Is Sri Lanka Safe for Solo Female Travelers?

Sri Lanka is generally a safe destination for solo female travelers. The locals are friendly and willing to help, and it's common to encounter many female tourists. However, it's important to be cautious especially in crowded areas to avoid pickpockets or scams. It is also recommended to follow cultural norms, particularly when visiting religious sites. A good practice is to always let someone know your itinerary and keep in regular touch. Night travel is usually considered safe, but as always, vigilance is essential.

Safety rating

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How safe is Sri Lanka?

Safety at night:

Safety at night:Moderate

Sri Lanka is generally safe for solo female travelers, however caution is advisable, especially at night. While the risk of violent crime is relatively low, petty crime such as pickpocketing or bag snatching can occur, especially in crowded areas. Walking alone late at night in deserted areas or small side streets is not recommended. It's best to stay in well-lit, populated areas and use trusted modes of transportation after dark. Always trust your intuition and follow local guidance on safety measures.
Public transportation:

Public transportation:Safe

Public transportation in Sri Lanka is mostly safe, reliable and commonly used by locals and tourists. Buses, trains, and tuk tuks are the main forms of local transport. There might be instances of overcrowding on buses and trains during peak hours. However, taking a tuk tuk at night might need some cautiousness. As a female traveler, it's better to use reputed apps for hailing tuk tuks. Always be vigilant about your belongings on public transport, and avoid traveling alone late at night.
Street harassment:

Street harassment:Moderate

While Sri Lanka is renowned for its stunning landscapes and warm hospitality, when it comes to street harassment, it's a bit of a mixed bag. Many solo female travelers report light to moderate instances of unsolicited advances, particularly in heavily touristic areas. This could range from persistent offers of goods and services to unnecessary compliments. However, Sri Lankans are generally respectful and friendly, and severe cases are not widespread. Always be alert, maintain a firm assertiveness, and where possible, align your movements with busier times of the day to blend into the local crowd.
Petty crimes:

Petty crimes:Moderate

Sri Lanka is generally a safe destination for travelers. However, like many tourist destinations, petty crimes such as pick-pocketing and bag-snatching can occur, especially in crowded areas and popular tourist spots. It is suggested to always be vigilant, secure your belongings, and avoid flashy displays of wealth. However, the local people are usually warm and welcoming.

Is Sri Lanka worth visiting?

Overall rating

4.4 /5

based on 43 experiences from female travelers

Things to do

4.3/5

Safety

3.8/5

Food

4.3/5

Budget-friendly

4.2/5
Alexandra

Alexandra

Spain

Sri Lanka, Solo travel

I was traveling solo in Sri Lanka, in between I joined a group of backpackers. I had an overall good experience. The locals were mostly helpful and when I had a doubt or question, I could ask a person around and they would mostly try to help. Public transport can get crowded, and there is no centralised bus schedule, so you need to figure it out by asking around. I had some misunderstandings, but all went well in the end. In buses and trains, people were mostly nice to me, I had pleasant conversations and several people shared their food with me when sitting next to me (which I am not used to at all:) ). For booking a taxi or tuktuk, I recommend to use the Pick Me app. Otherwise, I used to tell the tuk tuk drivers the price I would get on PickMe, so I wouldn't have to bargain, and they normally accepted. I haven't spent much time in Colombo, but I felt fine. A lot of traffic, I didn't like to walk around. Some stray dogs (I was fine, but a fellow backpacker got attacked at some point). Places like Sigiriya and Ella have a tourist infrastructure, many guesthouses and restaurants, so it's very easy to be there as a traveler, but also the prices are higher and there are not many locals. Keep in mind that pickMe doesn't work in Ella, so tuktuks are expensive. If you stay far from the centre, it's not always ideal in the night (especially if you have to walk, it is very dark, couple I met got attacked by dogs on the way back; I heard a story of somebody who had to stay at a different person's hotel room, because the tuktuk wouldn't come that "far" in the night for a reasonable price). Tricomalee has a touristy part which has a bar with beach access where all the party happens, many western people stay there etc. But the city centre is not touristy at all. That's the only place where I felt a little uncomfortable sometimes when young men were staring/ calling me "baby", etc., so I recommend not showing to much skin not to attract attention. But also it was the part where I have experienced a festival and learned a lot about the culture. In Kandy I felt generally safe, I just didn't like the air pollution, and around the lake there are many people trying to sell you tickets for the dance show. They will walk behind you and not leave you alone for some time. In Galle (Fort area) I felt very safe, but I was only there for a few hours till sunset. There were many local families with kids, so it had a nice ambience. Also, I went to Ambalangoda and a tea plantation in Dolosbage, and I had good experiences and felt safe there. But I was Couchsurfing, so I was not alone. If you feel I can help you in any way, feel free to reach out:)

Posted: September 3, 2025Experienced: July, 2025
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Anastasia

Anastasia

Russia

Sri Lanka, Solo travel

My experience on Sri Lanka was quite good. It was my first solo trip and it wasn’t just a vacation, I came there with one way ticket and eventually stayed on the island for 3 months. Local people seems nice and friendly, sometimes they can be intrusive, but I think it’s just part of Asian culture. I felt safe out there. I stayed at Weligama and I rented a room in villa. It cost me around 300 bucks, in general I spend 1-1,5k in one month. If you stays in Weligama I definitely recommend you to visit Nomad and Pasijou, both places have great kitchens.

Posted: August 28, 2025
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Galle, Group travel

Truly everything went well just don’t go alone anywhere I did that and almost got raped by a group of men I went to the beach after sunset to get some fresh air and they started following me. Please don’t make the same mistake as me.

Posted: August 27, 2025
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Galle, Group travel

I felt generally safe. I visited there with my girlfriends and we weren't disturbed or interrupted by any one. We mostly walked. The food inside the fort is bit more expensive but not too much. We didn't spend that much because we are students and we were on a tight budget but maybe around 3000 LKR for each? It was a one day trip so we didn't spend the night anywhere but our home. But I think there are many safe place around

Posted: August 13, 2025Experienced: April, 2025
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Meera

Meera

Germany

Sri Lanka, Solo travel

I felt really safe in every region of the country! As a tip: the centre of the island was surprisingly the most impressive part, instead of the beaches - so don’t miss out on that! And beware of their fragile toilet systems :)

Posted: June 23, 2025
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Is Sri Lanka safe for women?

Safety index

3.2 /5

Based on 9 local experiences

Crime index

1.8 /5

Based on 9 local experiences

Nimeshika

Nimeshika

Weligama

It's usually safe. Bit tricky after dark since it isn't very crowded past around 9 pm. I don’t actually live in the town, so I can’t speak from experience about living there. The neighborhood I’m from is generally very safe, but it’s not touristy, so I’m not sure about what it’s like to live in a tourist-heavy area. That said, I’m in the town every day, and from what I’ve seen, it’s generally safe for a female solo traveler.

Posted: August 13, 2025
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Safety in Sri Lanka