Joanna James
Sri Lanka is a fantastic family holiday destination because it has many attractions that mesmerise the young and old. This exotic island is not only filled with many enjoyable activities but offers many affordable adventures as well.
Two of the best places to explore ancient ruins in Sri Lanka are Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa. There are many awesome attractions of religious significance to visit here like Lovamahapaya, Ruwanweliseya, Thuparamaya, Jethavanaramaya, Abayagiriya, Mihintale, the Samadhi Buddha statue and Isurumuniya in the Anuradhapura district. Visit sites like Gal Vihara, Sandakada Pahana, Kiri Vehara, Vatadage and the ruins of King Parakramabahu’s royal palace in Polonnaruwa.
If you are an elephant enthusiast, choose to visit either Yala or Udawalawe National Parks. In addition to these majestic beasts, you can also catch sight of water buffalos, sloth bears, wild boars, chitals, deer, Indian hares, mongooses, foxes, bandicoots, grey langers and jackals there. Those eager to spot leopards can go for Wilpattu National Park which is dotted with huge sand-edged natural lakes. Bird lovers will enjoy tours of Bundala, Kaudulla and Kumana National Parks.
One of the most beautiful train rides in the country is from Kandy to Ella and passes many picturesque locations like tea plantations, green woodlands, winding rivers, cascading waterfalls, scenic villages and bustling towns. This journey which is around 140km, can take about 6 to 7 hours to complete and sometimes can even stretch up to 9 to 10 hours. The best views are between the Hatton and Haputale stations so you might consider taking this journey the other way around – from Ella to Kandy.
Nature lovers will find Sri Lanka a paradise as it boasts many green spaces. Some of the best places to encounter the best of what nature has to offer in this slice of paradise are the Horton Plains National Park, Knuckles Mountain Range, Sinharaja Forest Reserve and the Muthurajawela wetlands. If you have small children in tow, then it is best to spend a day somewhere like Lunuganga and Brief Garden where you can experience some stunning artwork and ravishing sculptures blended into lush greenery.
Give your children their first taste of flight, other than on an aircraft, by getting them high up on a hot air balloon. Popular hot-air ballooning destinations are Sigiriya, Habarana and Dambulla. You can enjoy the thrills of this experience as well as get a bird’s eye view of many of the wonders below.
Rice and curry is considered as the staple food in Sri Lanka. So obviously you need to try some of this with a selection of delicious side dishes like polos curry (baby jackfruit), fish ambul thiyal (sour fish curry), pol sambol (coconut sambol), parippu (dhal curry), wambatu moju (eggplant pickle) and gotu kola sambol (pennywort salad). Other delicacies worth trying out include milk rice, kottu (chopped roti mixed with meat, fish or egg and vegetables), egg hoppers, king coconut water and buffalo curd.
If you do not like to venture far from the cosmopolitan city of Colombo but still wish to experience something new and memorable, pay a visit to Kalutara. This place not only attracts throngs of locals and foreigners but is also considered a sacred site since it houses the renowned Kalutara Bodhiya, one of the 32 saplings from the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi tree. There are plenty of things to do in Kalutara today such as kayaking, canoeing and engaging in sunset boat cruises in the Kalu River. You can even engage in some whale and dolphin-watching expeditions. Need time to unwind and spend a relaxing day basking in the sun and splashing on the beach with your kids? Stay at a property like Turyaa Kalutara and you will only be a hop, skip and jump away from the stunning Wadduwa shores.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
