of the Madu River boat ride. This journey lasts for a couple of hours with stops at various locations along the way. You’ll find a wonderful fish spa during this boat ride.
Without a doubt, the tranquility and calmness of the area will fascinate you. You can enjoy the view of many birds and other aquatic fauna during this trip. Madu River is an ecological wonder and natural heritage that you can enjoy a lot during a single day. This is one of the best day trips from Colombo, you shouldn’t miss in Sri Lanka.
2. Seethawaka Botanical Garden
Seethawaka Botanical Garden is a hidden gem closer to the capital of Sri Lanka. It locates in Avissawella, just a 90-minute drive from Colombo. This garden is filled with charming beauty, but still well hidden from the crowds. If you like to spend a peaceful day out near Colombo, this is an awesome place with all nature’s beautiful delights.
Seethawaka Botanical Garden is landscaped with minimum modifications to the natural setup of the land. Lush green Sabaragamuwa mountain range surrounds the garden. As well as, there is a viewpoint at the summit to get a panoramic view of the whole area.
You’ll find a vast lake in the garden, where swan paddle boat rides are available for both kids and adults. There are beautiful flower beds along the lake. You can leisurely walk along the paved pathways watching the beautiful blooms and flower beds.
Above all, the perfectly cut grasses and elegant landscaping enhance the aesthetic value of the garden a lot. This is an ideal place for a fun-filled family day out in a serene environment with fresh air and a cool breeze. You can have a picnic under the shade of trees and enjoy the sceneries of the lovely environment a lot.
3. Bentota Beach
If you are a beach lover, charming Bentota beach is the closest stunning beach destination to Colombo. Most importantly, you can reach there less than 1-hour drive from Colombo. Bentota Beach surrounds by numerous luxurious hotels and resorts that provide excellent premium facilities.
Furthermore, there is an 8 km long stretch of golden sand bordering deep blue waters, to walk along the palm-fringed coast. This golden sandy beach allures visitors with its charming beauty.
Continuously, Bentota is the major water sports hub in Sri Lanka. Several water sports can experience in Bentota beach. This area is highly famous for adrenaline-filled activities such as speed boats, jet-ski riding, and water skiing. It is famous as a surfing destination ideal for windsurfing and kite surfing.
In short, this wonderful beach is ideal for watching the sunset and walking on the beach admiring the views. You can have a dip in warm water or just sit back and relax. Bentota beach has only a few people, the ultimate beach destination for the people who love gorgeous beaches in Sri Lanka.
4. Muthurajawela Wetland
Muthurajawela is a coastal wetland ecosystem and a bird sanctuary located in the Gampaha District of Sri Lanka. It is one of the best places for awesome day trips from Colombo. You can reach there within one hour from the Colombo city centre. It is a main biodiversity hot spot consisting wide array of unique flora & fauna species.
Muthurajawela marshland is a protected area for biodiversity conservation. Since this marsh is prominent for its highly diverse ecosystem, it is listed as one of the 12 priority wetlands in Sri Lanka.
The marsh is a major local and tourist attraction, highly popular for bird watching in Sri Lanka. You can see many species of herons, egrets, cormorants, lapwings, waders, and kingfishers around this marshland.
There are boating tours for sightseeing from the Muthurajawela Visitor Centre. You can take a 2–3 hours wildlife viewing boat tour, where visitors are guided through the sanctuary areas. This is a marvelous opportunity to immerse in the beauty of calm and serene nature just closer to the capital of Sri Lanka.
5. Kalutara Temple
The majestic Kalutara Temple is visible from almost everywhere in Kalutara city. It is located just beside the Kalutara Bridge on Colombo-Galle main road. It is quite easy to reach this historical temple, which takes less than one hour from Colombo. If you love to visit religious places, this is one of the best places for day trips from Colombo.
The magnificent Kalutara stupa is hemispherical in shape and pure white in color. This large stupa is 30 m in diameter and 91 m in circumference. Above all, it is one of only a few hollow Buddhist stupas in the world. The thin shell of the stupa has a thickness of 140 mm. Visitors can walk inside the stupa to look at the statues and wall paintings. Its interior contains 74 murals, each depicting different aspects of Lord Buddha’s life.
Sri Lankan Buddhists highly respect the Kalutara Bodhiya. This is an old Bodhi tree that is identified as one of the 32 saplings of Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi which was planted during the reign of king Devanampiyatissa,
6. Kande Viharaya
Kande Viharaya is a popular pilgrim site among Sri Lankan Buddhists. The literal meaning of Kande Viharaya is the temple on the mountain. As the name suggested, this temple has constructed on top of a hill in Aluthgama, Kalutara district. You can reach there within 90 minutes from Colombo city centre.
Kande Viharaya is highly famous for its incredible statue of Lord Buddha. The large seated statue of Lord Buddha in this temple can consider the most beautiful Buddha image in Sri Lanka. As well, this 160 feet high Lord Buddha statue is one of the largest seated statues in the world.
The statue has been erected on a colorful pedestal made in the shape of a Lotus flower. You’ll see that this statue depicts a unique mudra call as the Bhoomisparsha Mudra. This majestic statue is an eye-catching sight, painted in attractive colors. You’ll experience Lord Buddha’s radiating feelings of peace and awe-inspiring serenity on the temple premises.
7. Kelaniya Temple
Kelaniya Temple is one of the most sacred Buddhist sites in Sri Lanka. This ancient temple locates only 12 km from Colombo city and you can reach there within half an hour. It situates in a beautiful location on the banks of the Kelani River. It is one of the best historical places ideal for day trips from Colombo.
There is a 90 feet high majestic stupa in Kelaniya Temple. Most importantly, this stupa is architecturally unique, since its dome has a shape of a heap of rice grains. It’s quite rare to see this shape of stupas in Sri Lanka.
Moreover, ancient paintings and murals make this temple a completely worthy place to visit. Both the interior of the temple and the exterior of the surroundings are very attractive to the devotees who come to visit this spiritual land. Especially, Kelaniya’s image house is dating from the late 19th century, includes the renowned artist Soliyas Mendis’s paintings inside.
8. Bopath Ella Waterfall
Do you love to enjoy the cool breeze of a gorgeous waterfall closer to the capital? The closest waterfall to Colombo is Bopath Ella, which locates at a distance of 80 km at Kuruwita, Ratnapura. This attractive waterfall is a major tourist and local attraction in the country.
Bopath Ella has a height of 30 m and it has a shape very similar to the leaf of the sacred fig or “Bo” tree, which has earned it this name. The unique beauty of the waterfall draws many travelers to this place. If you look well in the water, you will get fascinated by seeing many species of beautiful fish.
Bopath Ella is a lovely destination where you can enjoy a safe bath during the dry period from December to April. The water flow of the fall is calm and quiet during this dry season. It’s dangerous to go for a bath in the rainy season due to high water volume and slippery rocks.
Here we have shown you 8 awesome day trips from Colombo, where you can get a remarkable experience within one day. These day trips will give you a wonderful memory to last for a lifetime. Explore these calm and serene destinations to enjoy the best of your Sri Lankan tour. Happy day trips from Colombo for you guys.!
Text by Magnificent Sri Lanka. Images from Wikimedia Commons, Dreamstime, and Twitter. All copyrights reserved by original authors.
