Sea, Sand & Marine Life from Colombo (2 Days)

About this experience

This two-day tour runs south from Colombo along Sri Lanka's southern coast, combining tea country, colonial history and marine life in a single private-vehicle itinerary with a chauffeur guide. It covers a low-country tea estate, the old fortified city of Galle, the stilt fishermen of Koggala, whale watching off Mirissa and a boat safari on the Madu River, with an overnight stay on the coast.

Travellers get a varied slice of the south in a short time: a working tea factory and tasting, a walk through Galle Fort's Dutch-era streets, a sunset view of traditional stilt fishing, an early-morning whale watching trip, and a river safari through mangroves with crocodiles, water monitors and birdlife.

The tour is run with an air-conditioned vehicle and chauffeur guide throughout, starting and ending in Colombo.

Your service advisor

Mahesh Consultant

Have questions about this service or want it arranged around your dates? Reach Mahesh directly — replies usually within a few hours during Sri Lanka business hours.

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What’s included

Included

Transport in a Private Vehicle, Fuel, Parking & Highway tolls.
Service of English-Speaking Chauffeur Guide.
All prevailing taxes and service charges.

Not included

Hotel Accommodation and Meals.
Entrance fees to the respective sites.
Chauffeur Guide's Accommodation.
Expenses of personal nature.
Visa and Related Expenses.
Tips & Portages.

Tour route

Day-by-day waypoints across Sri Lanka. Each marker is where you spend the night; lines trace the daily drive.

Day-by-day itinerary

Download itinerary (PDF)

1 Galle

Day 1 — Colombo → Ahangama → Koggala → Galle

You are collected from your Colombo hotel by chauffeur guide and driven south, with stops for tea, stilt fishing and the historic city of Galle.

Handunugoda Tea Factory

Visit the Handunugoda Tea Factory, also known as the Virgin White Tea Factory, and learn how its Virgin White Tea is plucked and processed without being touched by human hands. A tasting session with tea and chocolate cake follows, with the chance to buy tea leaves as a souvenir.

AI-generated image · not an actual photograph

Stilt Fisherman in Koggala

Watch fishermen perched on stilts in the waters off Koggala and hear from them how this style of fishing came to Sri Lanka and how it is done. It is a good spot for photographs, particularly with the fishermen silhouetted against the shoreline at sunset.

Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0

Old Colonial City of Galle

Explore Galle, once a Portuguese and Dutch headquarters, including the well-preserved Galle Fort, the Maritime Museum, the Galle National Museum and the lighthouse. Walk the cobblestoned streets that still carry their old Dutch names.

Rovin Shanila · CC BY-SA 4.0

2 Colombo

Day 2 — Ahangama → Mirissa → Balapitiya → Kosgoda → Colombo

An early start takes you to Mirissa for whale watching, followed by a boat safari on the Madu River before the drive back to Colombo.

Whale Watching

Reach Mirissa Fishery Harbour by 0600 hrs for a whale watching tour, with the chance to see blue whales, sperm whales and fin whales in the waters off southern Sri Lanka, guided by a qualified naturalist.

Ji-Elle · CC BY-SA 3.0

Madu River Boat Safari

Take a boat ride through the Madu River's mangrove channels, spotting basking crocodiles and water monitors, visiting an island where cinnamon is harvested, watching waterbirds and trying the local fish massage, before returning to Colombo.

SUPindia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Please note

Public transportation nearby
Infant seats available

Not wheelchair accessible
Not stroller accessible
Not suitable for pets
Infants must not sit on laps
Not recommended for people with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for people with heart conditions
Comfortable clothes and hats recommended
We pickup from your Hotel in Colombo

Cancellation policy

More than 24 hours notice: full refund
Less than 24 hours notice: no refund

To cancel, reply to your booking confirmation email or message us on WhatsApp.

Frequently asked questions

Is this a private tour?

Yes. The tour is private to your group: your own air-conditioned vehicle and an English-speaking chauffeur guide for all 2 days, with no other travellers joining.

Where does the tour start and end?

Day 1 starts at Colombo and day 2 ends at Colombo. Every stop in between is reached by road in the same vehicle, so there is no other transport to arrange.

Are hotels included?

The base price covers the vehicle and chauffeur guide. In the booking box you can add hotels for all 1 nights at Budget (3★), Standard (4★) or Luxury (5★ and boutique) level, on half board. Hotels we hold contracts with for your dates are named in the price; for any other night our team books a hotel of the same class after you pay.

What vehicle will we travel in?

It depends on your group: a car for 1–2 guests, a van for 3–5, a large van for 6–8 and a bus for 9–15. Choose the number of guests in the booking box and the price updates to match.

Are entrance fees included?

Not in the base price. Set Tickets to Included in the booking box to add the entrance fees and safari jeeps for the sights on this itinerary; the booking box lists exactly which ones are covered.

Can we have a national guide?

Yes. A chauffeur guide is always included, and you can add a government-licensed national guide who travels with you for the whole tour. Choose it under Guide in the booking box; the vehicle is sized for the extra seat.

Can we change the itinerary or the dates?

Yes. Every tour is private, so it can start on any date you choose. To change stops, add nights or combine it with another tour, write to us in the booking notes or plan your own trip at lakpura.com/plan-your-trip.