Our terrific family trip to Sri Lanka

Visiting Sri Lanka at Easter

The month of April falls in between Sri Lanka’s opposing monsoons. The best time to visit the west and south coast is from November to April, while the east coast sees its best weather from April to September. 

Keen to get a little off the beaten track in the east and the north (formerly closed to tourists for nearly 30 years due to the civil war), but desperate not to miss the famed southern beaches and stunning central areas of the country, we ended up with a jam-packed itinerary that included a bit of everything.

London to Colombo 

Sri Lanka Airlines operates direct flights from Heathrow to Colombo, but we opted for a Gatwick departure via Dubai with Emirates. With a comfortable lunchtime departure, we were very happy with our spacious seats, excellent entertainment system, and pretty decent food. 

We quickly realised that we had to ban all entertainment for the second leg of the journey in favour of sleep, based on the ambitious travel we had planned for our arrival day. Rather than staying in Colombo when we landed, we planned to get straight on the train to Galle Town. 

Inevitably, my 11-year-old daughter managed to get a few hours of sleep while we awkwardly tried to accommodate her stretched-out limbs (and tried desperately to snatch 40 winks ourselves). With just a 4-hour and 30-minute time difference, the jet lag was limited but the lack of sleep had an impact.

Colombo to Galle 

My partner was really set on taking the train from Colombo to Galle town. This is because the tracks run right along the coast, so the views are quite stunning throughout the 2 - 3-hour journey. Not all trains have pre-bookable seats but, to avoid hanging around for hours post-flight, we took a fixed-price taxi from the airport to the train station and hopped on an earlier than planned train. 

As a result, we didn’t get a seat, which would have been fine if we weren’t so exhausted! Maya nodded away next to Andy on the floor in a breeze-filled train doorway, while I stood in a walkway breathing in to let the hawkers squeeze by, slightly cursing at having been persuaded out of the stress-free car and driver route.

Exploring Galle Fort 

Conscious that we would have some proper beach time later in the trip, we chose to stay within the walls of Galle Fort. Hopping in our first tuk-tuk, we scooted through the traffic and arrived at our quaint guesthouse. 

Founded by Portuguese colonists in the 16th-century the car-free streets are filled with architecture reflecting Portuguese, Dutch and British rule, now housing restaurants and shops to accommodate the day-trippers that stop off on route to or from the southern beaches. 

Galle was a great spot to start our adventure. It was hot, but we didn’t do much except wander and relax. We had our first swim in the warm ocean, ate great local food and pottered around the shops, picking up a fabulous fabric mounted Empire poster from the 1930s depicting a tea-picker.

Tasting the local cuisine 

Everyone talks about the food in Sri Lanka, and I soon learnt that you can’t go far wrong with Sri Lankan curry and rice. With a choice of meat, fish or veg, you’ll usually be served a delicious main curry with several sides including a dahl, a coconut sambal and often another veg dish. 

Maya was very happy with a roti a flatbread stuffed with ingredients of your choice, and the famous kottu (chopped flatbread mixed with chicken and vegetables) is delicious too. We also discovered the egg hopper – an essential breakfast piece served with dahl and other curry options. 

For kids less willing to try new things, you can get fries pretty much everywhere and a version of a club sandwich. Pizza is also generally on the menu in more touristy areas.

Staying in Mirissa 

If you want to experience local bus travel in Sri Lanka, the 2-hour trip from Galle town to Mirissa offers the perfect journey. We boarded our colourful bus, spread out on a comfy bench seat, and relaxed in the breeze of the open windows, accompanied by local music blaring from the speakers up and down the bus. Mirissa is a popular spot offering easy-going beach days and (apparently) some decent nightlife. 

We stayed slightly inland, where we could watch peacocks, birds and monkeys from our balcony. The hotel was an exciting location to experience the craziest overnight electric storm, with roaring thunder and lightning all around the hotel! We were relieved when daylight dawned on a beautiful day ahead.

Our whale-watching trip from Mirissa 

I have tried and failed to see blue whales on several trips in my life, and I was hopeful that Mirissa would be the place to finally catch a glimpse of them. Sadly, this wasn’t to be, as they have become much rarer off the Sri Lankan coast in recent years. However, our whale-watching tour turned out to be an brilliant day. 

We pre-booked a trip with ‘Raja and the Whales’, a company reputed for being super ethical towards marine life. It proved to be a winning choice, and the highlight was a fantastic close-up encounter with a Bryde's whale after most of the other boats had headed back to shore. The bottle-nosed and spinner dolphins also brought us great joy! 

After what ended up being a 7-hour wildlife-spotting adventure, we were ready for some food and a wind-down. The nearby Secret Beach made a perfect stopping point. While it’s not so secret anymore, Secret Beach is one of the most beautiful stretches of sand in Sri Lanka, with a lovely lagoon that is a perfect swimming spot for kids.

The journey to Ella 

We pre-arranged a driver to take us from Mirissa to Ella with a stop at Rakkhithakanda Len Viharaya Cave Temple. As an unexpected treat, we were the only visitors to this temple, inhabited by just one storytelling monk who told us tales of the temple’s history, as well as Buddha’s story, before giving us meditation tips and life advice. 

After a short photo stop at Ravani waterfall, we continued the journey to the Mountain Heavens Hotel. This was the view I had been dreaming of for months. Ella Gap on a clear day is simply stunning, and the perfectly placed infinity pool at the hotel was like a dream!

We headed to the restaurant for a late lunch before our heavenly swim, at which point the clouds rolled in and the heavens opened. It was crazy but quite magnificent to watch the skies darken and then lighten up again, culminating in a rainbow. We sat with a beer and a pack of cards and watched on, postponing our dip to the following morning.

Exploring Ella 

Although the drive up to the hotel follows a lengthy, winding dirt road, you can simply walk five minutes along the railway track to Ella station and the pretty town of Ella. Filled with shops and cafes as well as restaurants on stilts pumping out chilled or lively music, this tourist-filled town is a fun and easy place to be. Everyone loves Ella, us included! 

My top experiences in Ella include a visit to the Nine Arches Bridge as a train passes over and climbing Little Adam's Peak. We also enjoyed lunch in the town and then headed back to the pool, before meeting friends in the evening at the infamous Cafe Chill Inn for dinner and drinks.

Visiting a tea plantation 

Maya was super keen to visit a tea plantation, so after monopolising the pool for a pre-breakfast dip in the glorious sunshine, we took a tuk-tuk to the Halpe Tea factory. With a choice of tours (factory or fields), we took the plantation tour, where we were introduced to the life of a tea-picker and tried picking the right part of the leaves with baskets strapped to our heads. We all failed miserably, but it was a fun and insightful experience.

The train from Ella to Kandy 

Next, we had an early start to board the train from Ella to Kandy, passing through the most stunning scenery and getting a glimpse into the real lives of the locals labouring in the fields. The full journey is pretty long, at around 6 hours, but the second-class seats are pre-bookable and comfy, with open windows allowing a constant breeze. First class offers an air-conditioned closed cabin, which may or may not appeal more. 

In Kandy, we stayed at Hotel Thilanka, which offered another gorgeous infinity pool overlooking the lake and the town. It was a great spot to cool off after the journey. The buffet dinner proved a hit with Maya - kids usually pay half and eat at least double the desserts!

Exploring Sri Lanka’s Central Province 

Our pre-arranged driver picked us up at 10am the following morning and took us on our way. He helped us work out the best way to fit in everything that we wanted to see in the area, as well as acting as a guide en route. 

The first stop was the Dambulla Cave temple complex, a series of five Buddhist caves intricately decorated over different periods by different rulers. It houses 153 Buddhist statues and huge murals that cover an area of 2,100 square metres.

Setting off on an elephant safari 

After checking in at Sigiriyana Hotel and grabbing a quick lunch, it was time for our safari. This area is renowned for elephants, so it’s worth a visit even if you plan to see another national park on your trip. Our driver instinctively knew where the most elephants would be because of the water levels in various places.

 We headed to Hurula Eco Park, where we had several great elephant viewings. My highlight was watching a herd do their sunset plod into the lake for a soak and splash at the end of our visit. The terrain is a little rough and there was a bit of competition amongst jeep drivers (who sometimes got a little closer to the wildlife than you would like), but we felt lucky for what we experienced.

Visiting the largest fruit market in Sri Lanka 

Before heading to Sigiriya Rock, we stopped at Sri Lanka’s largest fruit and veg wholesale market just outside Dambulla. It was a colourful crazy jigsaw of lorries and stalls delivering and collecting goods, filled with noise and busy people who still found time to pat Maya’s blonde hair and offer tastes of avocados and mangos. We loved this unscheduled stop, which was added only when our driver, Kalinga, realised that we grow our own veg on our allotment.

Exploring Sigiriya Rock Fortress

The ancient rock fortress of Sigiriya is phenomenal and well worth the climb - even in sweltering heat! Bring plenty of water and a bit of courage if heights are not your thing! The actual climb is mainly stairs, so it’s not technical, but there are sections where I had to overcome my own vertigo. Again, our guide gave us a fantastic insight into its history, dating back to the late 5th Century CE.

Relaxing in Trincomalee 

Cooling off in our comfortable air-conditioned car, we were driven to the east coast beach city of Trincomalee. We based ourselves at Upaveli Beach, just a couple of miles north of the centre. We immediately felt at ease on the sandy beach, dotted with colourful fishermen’s boats and a shoreline of beach restaurants and snorkel/dive shops. 

We spent three nights here and made ourselves at home on the beach around Fernandos Bar, which has a kettle shower (ideal for post-salty swims) and some good food and beer options. Café on 18th has delicious food but more Western prices. We also really liked Snack Bar Hawaii for its breakfasts and dinners right on the beach. It was so hot (approx. 36 degrees) that we favoured beach dining, taking advantage of the sea breeze.

Snorkelling on Pigeon Island 

We took a snorkelling day trip to Pigeon Island which was great. Heading off at 9am on a little 7-seater speedboat we were thrilled to experience this gorgeous tiny island from which you can snorkel right off the shore with an abundance of turtles, reef sharks and tropical fish. Wear a rash vest or T-shirt if you don’t want to burn… some of us will never learn!

Exploring Trincomalee Town 

Trinco town is well worth a wander to visit the Hindu temples, which are much more prominent in the north of Sri Lanka due to its proximity to India. If there’s any sort of religious festival going on, the temples offer spectacular sights and sounds, and they don’t mind you wandering in and sitting for a while. We visited the Villuntri Kandaswamy Temple and the imposing Koneswaram Temple that stands on Swami Rock cliff, both of which were very impressive.

Staying at Wilpattu National Park 

Due to the heat and volume of people travelling for Sri Lankan New Year, we discarded our plans to take local transport across the country. Instead, we booked a private driver who dropped us off directly at Wilpattu Treehouse Hotel, just outside the gates of Wilpattu National Park. 

The hotel setting is gorgeous, and we spent the rest of our day watching birds and giant squirrels from our tree-top balcony, before moving to the stream side to watch the sunset over marshland, with hornbills flying by and deer in the distance. The buffet-style dinner in the simple surroundings was super tasty.

Our Wilpattu wildlife safari 

The following morning, we were picked up at 6am for a full-day safari. Wilpattu is less busy than Yala in the south of Sri Lanka, and it’s a huge park filled with wonderful wildlife. From the moment we entered the park, we saw deer, amazing birdlife from pelicans to eagles, elephants, crocodiles, warthogs, and buffalos. We didn’t see bears, but we were lucky enough to spot the elusive leopard twice! 

I was a little worried about the prospect of a full 12-hour safari, so I was pleased that the heat was gentler than in the East. The park is well set up, with specific eating areas equipped with washroom facilities and a lunchroom to hide from the greedy monkeys. Any moments of lethargy (like when it rained, and we had to park up and close the open sides of the vehicle) were compensated by some fantastic sights.

Ending in Negombo 

Our final day started with a transfer back to Negombo, a coastal town just twenty minutes from Colombo airport. It was Sri Lankan New Year, celebrated by both the Sinhala and Tamil people of Sri Lanka. As a result, many shops and some restaurants were closed, but there was a festive atmosphere as the locals celebrated their biggest holiday. 

For us, it was an easy day by the pool at the hotel and a couple of meals out, before heading to the airport early the next morning. Our daytime flight home was perfect, even with a stop in Dubai. We were able to fully take advantage of in-flight entertainment and miniature meals before arriving home just in time for bed. It was a great way to cut out any major jet lag.

My thoughts about our family trip to Sri Lanka 

Sri Lanka is a fabulous family holiday destination, with plenty to do and see, including loads of wildlife, which you don’t get in many parts of Asia. The food is fantastic (although Maya would argue that Vietnam has the best food in Asia). Travelling is easy as distances are not too great, and there is always a relatively inexpensive driver/guide option worth its weight in gold, even if you don’t want this the whole time. Uber operates around Sri Lanka, but for short journeys tuk-tuks are great fun. 

Accommodation in Sri Lanka can be cheap, but it's definitely worth paying more for working air-conditioning and a swimming pool to die for. Family rooms usually feature two large double beds, making them ideal for a family of three or four. We found the country relaxed and friendly - even with a few overzealous tuk-tuk drivers - and returned home feeling like we’d had a great adventure.

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