India or Sri Lanka?

You’ll find glorious wild beaches, carpeted tea-green hillsides, remarkable wildlife and deliciously spiced dishes in both Sri Lanka and India. Yet the travel experience in each destination couldn’t be more different. 

Sri Lanka is compact and easy to navigate. It’s also calmer than India, which makes it a solid option for a first trip to the region or anyone short on time. India bombards your senses with colour, flavour and sounds. It’s a vast and vivid country providing endless itinerary options. If you’re trying to figure out which is the better option for you, India or Sri Lanka, here’s how each country shapes up.

Getting there & around

You can fly direct to Sri Lanka from London to Colombo or via a stop in Arabia. A private car with a driver is standard here; the roads are good and distances are short.

UK flights to India arrive at gateways including Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi, Amritsar and more. Continue your journey using domestic flights, trains or chauffeured cars. Logistically, transport throughout India takes more planning, but it’s worth it for the epic rewards. The best plan is to spend two to three weeks in one region.

Vibe & pace

Sri Lanka is laid-back and tropical, with the intimacy you only really find on small islands. A handful of stops is all you need to enjoy dozens of experiences, from crumbling temples to sun-soaked beach days and thrilling wildlife safaris. It’s ideal for a slower-paced holiday, but still packed with culture and nature.

India pulses with intense energy and colour. The frenzy of activity sets your senses alight. Nowhere else can you bargain with a monkey who wants your chocolate bar while a cow blocks traffic to the symphony of a thousand car horns, all set to a backdrop of splendid architecture and riotous jungle. India suits travellers hungry for immersive experiences and adventure.

Wondering about Sri Lanka or India for a honeymoon? Both are wonderful, but Sri Lanka’s more sedate pace feels better suited to romance.

Culture & history

Sri Lanka vs India for culture? Kiss goodbye to FOMO in Sri Lanka – you can hit every site here easily: Buddhist temples at Anuradhapura, the 1,500-year-old fortress in Sigiriya and historical streets housing colonial-era buildings in Galle.

India tempts travellers with enough diversity to make you dizzy – Mughal forts, Raj palaces, Hindu temples and renowned crowd-pleasers such as the Taj Mahal and Golden Temple. If you’re looking to immerse yourself in a cultural journey through eras and empires, nowhere can rival India.

Beaches

Sri Lanka’s long, golden beaches along its southern and eastern coasts are sheer serenity. For a day that includes a bit of everything, finish up at the beach after an island sightseeing tour. Add an unforgettable finale by combining a Sri Lanka beach holiday with a trip to the Maldives, a one- or two-hour hop away.

India’s beaches are as numerous and varied as its spices. For chilled beaches, head to Goa. Feel wildly free on Kerala’s untamed coast, where flowing waterways ripple lazily into estuaries before meeting the sea. Or awaken your inner adventurer and experience the remoteness of the Andaman Islands – virgin territory where ancient rainforests spill onto white sands.

Wildlife & nature

If jungles are your happy place, you might find yourself wondering whether to go for India or Sri Lanka for wildlife. Both will satisfy your inner Tarzan, but there are some differences.

In Sri Lanka, you’ll easily have time to explore several national parks. Yala National Park has the highest density of leopards anywhere, while Minneriya is the ideal spot to indulge your passion for elephants. Depending on the season, you can view turtles nesting on southern beaches or take a boat cruise for a chance to spot whales and dolphins.

India’s legendary protected reserves, including Bandhavgarh, Kanha, Pench and Ranthambore, are tiger territory – straight out of The Jungle Book. These wild forests also shelter leopards, sloth bears and jackals. The distance between parks means that park visits are often organised into a dedicated itinerary. Visit with a trained guide to make sure you spot every animal on your bucket list. Depending on the park, take a jeep safari or tiptoe through the trees.

Tea country & scenery

Sri Lanka’s misty hills around Nuwara Eliya and Ella are cloaked in tea plantations. Tea tours usually form the highlight of the trip. Snap that picture postcard photo of a tumbling waterfall from the window of the train that weaves its way among the hills.

Who hasn’t heard of Darjeeling? Along with Assam in northern India and Munnar and Wayanad in the south, visitors can travel through insanely beautiful scenery to visit these tea-growing areas. It’s spectacular, but less central to the more well-trodden itineraries.

Cuisine

If, for you, travel means eating your way through every flavour a destination can throw at you, then loosen your belt, because India and Sri Lanka will make your heart sing. In Sri Lanka, you’ll dine on coconut-rich curries, chilli-hot sambals, fresh seafood, fluffy hoppers and the popular street food kottu rotis. Don’t miss our guide to the must-try eats and drinks in Sri Lanka!

India is a continent of diverse flavours that vary between regions. One common theme is the ever-present option of a vegetarian menu. Try Delhi’s street-side chaat, Kerala’s banana-leaf thalis and Rajasthan’s smoky tandoors.

Holiday types

In Sri Lanka, you can pack temples, tea hills, beaches and wildlife jungle safaris into one 10–14-day trip. It’s ideal for families or honeymoon couples, or a first dip into South Asia.

India is best taken one region at a time. Choose Kerala for a total de-stress, the Himalayas for awe-inspiring treks, Goa for lazy beach days or Rajasthan for regal romance. Repeat visitors will never tire thanks to India’s seemingly never-ending array of experiences.

Our recommended itineraries

India

India's Genuine Golden Triangle – Tour Delhi, Agra and Jaipur in comfort and style.

Enchanting Kerala – Houseboats on the backwaters, undulating tea hills and coast-to-jungle calm.

Exploring India's Intriguing North – Step deeper into Indian culture, immersing yourself in faraway forts and villages.

But that's not all! Check out our guide to the top itineraries for first-time visitors to India.

Sri Lanka

A Boutique Sri Lanka Journey – The cultural triangle, tea estates and coastal sands, with a dash of style.

Sri Lanka and the Maldives – Wildlife, temples and tea plantations, topped off with barefoot indulgence in the Maldives.

Luxury Sri Lanka – Private guides, insider tips, refined stays and seamless travel.

Still want more? Explore our guide for additional Sri Lanka itineraries. And for ideas on where to stay, read about hotels in India and hotels in Sri Lanka.

Best time to visit Sri Lanka and India

You can visit Sri Lanka year-round. The south and west coasts are best from November – April; the East Coast from May – September.

India’s driest and coolest months are generally November – March, but this does vary by region. The monsoon typically pours from June – September.

So, which will it be?

Opt for Sri Lanka if you want to fuse temples, tea, beaches and jungle into one fluid fortnight. Plump for India if you want an oversized portion of culture, epic sights, food flamboyance and personalised adventures. Still can’t decide which is better: India or Sri Lanka? If you’re in no hurry to go home, combine them both!

This feature was updated on 5th June 2025. The information within this feature is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication.