Population in Sri Lanka
Population in Sri Lanka.
Population of Sri Lanka
The population in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka’s population has risen significantly since independence in 1948. At that date the population in Sri Lanka was 7.2 million people.
According to Sri Lankan government statistics the population in mid 2023 was just over 22 million.
The island is similar in size of that of the Republic of Ireland and the population is around four times in amount.
Does Sri Lanka appear to be overpopulated?
During the financial crisis the population reduced by around 1 million people.
However, once you leave the larger cities of Colombo and Kandy, it doesn’t appear to be overpopulated.
The lush vegetation also appears to hide buildings and residences which gives the appearance of space.
Is Sri Lanka too touristy?
Although there is a large population in the country who enjoy the wonderful sights around the island, the number of tourists visiting the country is small compared to others in South East Asia.
Tourist numbers for the year ended December 2023 were 1,487,303.
This was just over a 100% increase from the previous year. The countries tourism industry had been recovering from the effects of the global pandemic and subsequently a financial crisis which delayed its recovery as a popular tourist destination.
Tourist numbers are minor compared to Thaland (28.15m), Vietnam (12.6m), Indonesia (11.68m – Bali -5.2m), Singapore (13.6m), Cambodia (5.5m), Philippines (5.5m), Laos (3.4m) and Malaysia (20m).
An increase is planned
Sri Lankas’ peak tourist numbers were 2.3 million in 2018.
There are plans to increase tourist numbers from 1.5 million (2023) to 2.3 million in 2024.
As reported in the Sri Lankan Financial Times in May 2024, the plan is to achieve 5 million tourists by 2030
Where are the less populated and touristy places
Finding places that are off the beaten track.
Most tourists to Sri Lanka take a circular route around the island visiting the country highlights.
At GlenMyu Estate we think that this is the right thing to do on your first visit. Sri Lanka is a place which has so much to see and do, it needs to be visited again and again.
On your second visit you should dive deeper into the country and the culture to get a fuller experience of Sri Lanka.
Love Sri Lanka highlight Gal Oya, Kitugala, Mannar, and Hambantota as off -the beaten path destinations. You can read more about these places in their article.
Selecting places to stay with fewer rooms
Finding places to stay where there are less numbers of guests is the best way to
There are lots of villas and smaller properties that only have two of three rooms for guests. This will mean that you are not sharing the property with many other guests and are able to spend some time on your own.
Avoid large branded hotels that have lots of rooms. Hostels are usually places where there are lots of travellers packed into rooms.
Go for homestay, small guest houses or villas. Look to see whether there are lots of other properties nearby. It may be a small property but it could be surrounded by lots of other buildings which defeats the purpose of what you re looking for.
Some of these properties may be a bit more expensive, but if you like your privacy, it may be worth the additional; price.
GlenMyu Estate - off the beaten track
Ruwanthi created the boutique Bed and Breakfast, GlenMyu Estate, which opened in 2022.
With only three bedrooms in the main house in the five acre estate, it is truly off the beaten track. Guests regularly take day trips to Upper Diyaluma Waterfall, Horton Plains and also to see the sights around Ella.
The Cliff Lodge - an off grid experience
The awareness of Cliff Lodge was heightened earlier in 2024 as it featured in an episode of Ben Fogle’s “New Lives in the Wild”.
Anke and Naveen have created an off grid experience in the Sri Lankan Hill country near to Haputale. It’s a huge contract to the popular tourist town of Ella which is also nearby.
Hiking the new 300 kilometre trail
Sri Lanka launched the Pekoe Trail in 2023.
This is a new hiking trail which covers 300 kilometres over 22 stages. It starts in Kandy and passes Hatton Nuwara Eliya, Haputale, and Ella.
As this is a new trail you are likely to have stretches to enjoy all by yourself for parts of your trek.
Visit Sri Lanka before tourist numbers increase
There appear to be headlines everyday about over tourism and local people protesting against the number of people visiting their home. Several tourist spots such as Barcelona, Venice and Machu Picchu have limited the number of visitors.
One of the main reasons for the protests is the effect that tourism has on property prices and the lack of affordable accommodation available for local people.
You can read which places are restricting tourist numbers in Tourism Analytics article.
Sri Lanka is a great country to visit now as tourist numbers are not at the stage where there is pressure on accommodation. If new hotels and infrastructure is not developed to cope with the planned tourist numbers, then either room prices will increase or you will find it difficult to source suitable accommodation.
Stay at GlenMyu Estate and avoid the crowds
GlenMyu Estate is listed on Booking.com and Airbnb.
Contact us by the WhatsApp button on our website for direct booking rates.
Stay at GlenMyu Estate as you explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country
See sights like Horton Plains National Park is a unique experience.
We only have three bedrooms and you will need to book early during the peak holiday season.
The estate is usually within an hours drive of the major sightseeing locations such as Nine Arch Bridge, Ella Town, Upper Diyaluma Waterfall, Lipton’s Seat, Bambarakanda Waterfall and many more.
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