Colombo Airport to Kirinda Taxi
A rock temple above the sea at the edge of Yala, and the closest you can sleep to the park gates.
Airport to Kirinda: what to expect
Four and a half hours from the terminal, past Hambantota and Tissamaharama. Kirinda is a small fishing village on a stretch of coast where the dry-zone scrub runs straight down to the sea, and it sits closer to the Yala entrance than Tissa does.
A temple stands on the rock above the beach, associated with Queen Viharamahadevi, who according to the chronicles was set adrift as a sacrifice and came ashore here. The view from the rock takes in the whole coast and, on a clear day, Great Basses reef offshore.
For divers, Great and Little Basses are among the best sites in Sri Lanka — and among the most demanding, with a season of only a few weeks in March and April when the sea is calm enough.
Your driver meets you inside the arrivals hall with a name board, helps with luggage and SIM cards, and the price agreed on WhatsApp is final — fuel, tolls and parking are all inside it. Pay the driver on arrival in LKR, USD, EUR or GBP.
Book this transfer on WhatsAppFixed prices — Airport → Kirinda
Per vehicle, one way, luggage included. Rupee equivalents are LKR 45,500 and LKR 53,500. Return trips and en-route stops quoted on WhatsApp.
Get your exact price for Kirinda
Set your group size and we will pick the right vehicle. The WhatsApp message arrives with your details already filled in.
Worth a stop on the way
Yala National Park
The Palatupana entrance is twenty minutes away — closer than from Tissamaharama.
Tissamaharama
Twenty minutes inland, with the ancient tank, the dagoba and most of the area's hotels.
Colombo Airport to Kirinda — FAQ
Is Kirinda better than Tissamaharama for Yala?
Kirinda is marginally closer to the Palatupana gate and much quieter, with a handful of good lodges. Tissamaharama has far more accommodation, more jeep operators and somewhere to eat. If you value quiet and have already arranged a jeep, Kirinda is the nicer stay.
What is the Kirinda temple?
A temple on the rock above the beach, connected to the legend of Queen Viharamahadevi, who is said to have landed here after being set adrift. It is a short climb and the coastal view from the top is excellent.
Can you dive at Great Basses from Kirinda?
Yes, and it is world-class — but the window is narrow, roughly March and April, when the sea is calm enough to reach the reef. Outside that period the swell makes it impossible. Operators are limited, so arrange it well in advance.
Other transfers in this direction
Airport → Ratnapura
2.5 – 3 hrs · from US$ 65Airport → Rakwana
3.5 hrs · from US$ 80Airport → Sinharaja
4 hrs · from US$ 80Airport → Udawalawe
4 hrs · from US$ 90Airport → Embilipitiya
4 hrs · from US$ 95Airport → Deniyaya
4 hrs · from US$ 100Airport → Weerawila
4.25 hrs · from US$ 125Airport → Tissamaharama
4 – 4.5 hrs · from US$ 125Send your flight number
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Book Airport → Kirinda