White Rose Hostel

For (solo) budget backpackers who travel slow, authentic, adventurously. Destinations, itineraries, hostels recs, surf breaks, how to move around, safety & budgeting tips: welcome to the one and only Sri Lanka guide you'll need to plan your trip to this tropical gem! What you'll find: 1. Introduction 2. Basic SL tips - money - language - food - visa - safety - moving around 3. Itineraries (2, 3, 4+ weeks) 4. Destinations - Colombo - Sigiriya - Kandy - Nuwara Eliya - Ella - Yala National Park - Southern coast (Ahangama, Mirissa, Unawatuna, Midigama and more)

Kandy is a small cultural city surrounded by mountains, and with its own lake. It’s higher elevation means it remains warm but comfortable year round, offering respite from the rest of the country which can get stiflingly hot in season, or see a lot of rain out of season! It’s a cultural and spiritual hub, home to one of the most important temples in the country and the ideal spring board between Colombo and the more northern Dambulla & Sigiriya areas (two of the absolute must see places on any trip to Sri Lanka) it’s also on the train line to Ella (another must visit place)! The best way to get to Kandy is by train. It is very well connected making it the best way to travel to and from the city, you can travel to it directly from Colombo straight off the plane if you aren't big into large impersonal cities (like me). You can also get to it on the train line from Dambulla or Nuwara Eliya/Ella. Hot Tip #1: If you’re short on time, you can do day trips to Dambulla Cave Temple & Sigiriya Rock from Kandy, before taking the most beautiful train route to Ella (more on this in the What To Do section) Hot Tip #2: Double check if there are any festivals going on at Kandy's Temple of the Tooth, if there are, time your stay in Kandy so you can see it - you will not regret it! -Find out where the best places to stay are during temple ceremonies in this guide, and learn more about their biggest yearly event - the Kandy Perahera festival (in the Hot Tip's section of What To Do in Kandy) And read on for all my recommendations on Where to Stay, What To Do and Where to Eat for a FABULOUS time in Kandy, Sri Lanka!

If Sri Lanka is on your bucket list, here is some useful information for safety, eating out, where to stay, what to do, and traveling around the country as a Female Solo Traveler!