Author: Karandeep Arora
You’d never have thought a sleepy fishing village or a moss-covered train track would end up on your camera roll hundreds of times, but Sri Lanka has that effect on you. Someday, you may stand barefoot on the edge of a railway track near Ella as you see a train slicing through the mist far away. Emerald tea fields, a woman in a saffron saree, and a blue locomotive—you suddenly have a frame that looks alive.
That photo? It may land you endless appreciation DMs or questions about the how, where, and when.
Sri Lanka isn’t beautiful in the curated way some destinations are. It’s not polished or predicted. Instead, it’s raw, textured, and blessed with contrasts. This makes it deeply photogenic if you know where (and when) to look.
Here are some of the best Instagrammable spots in Sri Lanka where the light falls just right and colors collide. From red cliffs with leaning coconut palms to temples that glow through flickering oil lanterns, your Sri Lanka vacation will be fully photographable.
Let’s start with the bridge that everyone posts, but few really experience.
Nine Arches Bridge, Ella
Try being aware of the natural hush in Ella before the train comes. Birds chatter in the nearby tea shrubs, and the jungle just… waits. Your first visit here should ideally be a trek through a muddy shortcut where you slip a few times on wet rocks. Soon, you’ll reach a small clearing where the bridge is revealed, all nine store arches carved between evergreen hills.
You may think it’s unreal until you see the tiny blue train roar past, almost like a toy. Most curious travelers wait almost an hour, checking Google Maps for train times (which are quite unreliable). They eventually hear the horn — low and slow.
Now, while most visitors may climb onto the ledge for a photo, staying low and near the tea pickers as the train passes is best. Once the vessel crosses, aim for the wide frame capture of the bridge and hope that a single human walking across the tracks adds to its beauty.
Pidurangala Rock, Sigiriya
Everyone talks about climbing Sigiriya Rock, the ancient fortress with lion paws and kingly views. But I’ll tell you what the locals in Dambulla told us, “The best view of Sigiriya is not from the top of it. It’s from the rock right next to it.”
Set that 4:30 a.m. alarm and slip into your dusty shoes in the dark as you begin hiking up Pidurangala Rock. Sounds of frogs will keep you company as only the torch beam will guide your way. The trail isn’t exactly tourist-polished. Loose stones and steep boulders populate the top, but being the only heartbeat on a mountain is a different feeling.
Just before sunrise, you’ll catch the sky cracking open in layers of deep orange and dusty pink. Try to take a time-lapse for this moment. You’ll notice Sigriya rising like a prehistoric island from the trees, bathed in the day’s first rays.
Instagram tip: Wear bold colors for contrast and arrive by 5:30 a.m. The light moves fast. Be ready for a short rock scramble at the top. You’ll earn every pixel.
Stilt Fishermen of Koggala
Even from a distance, you’ll see human figures perched on tall wooden stilts at Koggala. They may seem motionless against the waves’ backdrop. No shouting, no engines, and no bait buckets. Just balance and patience with the sounds of the tide. Raising your camera here may even seem like interrupting a ceremony.
The stilt fishermen are among the most iconic images of Sri Lanka’s livelihood scene. But many people don’t know this isn’t just for show. Some fishermen pose for photos now, yes, but there are still a few who fish this way. This is especially true around Ahangama and Koggala during calmer tides.
Most fishermen here have been at it since they were twelve years old. Observe the scars on their palms that took shape by gripping the pole during monsoon swells. Either way, wait until sunset when the light turns liquid gold. Some camera angles make the silhouettes of the fishermen seem like calligraphy against the sky.
Instagram tip: Shoot from a low angle for drama. Also, be respectful and ask before clicking.
Train Ride from Kandy to Ella
You never board the Kandy to Ella train to save time. You take it to lose it, slowly and mindfully, as the landscape outside your window melts into rolling green.
Chances are you’ll book a 2nd class reserved seat and barely even use it. Don’t be surprised to slowly see yourself levitating towards the open doorways. As the wind slaps your face and tea plantations unfurl in a graceful personality, you’ll realize you don’t need playlists. The perfect soundtrack for this scene is the train’s rhythmic beating.
You may see hawkers who call out “Wade Wade! Pineapple slices!”. Also, expect the occasional gasp when you hit a hairpin turn and see nothing but valleys. Even better, these door-side photo moments are precious enough to not care how your hair looks. In fact, these travel moments are where strangers become co-conspirators in wonder.
Instagram tip: Stand at the open door with a flowing scarf or shirt. Shoot wide for drama, tight for expression. The blue train against the green landscape? That’s your frame.
Coconut Tree Hill in Mirissa
With all the traveling and heat in Mirissa, you may just skip the coconut tree hill. But something about how everyone keeps mentioning “that red cliff with the palm trees” makes you regret not going. Eventually, you’ll stomp down a sandy path behind a villa called Surf Sea Breeze.
There it is. A natural curve of russet-red earth jutting out into the ocean. A crown of coconut palms leaning just slightly, as if posing. The sea shimmering a soft silver-blue. Ocean breeze, making the trees sway in slow motion. It’s mostly this natural, except for the sight of a local boy flying a kite or a dog napping under a palm.
Instagram tip: Go early, around 7-8 a.m. for soft light and fewer people. Drones do well here, but even a smartphone camera easily captures the layered contrast.
Dambulla Cave Temple
The grandness of Dambulla Cave Temple won’t overwhelm you. It’s grand in a way that takes you back eons in time. You’ll climb barefoot, often past troops of monkeys and whitewashed stupas, until you reach a fresh rock face that hides centuries inside.
Your eyes may take a few moments to adjust once you’re inside the cave. Golden Buddhas in the dozens, reclining and meditating against stone walls painted in delicate floral and celestial patterns. Monks walk by in silence. Their saffron robes catch a shaft of light from the holes in the ceilings. And you’ll be sitting cross-legged on the cold stone floor, listening to nothing.
Instagram tip: Natural light will do the deed. 8-9 a.m. in the mornings offer the best lighting angles through cave openings. Also, dress conservatively and keep your shoulders and knees covered.
Kalpitiya Sandbars & Lagoon Drift
Kalpitiya may feel like a secret. It’s that drive with endless coconut groves where tuktuks outnumber cars, or probably because no Instagrammer hyped it yet.
If you go on a fishing boat to spot dolphins, you can see the sandbars at a distance. Convince your guide to steer toward the lagoon. A stretch of serene sand slices through the shallows as you see nothing but skies and windy scenes for miles. It’s almost like the world has been erased and redrawn, minimal and soft.
Walk barefoot here, and it’ll seem like your footprints are the only ones visible. Powdery white sands with the lagoon perfectly still on one side and choppy on the other. Keep an eye out for the kite surfers who look like marionettes across the water.
More Instagram-Worthy Spots You Must Visit
Here are some additional spots you must visit and make your social media account resemble a travel junkie’s:
- Nallur Kandaswamy Temple in Jaffna: The visually striking golden tower, gopuram, is set against deep red walls and looks unreal just before sunset. Frame from across the street for symmetry and scale.
- Galle Fort & Rampart Streets: Colonial-Dutch architecture and mustard yellow walls with timeworn coral stone — all radiant as the sun dips into the sea and bathes the fort walls in amber. Frame the locals playing cricket on the ramparts as the ocean sprays behind them.
- Seetha Amman Temple in Nuwara Eliya: The aesthetic of bright reds, yellows, and blues set against pine trees works well. Combine your Nuwara Eliya trip with a visit to nearby Hakgala Gardens for floral overload.
- Demodara Loop: This railway engineering marvel where the track loops under itself is best seen from a high point. Capture the blue train completing the spiral, mid-turn.
- Wijaya and Dalawella Beach at Unawatuna: Spend some time at the natural swimming pool near the large rocks and coral reefs at Wijaya beach. Dalawella gives you the privilege to sway on among the island’s favorite palm tree rope swings.
- Half-Moon Shaped Bay at Weligama: Take up a surf course or spend time speaking to travellers at the cafes and shacks. You’ll be impressed by the abundance of remote working expats here.
- Cliffside Music Festivals at Hikkaduwa: Try catching the Hikkaduwa Beach fest and let your dance moves flow as international DJs take over this beach in July. The decor and plethora of tourists dressed in beachy attires make for some exciting aeriel view frames.
- Water Sports at Bentota: A sandbar separates the Indian Ocean from a big lagoon here. Surprise yourself once you reach Paradise island on the northern end of Bentota.
Now, you can fly from point A to point B like most people do in Sri Lanka. But the soul of this island? You feel it best from the open-sided thrill of tuktuks. Let that wind hit your face and dust settle in your hair as you try dozens of shortcuts that don’t exist on Google Maps. And don’t worry, it’s entirely safe to travel in self-drive tuktuks in Sri Lanka.
After all, some of your favorite views won’t come from lookouts or drone shots. Instead, they’ll be glimpses caught while bouncing along backroads. A row of saris drying on the riverbank. A monk on a bicycle. Kids waving away from paddy fields. You may not plan to capture them now, but I bet you, these are the ones you’ll remember the most.
You might also consider downloading the Tuktukrental Travel App. It features offline maps, offbeat recommendations and even helps fellow tuktuk-ers on the road connect for information or a few post-drive beers – or the local Sri Lankan arrack if you are feeling adventurous!
