Colombo Trip Overview
This 3 days tour is ideal for those who travel to Sri Lanka for a short holiday. The seas of Sri Lanka’s North East coast are perfect for snorkeling, surfing and also whale and dolphin spotting. Visit the ancient kingdoms of Anuradhapura where the ruins of the great city bring history alive. The sacred city of Anuradhapura has been nominated by the UNESCO as a World Heritage. Trincomalee is home to the fine beaches of Nilaveli, Uppuveli and the off-shore Pigeon Island. The Dive centres at Nilaveli and Uppuveli offer tourists the opportunity to enjoy their holidays in diving, snorkelling and swimming.
• Enjoy personalized attention on a private tour
• Hassle-free hotel pickup and drop-offs
• Travel comfortably in an air-conditioned vehicle with a travel guide driver
• All meals and accommodation included
Additional Info
Duration: 3 days
Starts: Colombo, Sri Lanka
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Cultural Tours
Explore Colombo Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Colombo, Western Province, Sri Lanka
This 3 days tour is ideal for those who travel to Sri Lanka for a short holiday. The seas of Sri Lanka’s North East coast are perfect for snorkeling, surfing and also whale and dolphin spotting. Visit the ancient kingdoms of Anuradhapura where the ruins of the great city bring history alive. The sacred city of Anuradhapura has been nominated by the UNESCO as a World Heritage. Trincomalee is home to the fine beaches of Nilaveli, Uppuveli and the off-shore Pigeon Island. The Dive centres at Nilaveli and Uppuveli offer tourists the opportunity to enjoy their holidays in diving, snorkelling and swimming.
• Enjoy personalized attention on a private tour
• Hassle-free hotel pickup and drop-offs
• Travel comfortably in an air-conditioned vehicle with a travel guide driver
• All meals and accommodation included
Itinerary
Day 1: Negombo/Colombo – Anuradhapura
Stop At: Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi, Anuradhapura Sri Lanka
Considered to be the oldest planted tree in the world, the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi goes all the way back to the 3rd century BC. The sacred fig tree signifies the religion of Buddhism as the official religion of the country, as it is the sapling of the very tree Lord Buddha attained enlightenment in Buddha Gaya, India. What makes this tree all the more special is the fact it is planted in the Royal Gardens (also known as the Mahamewnawa Gardens), which boasts of a treasure trove of rustic greenery along with many other ancient religious monuments that were once visited by the very Buddha himself during his trips to the country. The Jaya Sri Maha Bodhiya today is visited annually by devout Buddhists to pay homage and perform rituals for good fortune and blessings.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Ruwanweli Maha Seya, Abhayawewa Road, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka
Considered to be an icon of architectural glory in ancient Sri Lanka, Ruwanwelisaya is one of the world’s tallest monuments, standing at 103 m (338 ft.) and with a circumference of 290 m (951 ft.) And also holds a place as one of the Solosmasthana (the 16 sacred sites of veneration) and the Atamasthana (the eight sacred sites in the ancient sacred city of Anuradhapura), which are places believed to have been visited by Buddha during his three visits to Sri Lanka. Ruwanwelisaya is knows in many names such as, Mahathupa, Ran Welisaya, Swarnamali Chethiya & Rathnamali Dageba.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Jethawanaramaya Stupa, Watawandana Road B341, Anuradhapura 50000 Sri Lanka
A 400ft archaeological marvel conceptualised by King Mahasen, Jethawanaramaya is truly magnificent. It sits in the midst of the ruins of a great monastery and is the largest stupa in Sri Lanka. It is believed that the stupa was built where Mahinda Maha Thero was cremated. Being one of the most significant stupas located in Anuradhapura, the dome brickwork is awed for its workmanship and engineering ingenuity. The stupa is constructed as a series of 93,300,300 burnt brick layers.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Isurumuniya Temple, At Royal Pleasure Gardens, Anuradhapura 50000 Sri Lanka
The Isurumuniya Viharaya is situated close to Tisa Wewa in Anuradapuraya. There is a Viharaya connected to a cave and above is a cliff. A small stupa is built on it. Isurumuniya is famous for its stone carvings, and the one known as “Isurumuniya Lovers” is the most-admired and world famous. The other carvings are of the Horseman, Elephant Pond and the Royal Family.The Isurumuniya Viharaya was constructed during the regime of Devanampiya Tissa who governed the ancient capital Anuradhapura..Some believe Isurumuni lovers are a symbol of Hindu god Shiva and Parvati.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Mihinthale, Sri Lanka
Mihintale is a mountain peak near Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka. It is believed by Sri Lankans to be the site of a meeting between the Buddhist monk Mahinda and King Devanampiyatissa which inaugurated the presence of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. It is now a pilgrimage site, and the site of several religious monuments and abandoned structures. According to the Mahavamsa, Thera Mahinda (son of India’s Emperor Asoka) came to Sri Lanka on the full moon day of the month of Poson (June) and met King Devanampiyatissa and preached the doctrine to the King and his people. The traditional spot where this meeting took place is revered by the Buddhists of Sri Lanka.
Duration: 1 hour
Meals included:
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight Stay in a 3 Star Hotel In Anuradhapura
Day 2: Anuradhapura – Trincomalee
Stop At: Pigeon Island National Park, Public Beach Road, Nilaveli 31010 Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is home to two Marine National Parks, one of which is the Pigeon Island Marine Sanctuary. The Pigeon Island Marine Sanctuary extends up to 471.4 hectares in total of which 9 ha cover the landmass and the rest encompass the coral beds which is the border line of the Marine National Park.The name Pigeon Island has come about after the hundreds of endemic Blue Rock Pigeons that inhabit the island. It is situated in the Eastern Province, north of Trincomalee, one kilometer off the Nilaveli coast; a stretch of beach known as the most beautiful in the island.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Trincomalee War Cemetery, Nilaveli Road, Trincomalee 31000 Sri Lanka
The Trincomalee war cemetery is a British war cemetery located in the Trincomalle – Nilaweli road. It was built for British Soldiers who died during the world War II. The cemetery is one of the six Commonwealth war cemeteries in Sri Lanka. Established in 1948, the British War Cemetery is owned by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and maintained by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defense. There are 303 graves in the cemetery.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Fort Frederick, Trincomalee Town, Trincomalee 31000 Sri Lanka
Built in the 1600s, Fort Frederick is a colonial fort by the Portuguese in the Trincomalee Town. The Fort is well known to house within it, the Koneswaram Temple, yet another attraction in this area. Captured by a Dutch fleet, the Fort was re-created, to defend against any threats from the British and the French. Currently, it is manned by the Sri Lankan Army and is an alluring tourist destination depicting the footprints left behind by the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British. Inside, you will also stumble across the Gokana Temple and the Wellesley Lodge, among other historical imprints. The remarkable landmark offers an unparalleled experience, taking you on a journey back in time.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Koneswaram Temple, Trincomalee Sri Lanka
400 feet above the sea, at the southern extremity of the peninsula that separates the inner from the outer Trincomalee harbour, lies a magnificent temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Referred to by European writers of the 18th and 19th centuries as the ‘Temple of a Thousand Pillars’, it is a site revered by Hindu pilgrims.According to legend, a Hindu Prince sailed to Sri Lanka to erect a temple to Shiva on Swami Rock, after he learnt from the Puranas that it was a fragment of the holy Mount Meru. The temple became popularly known as Koneswaram Temple Trincomalee. Once one of the most frequented places of worship in the region, in 1622, the Portuguese General Constantine de Saa razed the temple to the ground and used its hallowed stones to build Fort Frederick, which still stands today. Since then, a temple was built within the fort walls and is highly venerated by Hindus and Buddhist pilgrims alike.
Duration: 1 hour
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight Stay in a 3 Star Hotel in Trincomalee
Day 3: Trincomalee – Negombo/Colombo
Stop At: Trincomalee Harbour, Sri Lanka
The city of Trincomalee, rewarded for the 3rd largest natural harbor in the world was truly a legend since from the past. In the case of that more and more attention of both local and international community has drawn to Trincomalee. Further, so many regions tried to capture the fort. The harbor was a place where many of Portuguese, Dutch, French, and the English battled and shot each other to take it into their custody. Today the Trincomalee harbor is an important commercial seaport of Sri Lanka.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Marble Beach, Kinniya Road, Trincomalee 31000 Sri Lanka
Marble Beach is a beautiful and clean beach situated in Kinniya Road, Trincomalee. This pristine sandy beach is excellent for relaxing and the sea is ideal for swimming. The famous Marble Beach Air Force Resort managed by the Sri Lanka Air Force is also located here. Marble Beach is also known by the name of Marble Bay Beach and is one of the most beautiful beaches of Sri Lanka.The name “Marble Beach” is derived from the fact that when the sea is calm on a clear and bright day, the surface can be seen to be shining like marble. This calm and beautiful beach is relatively untouched and remains to be clean with pristine clear blue water. The sea here is also popular for snorkelling due to the existence of large schools of coloured fish.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Gokanna Rajamaha Viharaya, Fort Frederick, Trincomalee, Sri Lanka
Acording to Chronicles, Gokanna Viharaya was built by Mahasen in 3rd century at the top of rock where the Koneswaram Kovil stands today. Trincomalee (Gokanna) being one of the busiest ports in the past, the temple also grew with the support of the rulers at various times. De Queyroz, a Portuguese historian says that the Gokana Vihara was a Buddhist temple until it was destroyed by Portuguese in the 16th century. According to him the Pagoda or the Stupa of the temple was destroyed by Portuguese Trincomalee’s ruler Costantino da Sa while Buddhist monks were still in residence there.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Maritime And Naval History Museum, Lavender Ln, Trincomalee, Sri Lanka
A grand 18th-century Dutch colonial building has been renovated and turned into a museum. Displays on the ground floor cover Sri Lankan naval history back to Marco Polo’s time. Upstairs there’s a lot of useful info on the flora and fauna of the east coast, especially that of Pigeon Island. Wide porches are fine places to pause and take in the views. The Museum is small but has many exhibition booths containing information on the history of Naval affairs, sea artefacts and marine life. Informative historical exhibits are housed on the ground floor including a video documentary. On the first floor are exhibition displays on corals, mangroves, seagrasses and marine mammals. Well worth a visit.
Duration: 1 hour
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
No accommodation included on this day.
