Cycling Sri Lanka: The Routes Worth Riding and How to Do It Right

Cycling in Sri Lanka is an activity that rewards those willing to get off the main roads. The highway network is fine for vehicles but on a bicycle the interest lies in the secondary roads: the lanes between paddy fields, the roads that run through rubber estates and coconut groves, the coastal tracks that follow the water rather than the main highway. On these roads the country reveals itself at exactly the right pace.

The Cultural Triangle is one of the best cycling areas on the island. The terrain around Sigiriya, Dambulla, and Polonnaruwa is relatively flat, the roads are good, and the distances between the major sites are manageable in a day. Cycling from Sigiriya to Minneriya in the early morning, arriving at the national park for a sunrise safari, and returning in the late afternoon is one of the great day trips available in Sri Lanka.

The south coast between Galle and Tangalle is another excellent cycling route. The road along the coast passes through a series of beach towns, fishing villages, and stretches of palm-backed shoreline. The traffic is manageable outside of the peak morning and evening periods and the flat terrain makes it accessible to riders of most fitness levels. Carry water and stop at whatever looks interesting. The south coast rewards spontaneity.

The hill country is a different proposition entirely: beautiful beyond description and genuinely hard. The climbs around Kandy, Ella, and the tea country are steep and long and the reward at the top is views that justify every metre of altitude gained. Ella in particular has become popular with cyclists who climb the surrounding ridges in the early morning before the heat arrives and the cloud burns off. Bring your legs and a good attitude.