Sri Lanka by Motorbike — An Independent Travel Itinerary

This Sri Lanka trip was very much independent travel. We hired motorbikes and made our way around the country at our own pace, choosing where to stop and how long to stay as we went.

That freedom was a huge part of what made the trip memorable. It also meant dealing with bad roads, unpredictable traffic, changing plans and, in our case, a fairly serious motorbike accident. So this itinerary is best viewed as inspiration for confident independent travellers rather than a tightly packaged route.

Note: Bikes were swapped for a car and driver after my accident.

Days 1–2 — Negombo

Start in Negombo, close to the international airport.

Spend a day settling in, walking along the beach and exploring the fish markets and canals. Negombo is an easy place to organise bikes, sort luggage and get used to Sri Lankan traffic before heading further north.

Day 3 — Marawila and Nalladarankattuwa

Ride north through the smaller coastal towns around Marawila and Nalladarankattuwa.

This was more about local beaches, markets and everyday Sri Lankan life than major tourist attractions. We also discovered that almost anything can be repaired roadside if someone has a hammer and enough confidence.

Days 4–5 — Kalpitiya

Continue to Kalpitiya, a quieter coastal area known for lagoons, beaches and marine life.

Depending on the season, this is a good place for dolphin trips, kitesurfing and simply slowing down.

Days 6–8 — Anuradhapura

Ride inland to Anuradhapura, one of Sri Lanka’s great ancient cities.

Allow at least a full day to explore the enormous archaeological area, including ancient stupas, temples, ruins and the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi tree.

This was also where our trip changed dramatically after a motorbike pulled in front of us. I badly injured one knee and burnt the other, which meant hospital visits, X-rays, dressings and a forced 48-hour rest.

The Sri Lankan medical system treated us quickly and cheaply, which was one of the unexpectedly positive parts of the experience.

Days 9–11 — Kandy

Continue south to Kandy.

Visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, walk around Kandy Lake, explore the markets and spend time in the surrounding hills.

By this stage I was on crutches, so our pace became considerably slower.

Days 12–14 — Nuwara Eliya and Ella

Head into Sri Lanka’s spectacular hill country.

Nuwara Eliya has tea estates, colonial-era buildings and cooler mountain weather. From there, continue towards Ella, one of the most scenic parts of the country.

Visit temples, viewpoints and tea country, and take time to enjoy the cafés and mountain scenery.

Days 15–16 — Udawalawe National Park

Travel south to Udawalawe National Park.

Take a jeep safari looking for elephants, crocodiles, buffalo and birdlife. Udawalawe is one of the better places in Sri Lanka for seeing wild elephants.

Getting into the jeep with an injured knee was less elegant than the wildlife.

Days 17–19 — Matara and Mirissa

Continue to the south coast.

Explore Matara, its temples and coastal viewpoints, then head to Mirissa for beaches, cafés and a slower pace.

We could see turtles close to shore and spent plenty of time recovering with cocktails, food and spa treatments.

Days 20–21 — Koggala

Continue west through Koggala.

Visit the famous stilt fishermen, stop at a turtle sanctuary and explore the coastal villages. We also visited Coconut Hill, although it was far more crowded than expected.

Days 22–24 — Galle

Spend several days in Galle.

The UNESCO-listed Galle Fort is one of Sri Lanka’s most atmospheric places, with Dutch colonial buildings, old ramparts, churches, cafés and narrow streets overlooking the sea.

Walk the fort walls around sunset and give yourself time to explore without a plan.

Days 25–26 — Ambalangoda and Aluthgama

Head north along the coast.

Stop at the Ariyapala Mask Museum in Ambalangoda to learn about Sri Lanka’s traditional masks and dance culture.

Continue to Aluthgama, where we stayed beside the river and found ourselves unexpectedly included in local celebrations.

Day 27 — Beruwala and Balapitiya

Visit Beruwala Harbour, then take a boat trip around Balapitiya.

The wetlands and waterways are beautiful, especially around the mangroves.

We also stopped with local cinnamon producers and learnt how cinnamon is grown and processed.

Days 28–29 — Return to Negombo

Make your way back towards Negombo, breaking the journey if necessary.

Return the bikes, have a final beach meal and allow some buffer time before flying home.

Day 30 — Departure

Finish where you started in Negombo and head to the airport.

Route

Negombo → Marawila → Kalpitiya → Anuradhapura → Kandy → Nuwara Eliya → Ella → Udawalawe → Matara → Mirissa → Koggala → Galle → Ambalangoda → Aluthgama → Beruwala → Balapitiya → Negombo

A note on doing this independently

This route worked because we were comfortable travelling without a fixed tour structure and changing plans as we went. Motorbikes gave us enormous freedom, but Sri Lankan traffic can be chaotic and road conditions vary considerably.

For many travellers, the same route would work just as well with a private driver, tuk-tuks, trains and buses.

The motorbikes made it an adventure.

They also made it a much bigger adventure than we had intended.