Will you be traveling to Sri Lanka as a digital nomad? Prepare well with this article by already saving the best places to work in Sri Lanka in your Google Maps. We traveled and worked as digital nomads in Sri Lanka for three months in 2024. As a result, we know the best places in each destination to unfold your laptop with stable internet, good coffee and comfortable (desk) chairs. On to the best places to work in Sri Lanka!
Content of this blog:
How good is the Internet in Sri Lanka?
Internet quality in Sri Lanka varies considerably by destination. In general, the south is more developed and better set up for tourism and digital nomads. There the wifi and range on your mobile internet is good. In the mountainous middle of Sri Lanka, coverage is considerably less and you may sometimes have no service for a while. The north (above Kandy) is more primitive and you notice this also in the internet: using your phone for everyday things is possible, but video streaming, downloading, uploading and decent work is not / difficult.
Where do you have co-workings in Sri Lanka?
The coworking spaces in Sri Lanka are mainly found in the south: Weligama, Hiriketiya and Arugam Bay are Sri Lanka’s digital nomad hotspots. In this article, we list all the coworking spaces in Sri Lanka. Read on to find out where to go to work in Sri Lanka.
Our itinerary in Sri Lanka as Digital Nomads
Below we will share our itinerary that we did in 3 months of Sri Lanka. Further down you will find the best places to work for each destination, so please read on.
We had to make choices because we were not able to work everywhere, so we skipped some destinations. For example, we unfortunately did not visit Trincomalee and Jaffna (all the way up north).
We ourselves made our itinerary Sri Lanka clockwise from the top. Our first destinations in the north: Anuradhapura, Wilpattu and Sigiriya, we did them at an accelerated pace and here we did only the highly necessary work. In Kandy, we spent two weeks working in a coworking facility. Kandy is not the nicest city to stay longer, but we had a lot of work to do and here was a good coworking.
We also covered the beautiful route from Kandy to Ella in a long weekend with our own tuktuk. After this, we spent some more time in the nicest village in Sri Lanka (Ella). Unfortunately, there was no coworking in Ella and we had to make do with a cafe. The internet was okay, but that was all. We found this very unfortunate because we would have liked to stay longer in Ella.
Then we went south with our bases being Arugam Bay, Hiriketiya and Weligama. Working here was super. Below is an overview of the work places in Sri Lanka that we recommend.
Where can you work in Anuradhapura?
In Anuradhapura you will find one cafe to do the necessary work. It is something, but definitely not a place to work full-time for a week. The Internet is not fantastic. You can just about hold a meeting here. We worked here at:
- Kafe
Spending the night in Anuradhapura is best done at Hotel Heladiv, where you can relax by the pool after your work day, which of course is great. Is Hotel Heladiv fully booked? Then check out Lake Wave Hotel, where the host’s mother can cook such delicious meals! Slide in after your work day and immediately feel like you’ve come home, fantastic! Also, don’t skip these fun activities in Anuradhapura while you’re there and be sure to go on safari in Wilpattu National Park!
Workplace in Sigiriya
There are actually no public workplaces in Sigiriya. The quaint village near the Lion Rock is very cozy and fun for backpackers, but less suitable for digital nomads. We spent two half days here doing our necessary things at the accommodation. Here we worked on our sim card as a hotspot when the internet was not good enough. We slept and worked at this budget accommodation, which was fine!
Looking for a little more comfort? Then check out this accommodation where you can work by the pool overlooking the Lion Rock:
Sigiriya is too fun a place to just be busy with work. There are some incredibly cool activities in Sigirya, such as climbing the Lion Rock and Pidurangala Rock, or go on an elephant safari in Minneriya National Park.
Coworking in Kandy
In Kandy, Sri Lanka’s second city, you will find one coworking space. This is where we worked for two weeks. Actually, they are flex spaces in the office of Marketing Agency One. They have named their coworking space “Office One”. You can work here with stable internet at a desk with comfortable office chairs.
In terms of interior design, it is not the most beautiful or inspiring place to work in Sri Lanka, but you can do your thing well here. Office One is located a bit outside the center of Kandy, so you are really in a local place working among Sri Lankans. The great thing about this is that underneath the coworking you can have a great lunch at a spotty local restaurant.
If you are going to Office One for the first time, you will find that finding the entrance can be a bit tricky. We ran into this too, which is why we are sharing this golden tip for finding the entrance:
Navigate to the location using the Google Maps location below. You will arrive at a red building with a garage on the first floor. On the left side of the garage you will find a door with stairs. You need to go in there and then Office One is on the second floor. Around 09:00 most of the employees will come in and you can sit inside as well. They will welcome you right away.
- Office One(View Google Maps location here)
- Price: 1,500 LKR per day (€5 per day )
Since we worked so much at Office One, we deliberately looked for a hotel nearby. We ended up at Serene Home, by the host Sri and we felt like we came home. Sri is such an incredibly sweet host and was there for us every time. If there was a time we didn’t want to hike he brought us with his car, he took us to town and every morning there was an insane breakfast waiting for us. Serene Home is really the place you want to sleep in Kandy. There are also 12 cool activities to do in Kandy, the cultural capital of Sri Lanka. Discover them all in our article.
Workplace in Ella
Ella is a wonderful place to spend extended time. It’s a lot cooler than in the hot south, before work you can enjoy hiking in the tea fields and the views are just breathtaking.
For digital nomads, Ella is unfortunately not so great. You can work here, but the options for workspaces in Ella are limited. When we were in Sri Lanka in 2024, there was no coworking in Ella. We would think this is a really great idea. If there was, there is no doubt we could be here for a longer period of time.
When it comes to workplaces in Ella, we had to make do with cafes. We tried two cafes and at the second one we hit it off. First, we worked at Barista – the popular coffee chain in Sri Lanka – but the Internet was not optimal here. You can work upstairs at Barista, but then you are in an open space where the noise of traffic on the street is distracting and the heat is also not ideal in the hottest part of the day.
Then we joined our neighbors:
- Ice Cream Parlor Isle of Gelato
Tip: try the ice cream flavor here: ‘Nutty Professor’. How much we enjoyed this!
You can also open your laptop for a few hours at the cute Balinese-style coffee shop:
- Kopi Kari
This is, yet again, an open cafe, so you will be bothered by the noise of the street and the heat. For a few hours, it’s still doable and you’ll be sitting with your feet in the sand which is always a great feeling while working.
When looking for accommodations in Ella, it’s hard to choose. We recommend Charming View Homestay, which is a 10-minute walk from the city center and offers stunning mountain views. In the morning you can enjoy a fantastic local breakfast (included in the price of +/- €25 per night) and then take a nice walk to work in downtown Ella. If Charming View is fully booked, Third Eye Ella is another lovely hotel, which also fills up quickly, so book your accommodation in Ella here soon. Also check out all our tips for things to do in Ella.
Workplaces in Arugam Bay
Looking for places to work in Arugam Bay? We’ve listed some great tips for working in Arugam Bay for you.
- In Arugam Bay, keep in mind the season. The tourist season in Arugam Bay runs from April through September. In October, literally the entire village moves to the south coast, most restaurants and cafes close their doors, and most coworking spaces close as well. So skip Arugam Bay between October and March.
- Coworking spaces in Arugam Bay:
- Waves Co-working
- Nomads Coworking Space
- Sunrise Cabanas Coworking Space
Cafes to work in Arugam Bay:
- Gypcey Lounge Co-Working Cafe & Restaurant
- PONO Cafe
Keep in mind that the good hotels in Arugam Bay get booked up very quickly. So book your hotel in advance and try to do so for the entire duration of your stay, otherwise you have the chance that the good places will be fully booked. Forcus Cabanas is a lovely place where you sit right on the main street of Arugam Bay. For solo travelers, the cozy Little Lagoon Hostel is perfect, it’s super social and you can even try to work in your hammock. If these 2 accommodations are already sold out, check out all accommodations in Arugam Bay soon and book your stay right away. Besides working, there is plenty to do in Arugam Bay. Check out our article on things do in Arugam Bay.
Coworking in Hiriketiya
Hiriketiya was for us the nicest and coziest place to stay on the south coast of Sri Lanka. Hiriketiya also has another coworking facility that we used for two weeks:
- Clics – Coliving & Coworking
You can either work or stay overnight at Clics Coliving & Coworking. We tried the dorm for 1 night, but this was not a success for us. There was no air conditioning in the room and the dorms were super small. Clicks also has two beautiful double rooms next to the coworking. These looked great, but unfortunately were occupied.
In the search for another accommodation, we came across another gem: Jungle Escape Hiriketiya. The rooms are clean, super spacious and you can enjoy the monkeys in the trees while showering outdoors. You can’t work here, but you can walk into Clics to ask if you can use the coworking area for a small fee. In addition, Ayubowan Hiriketiya is also a wonderful accommodation with a fantastic breakfast every morning where you immediately meet nice fellow travelers.
You can also work at Fresh coworking, which is near Dikwella. It’s a nice place for a few hours, but the chairs are a lot less nice to sit on for longer periods of time than at Clics. So if, like us, you have to work really long hours, Clics is a lot nicer.
In Hiriketiya and its surroundings there are a number of other fun activities. We have written them down for you in our blog about Hiriketiya.
Workplaces in Weligama
Weligama is perhaps the most popular place for Digital nomads in Sri Lanka. Do you love surfing, a relaxed vibe and are looking for the best place to work in Sri Lanka? Then you should definitely visit Weligama.
There are several coworking options and places to work in Weligama. We tried a few of them and are most pleased with Outpost. The wifi here is top notch, it’s nice and quiet but also just cozy with other digital nomads in Sri Lanka and the desks are really nice.
Coworking spaces in Weligama:
- Outpost Café & Coworking (our favorite and you can also stay overnight here, ideal!)
- Plan B Coworking
- Sugar Hostel & Coworking
Cafes to work in Weligama
If you are looking for idyllic spots to flip open your laptop for a few hours, you can visit:
- Kai Beach Club
- Nomad Cafe
- Layback Rooftop Café
In short, plenty of options for finding a place to work in Weligama. For your accommodation, we recommend the Glamping in Weligama. This obviously looks super nice and is a really unique place. Another good option is the Sky Mountain Cafe with Seaview, which is a fine budget accommodation. Would you also like to know what are the things do in Weligama? Then read our extensive article.
Working in Colombo
Are you looking for a place to work in Colombo? If so, there are a number of options available. While Colombo may not be the city you want to stay in for long because there are so many nicer places in Sri Lanka, like us, you may have to work in Colombo.
We have worked at:
- Co-nnect at the Shangri La hotel
- London House Of Coffee
Optionally, you can also rent a nice apartment to work in. Sofia’s luxury apartment with seaview is perfect for this. There is a gym and pool in the apartment complex and the wifi is extremely fast. If the apartment is already fully booked, studio 474 is also a fine apartment!
In addition, there are some fun activities in Colombo, Sri Lanka’s capital city.
Which SIM card/provider should you have in Sri Lanka?
Dialog is the provider in Sri Lanka with the best Internet connection. In many places you have 4G connection and it works well. Sometimes even good enough to work on your hotspot. You can easily buy the Dialog sim card at Colombo airport. Then you can top it up at local phone stores or – when the sim card expires after +/- 30 days – buy a new Dialog sim card again.
Our review of workplaces in Sri Lanka
As you can see, we have tried a lot of workplaces in Sri Lanka. Finally, we make it extra easy for you by including our review in the overview below.
| Location | Workplace | Review | Reason |
| Weligama | Outpost Coworking | Fantastic | Good price, good chairs, separate meeting room and a good cafe |
| Weligama | Plan B | Moderate | Limit on internet MBs and quite pricey. Very good coffee and tasty lunch though |
| Hiriketiya | Clicks | Fantastic | The finest coworking in Hiriketiya. Good chairs and stable internet. |
| Hiriketiya | Fresh | Good | It looks idyllic and you can also work here very nicely. The only downside is the not so comfortable chairs. |
| Arugam Bay | The Wave Coworking | Good | Good internet and comfortable chairs. Cheapest coworking in Arugam Bay. Disadvantage: no daylight inside. |
| Arugam Bay | Nomad Coworking | Good | Hard to find, but a good coworking with stable internet and nice chairs. There is also a WhatsApp community available. |
| Arugam Bay | Sunrise Cabanas Coworking Space | Bad | No nice atmosphere, noisy room, dark and bad wifi. |
| Ella | Isle of Gelato | Moderate | The best option for a workplace in Ella. Delicious ice cream and good coffee. Air conditioning inside. It can be noisy though due to guests. |
| Ella | Barista | Bad | Hot, outdoors and noisy. |
| Ella | Kopi Kari | Bad | You sit here on the floor and outdoors. Very good coffee, though. |
| Kandy | Office One | Good | In terms of workplace is good: stable internet with a desk with comfortable chairs. It is very local though. |
| Anuradhapura | Kafe | Bad | Unstable internet, noisy and only when there is no other way. |
