Clock Inn Colombo
A clean, good-value hostel on Galle Road, popular as a safe first base in Colombo.
- Budget
Indigo Summer Hostel
A friendly hostel around 100 metres from the beach, with free breakfast, a bar, game room and lockers.
- Budget
The Rockstel
An active, social jungle hostel in Unawatuna with three common areas, surf trips and parties.
- Budget
Beatroot Hostels
A small, family-like hostel near Weligama beach with a garden, bar and café serving vegetarian and vegan food.
- Budget
Spindrift Madiha
A Bali-style poshtel in Madiha with a large pool among palm trees, private doubles and dorms, yoga and social events.
- Mid-range
- Pool
- Yoga
- Private rooms
Bunk Station Hostel
A sociable, highly rated hostel a kilometre from Ella, with a female-only dorm, kitchen and themed nights.
- Budget
Hangover Hostels Sigiriya
The Cultural Triangle branch of Hangover Hostels, a social base for climbing Sigiriya and Pidurangala.
- Budget
Colombo Beach Hostel
A lively party hostel near Mount Lavinia beach, with cocktail nights and dorms and private rooms.
- Budget
Funk Bunks by the Lake
A friendly hostel near Kandy Lake, popular with solo travellers and young backpackers.
- Budget
Tomorrowland Hostel Ella
Ella’s best-loved social hostel, with tea-country views, tents and open dorms, nightly DJs and a fire-pit beer garden.
- Budget
- Party
- Live music
- Mountain views
Hideout Lounge
A budget-friendly lounge and hostel by Kandy Lake, with dorms, a generous breakfast and cocktails.
- Budget
Fig and Geko Hostel
A friendly hostel in a colonial house in Anuradhapura, with a social area and staff full of local tips.
- Budget
Hive Ella Hostel
A newly renovated hostel in the centre of Ella with free breakfast and an easy walk to everything.
- Budget
The Doctor’s House
A restored 200-year-old colonial house on the beach at Madiha, famous for its parties, outdoor bar, dorms and bungalows.
- Mid-range
Hangover Hostels Mirissa
The original Hangover Hostel, once ranked among the world’s top exotic hostels, with container rooms, a rooftop with ocean views and fire shows.
- Budget
YoYo Surf Hostel
A family-run surf hostel in Ahangama with surf lessons, an outdoor gym, pool table, and power and Wi-Fi for remote workers.
- Budget
- Surf lessons
- Co-working
- Outdoor gym
Stay Happy Hostel
A cosy, well-reviewed hostel with easy access to the surf beach and lagoon, and help with lessons and day trips.
- Budget
Clock Inn Dehiwala
A boutique-style hostel near Mount Lavinia beach, with workspaces, lounges and free breakfast, popular with digital nomads.
- Mid-range
SeSaya Poshtel & Bistro
Billed as Colombo’s first luxury poshtel, with private pods, co-working, meeting rooms and a rooftop bistro and bar.
- Mid-range
- Luxury poshtel
- Co-working
- Rooftop bar
Hangtime Hostel
A beachfront surf and yoga hostel on Weligama’s beginner bay, with a rooftop café, netted deck and private rooms in a fishing boat.
- Mid-range
- Surf
- Yoga
- Rooftop café
Why Not Backpackers
A party hostel in central Mirissa with a big pool, daily beer pong and drinking games.
- Budget
- Pool
- Party
- Beer pong
Dots Bay House
A colourful, design-led poshtel above Hiriketiya bay, with a pool, co-working, yoga and a café that hosts weekend events.
- Mid-range
- Pool
- Co-working
- Yoga
Hangover Hostels Colombo
The Colombo branch of Sri Lanka’s best-known home-grown hostel brand, a short walk from the sea in Bambalapitiya.
- Budget
Surfing Wombats
A surf-camp style hostel in Midigama near two breaks, with ping-pong, a mixed dorm, private rooms and great pizza and pasta.
- Budget
- Surf
- Pizza
- Social
Little Lagoon Hostel
A sustainable garden hostel in Arugam Bay with hammocks, resident dogs and a shipping-container private room.
- Budget
Pedlar’s Inn Hostel
A hostel inside Galle Fort with Mediterranean-style décor and a top location for exploring the old town.
- Budget
Beyond Nomad Hostel
A luxury hostel in Ella built for backpackers and remote workers, with free breakfast and a short walk to town.
- Mid-range
- Poshtel
- Remote work
- Free breakfast
C1 Colombo Fort
A quiet, stylish hostel-style stay in Fort, near the Khan Clock Tower, the Dutch Museum and the harbour.
- Mid-range
2in1 Kandy Hostel
A good-value hostel above Kandy with some of the best views in the city, a sunrise balcony and help planning onward travel.
- Budget
Hangover Hostels Ella
A clean, central and social hostel a few minutes’ walk from Ella’s station, buses and restaurants, with tea-plantation views.
- Budget
Roy’s Villa Hostel
A social yet luxurious hostel near Sigiriya with an infinity pool over rice paddies, nightly family dinners and daily group trips.
- Mid-range
- Infinity pool
- Family dinners
- Group trips
The Verse Collective
A co-living and co-working space at Dikwella Beach near Hiriketiya, with rooms, workspaces, a restaurant and regular events.
- Mid-range
- Co-living
- Co-working
- Events
Walkers Hostel
A relaxed garden hostel steps from Uppuveli Beach, with bike rental, a shared kitchen and tour bookings.
- Budget
Pepper Hills Hostels
An eco-friendly hostel inspired by village architecture in the hills outside Ella, with free breakfast and big views.
- Mid-range
Ella Escapade Hostel
A peaceful hostel on the Ella Rock side of town, with meals included and easy access to the Ella Rock hike.
- Budget
Wanderers Hostel
A sociable hostel in Uppuveli, a few minutes from the beach, with an open terrace, diving trips and city tours.
- Budget
Clics Coliving
A boutique co-living stay in Hiriketiya with 24/7 co-working, fast Wi-Fi and indoor and outdoor workspaces.
- Mid-range
- Co-living
- Co-working
- Fast Wi-Fi
Wild Bee Hostel
A design-led eco-hostel in the jungle hills above Ella, with panoramic views, sky beds for stargazing and free shuttles to town.
- Mid-range
- Eco-hostel
- Mountain views
- Free breakfast
Banana Bunks
A Bali-style poshtel outside central Kandy, with a swimming pool, tropical garden, dorms and private rooms.
- Mid-range
- Pool
- Private rooms
- Garden
Bunkyard Hostels
A sociable, budget hostel in Colombo, a favourite with backpackers looking to meet people.
- Budget
The Mellow Hostel
A chilled poshtel facing Kabalana’s beginner-friendly beach, with a garden, hammocks, smoothie bowls and private bathrooms.
- Mid-range
- Surf
- Beginner waves
- Private bathrooms
Drop Inn Hostel
A relaxed, boho-style hostel in a quiet Colombo neighbourhood, with a garden café, quiz nights and street food tours.
- Budget
The Riptide Women’s Hostel
A women-only hostel near the main surf point and Pottuvil Lagoon, with a shared kitchen, lounge and bike rental.
- Budget
- Women-only
- Surf
Hangten Surf Skate Hostel
A surf-and-skate hostel with a backyard skate park, surfer staff, board-rack tuk-tuks, family dinners and quiz nights.
- Budget
- Surf
- Skate park
- Family dinners
Satori Beach Hostel
A resort-like beach hostel with private beach access, ocean-view dorm balconies, air conditioning and boat parties.
- Mid-range
- Beachfront
- Boat parties
- Air conditioning
The Spindrift Hostel
A design-led, highly rated hostel seconds from Weligama beach, built by backpackers for backpackers.
- Mid-range
- Beachfront
- Social
- Solo travellers
Barefoot Backpackers Hostel
Hiriketiya’s most social hostel, for solo travellers only, with family dinners, daily volleyball and a sea-view garden.
- Budget
- Solo travellers only
- Family dinners
- Volleyball
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Sri Lanka’s hostel boom
Sri Lanka’s hostel scene has grown fast. Surf hostels line the south coast from Unawatuna to Hiriketiya, Ella has dozens of hostels with tea-country views, and Arugam Bay fills up with surfers every season. Alongside classic dorm hostels, a new wave of poshtels offers private rooms, pools, co-working and design you would expect from a boutique hotel, at a fraction of the price.
Where to go
- Surf: Weligama for beginners, Ahangama and Midigama for reef breaks, Arugam Bay from April to October, Hiriketiya for a small-bay feel.
- Social: Mirissa and Madiha for parties, Ella for hikes by day and bonfires by night.
- Remote work: Ahangama, Hiriketiya and Weligama have co-working and co-living spaces.
- Culture: Kandy, Sigiriya and Anuradhapura for temples and ancient cities.
Good to know
What is a poshtel?
A poshtel is a “posh hostel”: it keeps the social common areas of a hostel but adds things like private rooms with their own bathrooms, pools, co-working space, good design and better food. It suits travellers who want to meet people without giving up comfort.
Are hostels in Sri Lanka safe for solo female travellers?
Many hostels in Sri Lanka offer female-only dorms, and some are women-only, like The Riptide in Arugam Bay. Use lockers, read recent reviews, and choose central or well-reviewed places if you are arriving late.
When is the best time for surf hostels?
The south and west coasts (Weligama, Ahangama, Mirissa, Hiriketiya) are best from around November to April. The east coast, including Arugam Bay, is best from around April to October.
Do I need to book hostels in advance?
In peak season (December to March on the south coast, July and August in Arugam Bay and Ella) the best-known hostels sell out, so book a few days ahead. Outside peak times you can often book the day before.
By destination
Hostels & poshtels in Kandy 4
Hostels & poshtels in Colombo 8
Hostels & poshtels in Galle 2
Hostels & poshtels in Ella 8
Hostels & poshtels in Sigiriya 2
Hostels & poshtels in Mirissa 5
Hostels & poshtels in Trincomalee 2
Hostels & poshtels in Arugam Bay 5
Hostels & poshtels in Weligama 3
Hostels & poshtels in Ahangama 3
Hostels & poshtels in Hiriketiya 4