Whether it’s water-based adventure travel action you are looking for, or just prefer to be a landlubber, Sri Lanka is a veritable paradise for adventure travel thrill seekers. Therefore with a gamut of things to do from adrenalin-pumping adventurous activities to excursions, the lack of choice is not something you are likely to experience in Sri Lanka.

Water Sports

For water sports fans, Bentota on the South coast has excellent facilities and equipment for water skiing, jet skiing, and other motorized sports. Furthermore, with numerous rivers and inland waterways flowing down from the central hills, and for heart-stopping action try white-water rafting in Kitulgala, which can rocket you through Level 5 rapids. If you would prefer something less strenuous then take a boat excursion through the mangroves of Madu Ganga nearby.

Shore Based Activities

Hikkaduwa and Unawatuna with clear blue waters and shallow reefs offer excellent snorkeling. Scuba diving the marine sanctuaries of Pigeon Island in Trincomalee, and Bar Reef off Kalpitiya are highly recommended. More experienced divers can explore the numerous wreck sites off the coasts of Negombo, Galle, and Trincomalee, some of which date back to World War Two. Deep sea trolling off Negombo and Trincomalee is an angler’s dream and provides a great opportunity to hook the king of game fish, the marlin. Recognized as one of the top 50 surf breaks in the world, Arugam Bay is a haven for surfers. For Kite surfers, Kalpitiya is the go-to destination with ideal conditions for beginners as well as advanced kiter.

Aerial Activities

If you have a head for heights, then hot-air ballooning over the Cultural Triangle is an experience of a lifetime. Drifting silently over the magnificent rock fortress of Sigiriya will give you a bird’s eye view that even the ancient Kings will go green over!

Land Activities

Prefer not to get your feet wet? Then don’t worry as dry land has got its own thrills to offer. A pre-dawn climb of Adam’s Peak up its 5,200 steps to catch the sunrise, is sure to keep those calories in check. For the slightly more adventurous, get your hiking boots on and head a little further south to explore the Sinharaja Rainforest. Which is Sri Lanka’s only rainforest and a World Heritage site. Hiking its densely forested trails is a challenge but is rewarded with sightings of unique endemic species.

The Knuckles Mountain Range off Matale is another popular site for trekking. With its resemblance to the knuckles of a bunched fist. This granite massif is a hotspot of biodiversity and as such a strict conservation zone and home to the bulk of endemic species of Sri Lanka. Furthermore, the Knuckles also has excellent cliff faces of varying levels of difficulty for rock climbing.

Golfing

For a more sedate experience, perhaps a round of golf? Established during British colonial times, the Royal Colombo Golf Club is one of the oldest in South Asia and provides a challenging course. The Nuwara Eliya Golf Club, modeled on the legendary St Andrew’s course is an almost spiritual experience for the diehard golfer. Overlooking the Victoria Reservoir off Kandy, the Victoria Golf and Country Club with its spectacular views, offers a truly zen morning on the green.

Written by Jonathan Roelofsz for Travel Lanka Compass