India to Sri Lanka: Spice Gardens & Goa's Beaches (Self-Launched)

Land in Goa (Dabolim or Mopa airport) and settle into a beach guesthouse in Anjuna, Palolem or Calangute depending on your flight. Wander the beach, eat fish curry at a shack, and in the evening book your overnight sleeper train north towards Hosapete/Hubballi on IRCTC or at the station counter — book 2-3 weeks ahead, 3AC is comfortable and cheap.

🚌Airport prepaid taxi to beach (~£8-10). Overnight sleeper train Goa to Hosapete/Hubballi (3AC ~£10-13)

🛏Beach guesthouse or hostel dorm, Anjuna/Palolem (~£10-15)

• →Beach sunset
• →Book overnight train ticket

Arrive early at Hosapete/Hubballi and take a local bus or shared auto to Hampi bazaar (30-45 mins). Check into a guesthouse on the Hampi side of the river or in Virupapur Gaddi for sunset views. Freshen up, rent a scooter or cycle, and catch sunset from Hemakuta Hill or Raghunatha Temple.

🚌Sleeper train then local bus/shared auto (~£1-2)

🛏Hampi guesthouse, river side (~£10-14)

• →Hampi bazaar wander
• →Hemakuta Hill sunset
• →Cycle/scooter rental

Full day exploring the UNESCO site. Hire a cycle or auto for the day: Virupaksha Temple, Vittala Temple with its stone chariot, Queen's Bath, Lotus Mahal and Elephant Stables. Late afternoon climb Anjanadri Hill (the 'monkey temple', ~600 steps) for sunset over the boulder landscape. Entry tickets for Vittala Temple ~£5.

🚌Bicycle/scooter hire (~£3) or auto (~£10 shared)

🛏Hampi guesthouse (~£10-14)

• →Vittala Temple & stone chariot
• →Lotus Mahal & Elephant Stables
• →Anjanadri Hill sunset climb

Optional 5am hike up Matanga Hill for a stunning sunrise over the ruins. Spend the rest of the day swimming at Sanapur Lake, chilling in a cafe, or revisiting temples. Evening shared auto to Hosapete station for the overnight train to Mysore.

🚌Shared auto to Hosapete (~£2), overnight sleeper to Mysore (3AC ~£8-11)

🛏Overnight sleeper train

• →Matanga Hill sunrise hike
• →Sanapur Lake
• →Overnight train

Arrive early, drop bags at a hostel near the palace. Walk Devaraja Market, climb Chamundi Hills (bus ~£0.30) to the temple, and see the Nandi bull. In the afternoon pay the ~£8 entry to Mysore Palace — the audio guide is worth it. Evening: catch a Bollywood or Kannada film at a local cinema (~£2-3).

🚌Local bus and auto (~£3)

🛏Mysore hostel or guesthouse (~£10-15)

• →Devaraja Market
• →Chamundi Hills
• →Mysore Palace (~£8)
• →Local cinema

Take a public bus (or the scenic Nilgiri Mountain Railway toy train if seats are available) up to Ooty in the green Nilgiri hills. The road route via Bandipur is faster but the toy train is unforgettable — book ahead at the station. Arrive, check into a guesthouse and take an orientation walk around the botanical gardens and Charing Cross.

🚌Public bus Mysore-Ooty (~£2) or toy train

🛏Ooty guesthouse (~£12-16)

• →Nilgiri Mountain Railway (optional, ~£1-2)
• →Ooty Botanical Gardens
• →Town wander

Early minibus or shared jeep up to Doddabetta Peak (~2,600m), the highest point in the Nilgiris, for sunrise views. Later, visit a working tea factory (Doddabetta Tea Factory ~£3 entry) to see the full production process, and try a local Chinese fishing-net-boat-style lunch. Rest of the afternoon free — a book, a blanket, and mountain air.

🚌Shared jeep/minibus (~£4)

🛏Ooty guesthouse (~£12-16)

• →Doddabetta Peak sunrise
• →Tea factory visit (~£3)
• →Nilgiri valley views

A long but very Indian travel day: bus down to Coimbatore, then train to Ernakulam/Kochi, then auto to Fort Kochi. Check into a Fort Kochi guesthouse or hostel. Evening stroll along the Chinese fishing nets and grab a Kathakali preview at one of the arts centres if timing works.

🚌Bus Ooty-Coimbatore (~£2), train to Ernakulam (~£2-3), auto (~£1)

🛏Fort Kochi guesthouse/hostel (~£12-18)

• →Fort Kochi waterfront
• →Chinese fishing nets

Morning self-guided walk of Fort Kochi: St Francis Church, the Dutch Cemetery, and the Jewish Quarter with the 450-year-old Paradesi Synagogue (~£2). After lunch, hop the local bus or train down to Alleppey (~1.5 hrs). Book a homestay on the backwater islands and take an afternoon canoe or village walk with your host.

🚌Bus/train Kochi-Alleppey (~£1-2)

🛏Alleppey backwater homestay (~£12-16 including home-cooked meals)

• →Fort Kochi walk
• →Paradesi Synagogue (~£2)
• →Backwater village walk

Take the morning government ferry through the Alleppey-Kollam backwaters (~8 hrs, ~£3-4) — slow, gorgeous and the cheapest way to see the canals and village life. Arrive Kollam in the afternoon, check in, and walk the beach / climb Thangassery Lighthouse (~£0.50) for sunset.

🚌Government backwater ferry (~£4)

🛏Kollam guesthouse (~£10-14)

• →Alleppey-Kollam passenger ferry
• →Thangassery Lighthouse
• →Kollam beach

Morning at Kollam's fishing harbour to see the day's catch come in, then a local bus or train south to Varkala (~1 hr). Settle into a clifftop guesthouse. Afternoon free: Papanasam Beach, the Janardhana Swamy Temple, an Ayurvedic massage (~£8-15), and a seafood dinner on the north cliff.

🚌Local bus or train Kollam-Varkala (~£1-2)

🛏Varkala cliff guesthouse (~£10-15)

• →Kollam fishing harbour
• →Varkala cliff walk
• →Ayurvedic massage (optional ~£10)

Your own adventure: swim, surf lesson (~£20), visit the ashram and Janardhana Swamy Temple, or catch a sunset yoga class. Varkala is a great place to slow down before the flight to Sri Lanka — book your Colombo flight tonight (Trivandrum or Kochi departures, ~£60-90).

🚌Walking/auto locally (~£3)

🛏Varkala cliff guesthouse (~£10-15)

• →Beach day
• →Surf lesson (optional ~£20)
• →Sunset yoga

Fly Varkala/Trivandrum to Colombo (or take a bus/train back to Chennai if you'd rather overland). On arrival apply online for your Sri Lanka ETA in advance (~£40 for most nationalities). Take the airport bus or train into Colombo, then a bus or train north to Dambulla (~4 hrs). Check into a guesthouse in the Cultural Triangle.

🚌Flight (~£70-90), airport bus (~£1), bus/train Colombo-Dambulla (~£2)

🛏Dambulla guesthouse (~£12-18)

• →Flight to Colombo
• →Travel to Dambulla

Morning at the Dambulla Cave Temple (~£8 entry) — five caves of reclining Buddhas, painted ceilings and centuries of pilgrimage. Afternoon: local bus to Sigiriya to buy your ticket for tomorrow, or take a village safari in Minneriya National Park for elephants in season (~£30-40 shared jeep).

🚌Local bus/auto (~£3)

🛏Dambulla guesthouse (~£12-18)

• →Dambulla Cave Temple (~£8)
• →Minneriya safari (optional ~£35)

Go early (7am gates) to climb Sigiriya Rock Fortress (~£25-27 entry) before the heat and crowds — the mirror wall, water gardens and summit views are stunning. Late afternoon bus to Kandy (~2.5 hrs). Settle into a guesthouse in the hills.

🚌Bus to Sigiriya + Kandy (~£3)

🛏Kandy guesthouse (~£12-18)

• →Sigiriya Rock Fortress (~£26)
• →Kandy hill walk

Visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (~£8) early or for the evening puja. Wander Kandy Lake and the Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya (~£6). Visit a women's craft cooperative like Sthree Craft Shop for handmade textiles and a home-cooked lunch — the kind of local stop G includes, and you can support them directly.

🚌Auto/tuk-tuk and local bus (~£4)

🛏Kandy guesthouse (~£12-18)

• →Temple of the Tooth (~£8)
• →Peradeniya Botanical Gardens (~£6)
• →Women's craft cooperative visit

Ride the famous Kandy-to-Ella hill country railway line (book 2nd/3rd class ~£1-2 or reserved 1st ~£5). Get off at Nanu Oya and take a local bus into Nuwara Eliya, or stay on to Ella depending on your plan. Afternoon walk around Gregory Lake and the colonial-era town.

🚌Reserved train Kandy-Nanu Oya (~£4), bus to Nuwara Eliya (~£0.50)

🛏Nuwara Eliya guesthouse (~£14-20)

• →Hill country train
• →Gregory Lake
• →Town walk

Morning visit to a working tea factory (Pedro Tea Estate, ~£5-8 including tasting) to see plucking, withering, rolling and drying. Option: private jeep to Horton Plains for the World's End walk (~£55-65 including park fee, leaves 5:30am). Afternoon bus or tuk-tuk down to Ella (~2 hrs), the backpacker hub of the highlands.

🚌Tuk-tuk/bus (~£4)

🛏Ella guesthouse/hostel (~£10-16)

• →Pedro Tea Estate tour (~£6)
• →Horton Plains trek (optional ~£60)
• →Bus to Ella

Hike Little Adam's Peak for sunrise (free, ~1 hr up). In the afternoon, tackle Ella Rock (~£2-5 for a guide/tip if you want one, ~4 hrs round trip) — both wind through tea plantations with huge valley views. Evening: Nine Arch Bridge at sunset and a rooftop curry dinner in Ella town.

🚌Walking / tuk-tuk (~£3)

🛏Ella guesthouse/hostel (~£10-16)

• →Little Adam's Peak sunrise hike
• →Ella Rock trek
• →Nine Arch Bridge sunset

Scenic bus or train down to the coast (~5-6 hrs, ~£3-5); the train from Ella to Kandy direction is famously beautiful, but for the coast hop off at Beliatta or Matara. Settle into a guesthouse in Unawatuna, Ahangama or Mirissa and swim at sunset.

🚌Bus/train (~£4)

🛏South coast guesthouse (~£12-18)

• →Scenic bus/train
• →Beach swim

Take the local bus to Galle (25 mins) and walk the Dutch-era fort walls, lighthouse, and boutique lanes (~£1 entry to some spots). On the way, stop at a working spice garden (many en-route between the coast and Ella; entry free, expect to buy something) for cinnamon, cardamom and pepper demos.

🚌Local bus (~£1)

🛏South coast guesthouse (~£12-18)

• →Galle Fort walk
• →Spice garden visit
• →Lighthouse
• →Boutique shopping

Slow day: surf lesson at Weligama (~£15-20), whale watching from Mirissa if in season (Nov-Apr, ~£25-30), or a yoga class on the beach (~£8). Lunch on the sand and a long afternoon swim — this is exactly what the original tour's coastal days are for.

🚌Tuk-tuk locally (~£4)

🛏South coast guesthouse (~£12-18)

• →Surf lesson (optional ~£18)
• →Whale watching (optional ~£28)
• →Beach yoga

Bus or train along the coast to Hikkaduwa (~1 hr). Check into a beach guesthouse, then snorkel the reef or take a glass-bottom boat (~£8). Evening: beach bar on the sand — the original itinerary's 'Big Night Out' moment, reinvented.

🚌Train/bus (~£1-2)

🛏Hikkaduwa beach guesthouse (~£12-18)

• →Coastal train/bus
• →Snorkelling (~£8)
• →Hikkaduwa beach bar

Your final full day: surf, dive the coral sanctuary, visit a turtle hatchery (~£4), or day-trip back to Galle for last shopping. Plan your onward flight or transport and eat a final Sri Lankan rice-and-curry spread.

🚌Tuk-tuk/bus (~£4)

🛏Hikkaduwa beach guesthouse (~£12-18)

• →Turtle hatchery (~£4)
• →Diving (optional ~£25)
• →Galle day trip

Take the coastal train or express bus to Colombo airport (via Colombo Fort, then airport bus or taxi). Fly home or onward. If you have time, the Colombo Fort to Airport bus is ~£1 and the route along the coast is far cheaper than the highway taxi.

🚌Train Hikkaduwa-Colombo Fort (~£1.50), airport bus (~£1)

🛏—

• →Coastal train
• →Departure