Off the Beaten Path route · May to October
Sri Lanka Itinerary: 14 Days - East Coast and the Far North
A summer trip along coasts most itineraries skip. Jaffna's temples and islands open it, then the road follows the sea south: Trincomalee's bays, Pasikudah's shallow lagoon, the lagoon city of Batticaloa, and the surf at Arugam Bay. An Udawalawe safari and a Galle Fort night bring it back west. An Udawalawe safari and a night inside Galle Fort, ramparts lit after dark and dinner in the old town, bring the trip back west.
- 14 days
- Off the Beaten Path
- May to October
- 1458 km
The trip on the map
Every overnight stop, and the roads between them.
Days
14
Driving
28-36 h total
Distance
1458 km
Season
May to October
Best May to September (east coast season); outside that window Trincomalee, Pasikudah, Batticaloa, and Arugam Bay see rougher seas and some properties close.
Route at a glance
- Airport → Anuradhapura182.4 km · 4-5 h
- Anuradhapura → Jaffna196 km · 3.5-4.5 h
- Jaffna → Anuradhapura236 km · 4-5 h
- Anuradhapura → Trincomalee108 km · 1.5-2 h
- Trincomalee → Pasikudah109 km · 2-2.5 h
- Pasikudah → Batticaloa33 km · 1-1 h
- Batticaloa → Arugam Bay113 km · 2.5-3 h
- Arugam Bay → Udawalawe182.9 km · 4-5 h
- Udawalawe → Galle135.9 km · 3-4 h
- Galle → Airport161.8 km · 3-3.5 h
The journey, day by day
Anuradhapura
The road runs straight from the airport to Anuradhapura, via Negombo, Chilaw, and Puttalam, about 3 hours 50 minutes.
Bandaranaike Airport → Anuradhapura182.4 km · 4-5 h · A3, A12passing Negombo (lagoon town), Chilaw (Munneswaram temple town), Puttalam (salt-pan lagoon)Jaffna
Jaffna is about 4 hours 10 minutes away via Mannar, crossing causeway country through Adampan and Vellankulam.
Anuradhapura → Jaffna196 km · 3.5-4.5 h · A9Jaffna, at your pace
Jaffna's day covers Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil, the city's gold-spired Hindu temple dedicated to Murugan and busiest around its evening pooja near 5:30pm, the market, and the public library.
Anuradhapura
The return to Anuradhapura runs via the A9 through Elephant Pass, Kilinochchi, Omanthai, and Vavuniya, about 3 hours 30 minutes, with the afternoon free for the sacred city and Mihintale, the hill where Buddhism reached Sri Lanka in 247 BC.
Jaffna → Anuradhapura236 km · 4-5 h · A32, A14passing Mannar (fort and baobab island)Trincomalee
The A12 through Kebithigollewa and Kantale reaches Trincomalee in about 1 hour 45 minutes, with the afternoon at Koneswaram Temple, the clifftop Hindu temple on Swami Rock above the harbour.
Anuradhapura → Trincomalee108 km · 1.5-2 h · A12Trincomalee, at your pace
A boat trip out to Pigeon Island National Park fills the day with snorkelling.
Pasikudah
Pasikudah is about 2 hours away via Kantale and Valachchenai; the afternoon is spent on the shallow bay beach, calm enough for swimming well out from shore.
Trincomalee → Pasikudah109 km · 2-2.5 h · A15Pasikudah, at your pace
A free day at Pasikudah.
Batticaloa
Batticaloa is a short drive away, about 45 minutes, with an afternoon lagoon boat trip past lift-net fishermen and mangrove channels, with a chance to hear the lagoon's 'singing fish' after dark.
Pasikudah → Batticaloa33 km · 1-1 h · A15Arugam Bay
Kalmunai, Akkaraipattu, and Pottuvil lead to Arugam Bay, about 2 hours 35 minutes.
Batticaloa → Arugam Bay113 km · 2.5-3 h · A4Arugam Bay, at your pace
A surf lesson at Main Point, or a day trip to Kumana National Park via Okanda, known for its dense birdlife including painted storks and pelicans.
Udawalawe
Wellawaya carries the road to Udawalawe, about 4 hours, bypassing the Ella and Haputale hill climb.
Arugam Bay → Udawalawe182.9 km · 4-5 h · A4, A2passing Wellawaya (where the hills meet the plains)Galle
A morning elephant safari in Udawalawe National Park, home to an estimated 500 to 600 wild elephants, comes first, then the drive to Galle via Mirissa, Weligama, and Unawatuna, about 3 hours.
Udawalawe → Galle135.9 km · 3-4 h · A18, E01, A2passing Mirissa (whale harbour), Weligama (surf bay), Unawatuna (beach bay)Fly home
The drive to the airport passes through Colombo on the E01 and E03 expressways, about 2 hours 45 minutes, for departure.
Galle → Airport161.8 km · 3-3.5 h · E01, E03
Every day on this route is driven by your own driver and car; see how private driver hire works. Check the visa requirements and when to go before you fix dates.
Make it yours
This route is a starting point, not a fixed product. Open it in the trip planner and rework it yourself, or send it to our Kandy team and get a customized version with a quote. No payment until you confirm the final plan.