Have you ever not known where to stay while in a foreign country? Have you ever wondered which is really the best of the best in terms of hostels, hotels, or guest houses?

When traveling around I opt to stay in hostels most of the time. They tend to be convenient, safe, cheaper, and a good chance to meet new and interesting people.

Spending some time in Sri Lanka I came across a couple of hostels. Most were good, but some were not so good. I am going to highlight my top 4 hostels in Sri Lanka.

These top 4 hostels I would recommend to anyone. They had everything you needed plus they had great service, good people to meet around them, and they helped guide to the best spots in Sri Lanka.

Lets get to My Top 4 Hostels:

 No. 4: Pilgrims’ Hostel

This was probably my second Hostel I had stayed in while traveling around Sri Lanka.

Pilgrim’s is located in Galle, Sri Lanka. It is lovely hostel with a bunch of travelers coming in and out. During dinner time, it is a pizza joint. It is ran by an Italian, Natasha, who makes delicious pizza.

While in Galle, you have the opportunity to walk around the town that sits inside a an old Dutch fort. The town is a cool place to stop off at and take a look at the sights of this old Dutch Fort. There is swimming, food, gelato, and all sorts of other amazing things to see. I highly recommend spending a night at Pilgrim’s.

It was a great place to relax and stay.

No. 3. Fig and Gecko Hostel

Fig and Gecko is located in Anuaradapura, Sri Lanka. It is actually part of an NGO called Give a Fig Volunteering. It specializes in working with the locals in teaching English, helping them aquire good job skills, and just be a welcoming face within the community.

This hostel had some great facilities. It is located within a great big old house. They serve breakfast, and they can make dinner and lunch for you as well. The food was amazing. The owner, Paul, was a very welcoming man always around to help out in any capacity.

The hostel offered a night tour of the temples, gave bikes and a map for a day tour of the temples, and offered much needed advice to travel to various different places.

This was a great experience staying with Fig and Gecko. I would stay there again and again.

No. 2. Fresco Lion Villa Hostel

Fresco Lion Villa Hostel was one of my favorites. It is located in Sigiriya(where Lion’s Rock is located). The hostel is owned by Roy Daviid. He is an entreprenauer making hospitality one the most important things in his business.

On the day, I arrived I was picked up by guy to take me to the hostel. They even offered to take me down to the lake where four to five others were all swimming. There was also Roy, the owner, chilling with the guests.

Every night was a great night with a BBQ dinner, candle lights, and the specialness of just being there. The rooms were these huts where most people had double beds, fans, and the mosquito nets to protect themselves.

There was also service to Lion’s Rock. Roy had arranged a Tuk Tuk to give us a ride to Lion’s Rock. After an amazing day, we were off, and Roy gave us a complementary lunch on our way out.

It was Service with a smile. It was one of my best experiences in a hostel. Go to Fresno Lion Villa.

No. 1. JJ’s Hostel

Last, but not least, is JJ’s Hostel. It is a hostel located in Mirissa, Sri Lanka. It is a very realizing atmosphere with day beds, hammocks, and friendly staff. There is always something going on. There were Yoga classes at night and in the morning. They offered booking services for Raja and the Whales. They gave tips for good dining.

The facilities were top notch. Everyone had a big locker, a nice bed with a shelf for your electronics. The showers were brand new and almost resembled hotel style showers. (Something you would find in a Holiday Inn or Marriot.)

JJ, the owner, was a nice Australian guy trying to make this hostel one of the best in all of Sri Lanka. He had traveled all over the world, and wanted to take the best parts of all the hostels he had seen, and make JJ’s one of the best. I had so much fun that I returned and second time after visiting Yala National Park. I was welcomed back like I had never left.

These are some of my favorite hostels in Sri Lanka. I had also spent some time with a friend in Colombo, and therefore my housing was not as expensive. I was able to save money, enjoy my time, and had an experience like no other in the lovely country of Sri Lanka.

There you have it. These are my four favorite hostels in Sri Lanka. There are other hostels around in Sri Lanka, though I have not stayed at them I can recommend you to go to hostelworld and check out other hostels, or go to booking.com. There are many options out there.

Go off to Sri Lanka and enjoy an experience you will never forget.