Our Sri Lanka Itinerary: Markets, Trains, Beaches and Buses [ON A BUDGET].

We had heard so many good things about Sri Lanka! And making our plans for traveling in Sri Lanka with kids our itinerary seemed to just grow and grow.

It has been a bucket-list country for us since we started travelling full time.

Read on to find out all the details about transportation, accommodation, food and everything else from our Sri Lanka itinerary with kids.

• Why visit Sri Lanka with kids?
• Visas
• Best time to visit
• Language
• Our itinerary in Sri Lanka
• Places to visit
  – Negombo
  – Inland Sri Lanka
  – Hill Country
  – Southern Coast
• Getting around Sri Lanka with kids
• Food
• Drinking water
• Health
• Money and ATM’s
• Budget
• Connectivity and wifi
• One thing that challenged us
• Accommodation
• Where we stayed

What is so special about traveling Sri Lanka with kids?

We had made journeys up into the hill country of Taiwan and Vietnam by train and were fascinated by the opportunity to make another trip by train in Sri Lanka. Plus there’s also the fact the Kandy to Ella train is renowned as one of the most scenic train rides in the world…

Armed with that for inspiration and the knowledge that Sri Lanka has miles of coast (we were tempted by the opportunity to try surfing on the southern beaches) there seemed like plenty of reason to visit!

Sri Lanka with kids is a great travel destination. We spent a month exploring and enjoyed the ease of travelling from place to place, the friendly locals we met and the relaxing pace of life.

You could easily do this route in two weeks, leaving off a couple of beach stops or taking the train directly from Kandy to Ella.

Two weeks in Sri Lanka would still be plenty to see a lot of the country. And regardless of time we would definitely recommend Sri Lanka to families as an easy place to travel.

Visas

Acquiring a visa for Sri Lanka is straightforward and can be done online (Electronic Travel Authorisation).  And the great news for family travel in Sri Lanka is that there is no charge for tourist visas of children under the age of 12. 

For adults it costs USD $35 and is valid for 30 days (can be extended).  

The application is a simple form with an online payment (there’s no need to submit passport copies, photographs or documents).  

• Tip: Regulations for visas are subject to change so do your research well. 

Best time to visit

Weather-wise Sri Lanka can be argued as a brilliant all-year-round holiday destination.  The island’s weather is punctuated by two key monsoon seasons that effectively alternate affecting different parts of the island at different times of the year.  

• The main monsoon, Yala, occurs from April/May to September on the west and south-west coasts (Galle and Unawatuna).  The wettest months on these coasts are from April to June. 

• The less severe Maha monsoon hits the east coasts (Arugam Bay and Trincomalee) from November to March. 

Thus the suggested best time to visit the sights of south and central Sri Lanka is from December to March.  

And for the surf and eastern beaches May to September is ideal.  

We visited in February and found weather and temperature ideal all round. 

Average temperature on the coast is 26–30C (often higher) and the temperature drops the higher into the hills you go. In Kandy you can expect average temperatures of 18-22C.

Language

Sigh. Another country we didn’t become fluent in the language of.  But Sri Lanka is another country where locals usually responded rather enthusiastically to attempts at (mangling?) a basic greeting or thanks in their language…

• Fact: Sinhala or Sinhalese language is spoken by 75% of the population.  

Tamil and English are also official national languages.  

In the accommodation and guest houses we stayed in we didn’t find it a challenge to communicate with our hosts in English.  Most hosts in the cities will speak English fluently.  And people in Sri Lanka are super friendly.  If you can respond to a greeting with a word of Sinhala or Tamil you will get an even bigger smile than usual! 

Here’s a few basic words in Sinhala to practice in the meantime…

• Hello: Ayubowan
• Yes: Ow
• No: Naa
• Thank you: Istuti 
• Thank you very much: Bohoma istuti 
• How are you? Kohomadhe? 
• Fine: Varadak neh
• How much? Kiyadha? 
• Delicious: Hari rasai / rasavat

Our Sri Lanka itinerary

Here is the route we took for our Sri Lanka itinerary.

We made a loop through inland, central and the South of Sri Lanka with the kids finding highlights in each place we visited….

• Negombo > [bus > Kurunegala; bus to Dambulla]
• Dambulla > [bus > Kandy]
• Kandy > [train > Nanu Oya]
• Nuwara Eliya > [train to Ella]
• Ella > [tuktuk to Wellawaya; bus to Pannegamuwa Junction]
• Tissamahara > [bus to Tangalle]
• Tangalle > [tuk tuk to Hirikitiya; bus to Mirissa].
• Mirissa > [tuk tuk to Weligama]
• Weligama > [bus to Galle]
• Galle > [bus to Colombo; bus to Negombo].

Welcome to Sri Lanka

As soon as we walked out of our hotel that first morning we were in love with Sri Lanka.

It wasn’t long after sunrise but we could already smell that tropical welcome of outdoor kitchen fires burning while roosters are crowing.

We found milk at a tiny little shop and were waved over by the neighbour. He and his brother were climbing their backyard coconut trees to harvest fresh drinking coconuts for the market. He gave the boys a coconut each and shook their hands with an enthusiastic, “Welcome to Sri Lanka!”

We wandered slowly back down the small pedestrian roads to our hotel feeling like the luckiest family in the world to have woken up in this tropical paradise.

Starting off in Negombo

Negombo was our first stop. The highlight here is tied between heading out to find a much-needed coffee at sunrise (we were so close to missing our flight from Kuala Lumpur the night before!) and the amazing Negombo Fish Market.

The fish markets are an exciting assault on the senses. The smell of drying fish is immediate; as are the calls of vendors selling their stock and the sounds of the chopping and gutting all kinds of seafood that we’ve never even seen before!

We had barely entered the marketplace and the boys were talking to the vendors at each stall; in awe of their catch and the speed of their work.

We walked around the entire market (more than once) until Harry found the men working with dried fish on the beach… And ended up sitting down with them and having a go banging the fish together to remove any sand and dried scales before they’re taken off for sale!

Things to do in Negombo

• Negombo Beach: A nice beach for a stroll in the late afternoon/sunset (not suitable for swimming). 
• Fish Markets: Head there early in the morning to see all the action.  Our kids were absolutely fascinated by the markets (we visited twice!). 
• Take a tuk tuk ride: Likely Negombo might be your first stop in Sri Lanka. Take a tuk tuk and set out on an adventure (we found buffalo curd lassi!).

It’s easy to get around Negombo by tuk-tuk. And although we did find it had semi-footpaths in the touristy area, there isn’t a lot of space in the downtown area for walking in amongst the traffic.

Transportation from Negombo

• Taxi to Colombo Airport (CMB): 15 minutes
• Bus to Colombo: 1.5 hours
• Taxi to Galle: 2.5 hours
• Bus to Galle: 4 hours 
• Bus to Kurunegala: 2.5 hours
• Bus to Dambulla (via Kurunegala): 4.5 hours 

Dambulla (and the cultural triangle)

Dambulla is an inland city. For our Sri Lanka itinerary we used it as a great base to explore the Cave Temples and to climb both Sigiriya and Pidurangala rocks. 

We took the bus from Negombo for $1 USD per adult; changed at the bus station in Kurunegala and caught one more bus to Dambulla. The total travel time was about five hours, but the drive was smooth and we broke it up with a lunch stop halfway. 

The Dambulla Cave Temples are right in town, but it takes about half an hour by tuk tuk to reach Sigiriya or Pidurangala. We would recommend visiting both in the morning time. And if you only have a short time then definitely the climb up Pidurangala is worth it. 

• Read about climbing Pidurangala and Sigiriya with kids.

Things to do in Dambulla

• Dambulla Cave Temples: Built 160m above the surrounding plains and offering stunning views of the area. 
• See the Golden Buddha: After visiting the Cave Temples hike down and check out the huge Golden Buddha statue (turns out to be the largest Buddha in this position and is plated with real gold). 
• Climb Sigiriya: Dambulla is an ideal location to visit the ancient city and rock fortress of Sigiriya.
• Sunrise from Pidurangala Rock: A fraction of the price of Sigiriya, Pidurangala offers impressive views right out over the plains (including views of Sigiriya Rock). 

Transportation from Dambulla

• Rickshaw to Sigiriya: 40 mins
• Rickshaw to Pidurangala: 45 mins 
• Bus to Kandy: 2 hours
• Bus to Kurunegala: 2 hours
• Bus to Negombo (via Kurunegala): 4.5 hours

Sri Lanka’s inland hill and tea country

Sri Lanka’s hill country is iconic and picturesque, and no wonder – seeing the tea plantations from the wide open windows of the old hill trains is an uplifting kind of feeling!

The hills themselves are beautiful and such a contrast to the windswept coastal stretches of beach along the south.

We knew that for us a huge drawcard of Sri Lanka was the South Coast and beaches, but we were curious about the hill country and loved the thought of the vastly contrasting landscapes of what looked to be on the map a seemingly small island nation.

Getting up into the hill country we took a local bus from Dambulla train station, to Kandy. The bus cost less than $1 USD per person, and took about two hours. It was very straightforward!

Our inland Sri Lanka itinerary

• Dambulla > bus > Kandy
• Kandy > train > Nuwara Eliya
• Nuwara Eliya > train > Ella
• Ella > tuktuk to Wellawaya > bus to Pannegamuwa Junction and Tissamahara

Kandy

Kandy for us was the start of our adventures in Sri Lanka’s hill country and we arrived by bus from Dambulla. Our hotel was up on the hill above Kandy with an incredible view down over the city! 

We arranged a half day tour with a tuk-tuk and set off the next day to visit a tea factory, the Kandy Royal Botanical Gardens and a special request for the most delicious lunch our driver could think of…

We had an interesting morning all round at the tea factory.  Us adults, for the delicious scents of fresh tea and taste testing… and the boys for all the amazing century-old machines used to separate, sort and dry the tea into different grades.

[Note: In hindsight, I’d recommend visiting the tea factories in Nuwara Eliya where you can also wander through the plantations. The one in Kandy was interesting and clearly explained… but we really wanted to see and explore the tea fields].

The highlight in Kandy was the Botanical Gardens. Our driver dropped us off for a couple of hours and it was a great opportunity to just wander (exercise the boys) and soak it all in.

It’s an enormous park space with trails that wind all through the different wooded and planted areas. You could easily lose half a day there.

• Tip: Pack some snacks or a picnic and find a spot to sit and enjoy the gardens.

Things to do in Kandy

• Kandy Royal Botanical Gardens: The gardens are famous worldwide and it is easy to spend a few hours just wandering. Entrance fee: 2,000 LKR ($10 USD). Comparatively pricey but a great place to let the kids run around safely.
• Visit Temple of the Tooth: Sri Dalada Maligawa temple houses the legendary tooth relic from Buddha (actual Buddha!) and is a popular place for pilgrims and tourists alike.
• Walk around Kandy Lake: A free option for exploring in Kandy, the lake is central in the city and a peaceful spot to walk around.
• Visit a tea factory: This isn’t the only option for visiting a tea factory (most common is in Ella) in hill country, but an interesting option for outing by tuk tuk.
• Have lunch at Kandy Muslim Hotel: The best place we found to eat in Kandy and a top choice in the Lonely Planet guide. Try kottu, or a spicy curry. And if you are travelling with kids then I recommend the chefs version of a fried rice dish.

Nuwara Eliya – Sri Lanka with kids

This is the highest town of the three main hill stations (Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Ella) so its cooler up here.

The sun came out beautifully on our full day in Nuwara Eliya and we made the most of the cheap visit to the Victoria Park gardens in the centre of town and let the kids run free at the playground. (It’s worth adding to your itinerary in Sri Lanka with kids!).

We stumbled across the Grand Hotel (we were staying right behind it) on our first afternoon walking past without realising the history or extent of the beautiful surrounding grounds. We were very glad we did as we ended up just in time for High Tea.

Confession time High Tea on day one had us thinking that a beer and some chips at lunchtime might also be a grand idea on day two as well; so we went back! The kids enjoyed watching the man playing the beautiful grand piano; it was an educational choice (I swear!). 

Things to do in Nuwara Eliya

• Victoria Park: For $2 USD entry Victoria Park gardens and playground definitely provide your money worth! The park is centrally located and great for a wander around and a play.
• High Tea at the Grand Hotel: It’s not a budget outing (especially if you are travelling with hungry kids – or husbands). But it’s worth it for the unique experience and a fleeting taste of the British history that was once there.
• Take a boat ride on Gregory Lake: Huge lake in the middle of town. Take a boat ride or wander around the lake shore (and talk to the horses being walked and ridden) and relax in the shade of the park.
• Visit a tea factory: This is another great place to visit a tea factory and plantation. Your hotel or hostel will be able to help arrange a tour (or you will be approached just walking through town).
• Nuwara Eliya Market: Not huge but largely undercover and an interesting walk through. Keep an eye out for the man selling handmade candy floss in newspaper…

Ella – Sri Lanka with kids

Taking the train from Nanu Oya to Ella was a great travel day with our two little backpackers! The hill country unfolds as you climb further up the tracks with breathtaking tea plantations and hill villages. It was a fantastic travel day all round. 

On our second day in Ella we got a tuk tuk tour for half a day from our guesthouse that included Nine Arch Bridge, Little Adam’s Peak, Rawana Falls and a stop for lunch on the way home.

It was a good way to get around the sights of Ella and an achievable outing with the kids.

• Tip: You can also walk from the Nine Arch Bridge to Little Adam’s Peak.  The distance is not geographically far; just steep coming back up!

There is a pleasant short walk to the top of Little Adam’s Peak. We heard everyone talking about the ‘hike up’ and were expecting a mountain!  

In reality, from the main road it takes around 30 minutes with kids and although it involves quite a lot of steps it is a pleasant walk with a well-marked and well-trodden trail. 

Views from the top looking out over Ella Rock are incredible.  And it makes for an interesting walk beginning on trails that wind away from the adjoining tea plantation.

At the top of the first peak there is a small shrine and Buddha statue, and from there a further two peaks to walk along the summit ridge to. 

 Things to do in Ella

• Little Adams Peak: An ideal hike with kids. A two-hour return hike from town. Or from the base of the track only 30 mins uphill to the summit. (And worth a drinking coconut on the way back down!).
• Nine Arch Bridge: This bridge is more than famous. It’s an international insta-icon and it is stunning. However, every traveller to Ella also wants a glimpse (and photo), so be mindful when you are visiting. 
• Rawana Falls: One of the most popular waterfalls in the region. And trust me – hold onto your hats; but it’s worth the tuk tuk trip to get there…
• Take a cooking class: This is non-negotiable while in Sri Lanka. Food is delicious and a central part of Sri Lankan culture and hospitality. We took an informal cooking lesson with the hosts of our guesthouse in Ella and would recommend doing the same.

A note about the famous Nine Arch Bridge in Ella

I wasn’t actually sure whether to write about this at all…

But for us the train bridge was one of the most disappointing sights of Sri Lanka.

First of all; WOW. It’s a stunning work of engineering dating back nearly 100 years. But equally WOW. The tourists. There are so many of them!

Sri Lanka is definitely in its peak for tourism and Ella seems to be the country’s main hotspot – so just be aware you won’t be the only ones…

We didn’t stay too long at the train bridge but grabbed a coconut to drink and walked further along the tracks and into the tea fields.

After talking with our host family about the life of tea workers, it was a humbling experience to walk the trails that wind through the tea plantations. We learnt that after new government laws their minimum wage has now risen; but they are still only paid 800LKR ($2.60 USD) per day and must pick a minimum of 20kg to earn that.

It looks like bloody hard work!

Paradoxical perhaps, but I admit at that moment we suddenly felt thankful for the rising tourism craze and the chance for workers like this to earn a few tips on the side showing their work and posing for photos…

Transportation from Ella

• Train to Nuwara Eliya: 4 hours
• Train to Kandy: 6 hours
• Taxi (car) to Nuwara Eliya: 1.5 hours
• Rickshaw to Wellawaya: 50 mins
• Bus (from Wellawaya) to Pannegamuwa Junction (Tissamahara): 1.5 hours 

Tangalle – Sri Lanka with kids

After two weeks of adventures inland and in hill country it was a great feeling to be back at the beach!

Tangalle is stunning with a golden hour of sun setting and the sound of crashing waves making magical evenings. Unfortunately when we were there it was a few days after a storm and the waves were enormous. There was nowhere in Tangalle for us to be able to swim (adults) and it was definitely not suitable for the kids.

We made the most of some down time, enjoyed the sunsets and took a tuk tuk one day to Hiriketiya to try the beach and waves there…

It was a very busy tourist beach but with a whole stretch of options: beachfront cafes, bars, and surf schools. (Perfect really for a day out at the beach!).

Things to do in Tangalle

• Silent Beach: Our favourite beach in Tangalle.  The water was calmer and clear (and the beach much emptier – it felt like a semi-secret discovery!). 
• Medaketiya Beach: Tangalle’s main beach is not the best for swimming but a beautiful spot to enjoy the sea view.
• Hiriketiya Beach: Only 20 mins from Tangalle. The beach is lined with surf gear rental shops with group and private surf lessons available hourly. 
• Find the purple roti cart: I have to add this as we found the friendliest lady in Tangalle inside the purple roti cart and ended up visiting her daily!

Transportation from Tangalle

• Bus to Ella: just over 4 hours
• Bus to Mirissa: a little over an hour
• Bus to Galle: about 2 hours
• Rickshaw to Hiriketiya: 20 mins

Mirissa – Sri Lanka with kids

We left Tangalle without any accommodation booked and decided to try the bus to Mirissa just under two hours away, with the criteria for accommodation including a beachfront swimming pool…

Mission accomplished! Mirissa is a beautiful coastline, with everything that is so iconic about the tropical Sri Lankan coast.

We found a small hotel just around the bay from the main beach in Mirissa, meaning it was the perfect distance to walk to find dinner. AND we had to pass through Coconut Hill to get there!

Things to do in Mirissa

• Coconut Tree Hill: A free, 15 minute walk and Mirissa’s claim to fame. It’s not much more exciting than that; but hey, you are in Mirissa and it has to be done. (PS. We watched turtles swimming from Coconut Hill which made up for the cringe-worthy Insta-posers!).
• Find Secret Beach: Mirissa Beach is beautiful (and popular!). But Secret Beach is beautiful and much, much quieter. It’s worth the 30 min walk (or tuk tuk ride) for a swim (if it’s calm) and a cold coconut.
• Parrot Rock: Random rock hill jutting out from Mirissa Beach. Take care as it is not really a path (more of a rock scramble). However, views from the top are beautiful and worth the slightly precarious climb if you’re up for it.
• Get a beer on the beach: A beer under the shade of a beach umbrella will only set you back about 250 LKR ($1.50 USD). We found a good spot to relax after a swim and headed back to the same place on day two.
• Eat Kottu: I have to recommend the kottu at Papa Mango’s on the beachfront. Grab a table on the beachfront here for the most beautiful golden hour sunset vibes.

Weligama

We reckon we saved the best til last! Weligama turned out to be perfect for us. We found a beach just along from the main strip and only 30 metres from our hotel which had the right size waves for Harry to try surfing… And he was hooked!

The name Weligama literally means ‘sandy village‘ referring to the areas beautiful sandy sweeping bay.   

Weligama is a popular tourist destination although doesn’t have the infrastructure of the bigger tourist towns like Mirissa and Tangalle.  Thus it retains charm as a smaller and quieter choice for getting away from the main tourist circuit.  

We would recommend it as our favourite beach travelling Sri Lanka with kids. 

We had been making our way along the southern coast without accommodation booked in advance and after one night extended our stay at the Blue Star Beach Hotel to four nights. We quite literally spent each day surfing, swimming and eating amazing food at the restaurant on site.

Things to do in Weligama

• Learn to surf: The shallow sandy waters with consistent surf breaks make it ideal to learn (I would rate Weligama over any other south coast beach for a child or beginner).
• Relax on the beach: The south has golden sandy beaches that stretch for miles. Weligama is one of the longest and has plenty of space to spread out and relax. [Or, if travelling Sri Lanka with kids make the most of the long space to burn off some energy!].
• Go whale watching: Whale and dolphin watching season runs October to April. Boats depart daily during the season from the South-Eastern end of the Weligama Bay.
• Visit Kushta Raja Gala: A historical site and rock temple featuring a massive statue of the Mahayana deity Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva.
• Hire snorkels: Devil Rock in Weligama is renowned as the best spot for snorkelling. It’s easy to hire snorkels from the beach huts or your accommodation.

Galle

Galle is a beautiful coastal port town on the South Western point of Sri Lanka. Wandering the old fort at sunset was one of those moments where right then, there is nowhere in the world we would rather be. Views are second to none and the atmosphere of locals and tourists out enjoying the evening is uplifting.

Plus, the history of the lighthouse and fort walls underfoot is fascinating and suited to all ages and levels of curiosity.

If you are in Galle and keen for an authentic lunch or dinner experience; write down the name ‘Priyani Hotel‘…

We asked our tuk tuk driver to take us to a local restaurant for lunch. 

When he said ‘Hotel’ Piryani, thoughts of another attempt at Western cuisine conjured up the same stock-standard image in my mind. But our visions were far from it!

He dropped us at the restaurant for lunch where our meals cost less than $5 USD for four of us (and yes, we went twice in less than 24 hours in Galle!). 

More than the food, the adventure and satisfaction of finding somewhere truly local makes it worth it just for the experience.

The sound of kottu being chopped on the roti hot plate and the challenge of ordering without menus. Plus the curiosity of other customers peeping over to wonder how you might handle the second challenge of eating without utensils (they did actually give us spoons but you can imagine us enjoying it with our hands anyway!). And the mesmerising scent of curry and hoppers cooking and being made at such speed…

That, plus the way the hosts face lit up on seeing us return six hours later for dinner…

Try it in Galle! 

Things to do in Galle

• Explore Galle Fort: Surrounded on three sides by water, the Galle Fort is a fascinating sight to walk around with inspiring views out over the ocean and harbour.  
• Fort Lighthouse: Galle’s most photographed landmark (and for good reason – it’s stunning). Visit in the late afternoon and enjoy sunset. 
• Galle Clock Tower: Take a walk inside the sturdy stone walls of Galle Fort and find the iconic clock tower (built in 1883). 
• Unawatuna Beach: Only a short tuk tuk ride from Galle, Unawatuna is a beautiful beach to relax, have a wander, take a dip or try a surf lesson if you haven’t already.
• Have kottu roti at Hotel Piriyani: A Sri Lankan favourite that only tastes better surrounded by the bustle and atmosphere of locals sharing a meal.

Transportation in Sri Lanka with kids

I’m not sure if it’s became some kind of unofficial goal; to get around Sri Lanka by bus… but we didn’t take a taxi the entire month of our stay on the island.

We found it really easy to travel by local bus, train and tuk tuk.

Getting around by bus

The local buses are a great way to travel and give a small tourist-free glimpse of local life. We ended up taking 10 legs of our loop around Sri Lanka by bus!

I confess I had expected and prepared for the absolute worst upon taking our first bus ride in Sri Lanka from Negombo to Dambulla. 

The decision to take the bus for $1 or the taxi for $85 was fairly easy though our choice was still cautious… [picture me stashing a vomit bag for easy access in preparation of worst-case scenarios… thank you Taiwan for such lessons]. But it was a smooth day! 

Tickets are bought on board from the conductor. Each bus has a driver and one conductor who walks around with a small ticket machine and a handful of cash to give change. Tickets range from $0.50-$1.50 USD per adult and each ride comes complete with free open-window-style air conditioning and Sri Lankan reggae vibes… We found it a great way to travel Sri Lanka!

A few tips for getting around by bus in Sri Lanka with kids:

• Ticket prices are fixed (aka don’t haggle)
• You need small change in rupees to pay your fare onboard
• Put your large bags up front on the engine hub next to driver 
• Enjoy the ride! 

Getting around by train

Travel by train in Sri Lanka is one of the biggest drawcards to the country.  And for good reason!  Train travel is a fantastic way to see Sri Lanka.  

Read our experience and travel tips here from taking some of the world’s most famous train journeys up into Sri Lanka’s beautiful hill country. 

Getting around by rickshaw

A tuk tuk is a great way to get around the cities quickly and efficiently, but more importantly in Si Lanka with kids it’s a breezey and fun way to get around.  (And nothing quite signals an adventure in South Asia like the brightly coloured auto-rickshaws!)

A few tips for getting around by tuk tuk in Sri Lanka with kids:

• Ask the price before hopping in 
• Negotiate your fare (unless you are happy with the original price)
• Ask your hotel to call a tuk tuk for you (they will have drivers they use)
• Get to know your driver (they are very friendly and not only happy to extend a ride into a day tour; they might even give the kids a quick driving lesson!) 

Always go with your gut instinct and chat with your driver before hopping in.  Taking a tuk tuk in Sri Lanka with kids can be one of the most memorable island adventures! 

Sri Lankan food

We really enjoyed trying many local dishes in Sri Lanka. And it was a highlight to cook one night at home with our host family in Ella.

The boys have both eaten their fair share of dahl curry and we have all become fans of egg ‘hoppers’ for breakfast!

Don’t leave Sri Lanka without trying…

• Dahl: a mild and nutritious lentil curry. 
• Hoppers (appa): ultra-thin rice-flour pancakes, most commonly made with a fried egg for breakfast.
• String hopper (idiappa): Nests of steamed rice vermicelli noodles usually eaten at breakfast with dahl.
• Roti: sweet and savoury; there are roti carts and small stands making roti all around Sri Lanka.
• Lassi: we all love this drink! [And the yoghurt is a good pro-biotic while travelling].
• Vadai (wadai): A savoury doughnut made from deep fried lentils. 
• Kottu: stir fried roti dish; literally chopped up roti, fried with vegetables and egg… AMAZING! 

You will eat lots of dahl in Sri Lanka but it’s mild and nutritious and we found each small guesthouse we stayed in made a non-spicy ‘baby dahl’ version for the kids!.

Drinking water 

Tap water in Sri Lanka is generally not safe to drink.  It is advised to drink boiled or treated water to avoid any potential gastro bugs, especially if you’re traveling with kids. 

However, that doesn’t mean you need to buy disposable plastic water bottles for the entirety of your trip.  

It is easy to travel with a water purification system and filter out any nasties.  (We did buy some bottled water, drank drinking coconuts and used our WaterWell drink bottle).  Or in some places (if you’ve given in to the pleads of the kids) you can try the soft drinks in old-school style reusable glass bottles.

Keep an eye on fresh fruit and raw vegetables in Sri Lanka with kids.  (If it’s just you and your reckoning your stomach is pretty hardened by travel you are probably ok with fruit).  But often it has been washed in water before serving and it’s better to be safe than sorry.  

• Tip: Wash fruit and veg in treated or boiled water, or peel it. 

Health

Considering Sri Lanka as a family travel destination in Asia, hygiene standards are reasonable and medical care in the country is decent.  But it is a tropical island country with the usual tropical diseases to be aware of. 

Sri Lanka was declared officially free of malaria by the World Health Organisation in 2016 (though that doesn’t mean it won’t reappear).  So it’s not currently necessary to take malaria medication.  And there are no prescribed vaccinations required for entry. 

Simple health precautions to consider for your family adventure include: 

• Avoid drinking tap water (as above; tap water in Sri Lanka is generally not safe to drink). 
• Avoid raw salads or fruits that might be washed in water; stick to hot food that has been freshly prepared.
• Stay well hydrated (especially if you or the kids get food-related diarrhoea).
• If you have diarrhoea that persists longer than five days do seek medical advise. 
• Use sunscreen and wear a sun hat to prevent possible heatstroke. 
• Wear long sleeves and trousers in the evenings to avoid being bitten by mosquitos (they can carry diseases such as dengue fever). 
• Sleep under a mosquito net if available. 

Money and ATM’s 

Sri Lanka’s currency is the Sri Lankan Rupee.  The currency code is LKR. 

Denominations include Rs10 to Rs5000.   

Card facilities and ATM’s are fairly widely available in the tourist areas and larger-scale hotels (international).  But I would say Sri Lanka is country that ultimately runs on cash. 

It does require a bit of forward planning.  Although it was easy enough for one of us to grab a tuk tuk and ask the driver to take us to the nearest ATM when we needed to get cash out.  

(*Only one of our hotels in Sri Lanka accepted payment by credit card; the others were cash only).

Budgeting for family travel in Sri Lanka

Food prices and transportation are the best part of planning the budget for travel in Sri Lanka.  

Although accommodation isn’t comparatively outstanding as far as budget is concerned; food and local transport will come to your rescue.. 

• Drinking coconut: 200 Rs (USD $0.73)
• 1L bottle of water: 90 Rs (USD $0.49)
• Domestic beer: 350 Rs (USD $1.30)
• Plate of kottu: 500 Rs (USD $1.84)
• Fish curry and rice: 700 Rs (USD $2.57)
• Short tuk tuk ride (<5 km): 800 Rs (USD $2.94)
• Tuk tuk Dambulla to Sigiriya: 2000 Rs (USD $7.50)
• Local bus ride between cities: 300 Rs (USD $1.10)
• Kandy Botanical Gardens: 2000 Rs entrance fee (USD $7.50)
• Sigiriya entrance fee: $30 USD 

There is a Cargills ‘Food City’ supermarket in each main town. And some of the bigger cities have an expat style supermarket called “Arpico Supercentre” which is a large supermarket with furniture and appliance store.

Some of our accommodation places had a small kitchenette with basic crockery and/or electric jug.  

We easily found everything we wanted at the supermarkets and local stores. 

It takes a bit of searching to find budget family rooms online for accommodation in Sri Lanka with kids. But we found some very reasonably priced places to stay:

• Negombo (family room; airport transfer): USD $34.27 p/night
• Kandy (quadruple room): USD $39.73 p/night
• Dambulla (garden view family room): USD $30 p/night
• Tangalle (family room w/ sea view): USD $44 p/night

Internet, WIFI and connectivity

4G data is available across much of Sri Lanka’s main tourist areas and wifi is offered at most accommodation. Buying pay as you go credit is super cheap with a local SIM card.  

It’s easy to buy a SIM card at the airport on arrival in Colombo. There are three shops selling them as soon as you walk out into the Arrivals Hall.

We choose ‘Airtel’ and found it cheap to buy as a tourist (with various options for data) and they installed it right away. 

Note: We might have underestimated data we would use and ended up buying a few more 100 Rs top up cards at small convenience stores along the way. The Airtel app is easy to use and for each top up you can choose a package data bundle. 

The other main communication provider we saw advertised was ‘Dialog’. 

One challenge from Sri Lanka with kids?

One of the things we were really interested in on choosing to come to Sri Lanka, was the wildlife.

There are safaris guaranteeing to spot leopards and elephants in the wild as well as a whole multitude of other wild animals. It sounded surreal!  But the other side to that is the reality.

Tourism here is so developed over the last few years that there are literally HUNDREDS of jeeps lining up in the National Parks to see them!

We met a family in Ella that had been the week before and there were 100 JEEPS lined up at the entrance at 06:00am waiting to go on safari. 

We knew already that is not what we travel for. And that is certainly not the values we try to pass on to our kids about caring for our animal world and environment. 

Our accommodation in Tissamahara was pre-booked with the intention of doing a safari. But we arrived there knowing we wouldn’t.

We pulled up in the tuk tuk feeling a whole mixture of emotions. Somewhat sad to know we were not far from the most famous of Sri Lanka’s National Parks, but albeit happy with the amazing welcome by the friendly staff at Peacock Reach Hotel.

Next came the challenge of how to we could possibly now entertain ourselves for the next full day, by the pool, instead of on safari…

Accommodation options in Sri Lanka with kids

Sri Lanka has a great selection of accommodation; from budget to high-end. We found some neat places to stay and stuck within our budget for all of them.

I would recommend choosing a place with a swimming pool along the southern coast, because although you are on or close to the beach not all the beaches are suitable for swimming. 

There are plenty of places that will suit your itinerary. And tuk tuks are available everywhere, so even when location is not central it’s easy to get around. 

Each place we stayed included breakfast in the room price and many guesthouses offered the option for a dinner meal as well. 

Where we stayed in Sri Lanka

Looking for where to stay in Sri Lanka is like searching for accommodation in much of South Asia. And a bit like starting the search for a needle in a haystack! Luckily we had some brilliant accommodation in Sri Lanka that we can recommend. Here are some of the places we stayed in Sri Lanka…

• Negombo: Optimum Residencies [great proximity to airport and not in main tourist area; awesome swimming pool; very friendly staff; restaurant onsite; recommend for first stop in Sri Lanka].
• Dambulla: Shan Inn [great value for money; basic but very friendly and clean; good base for Dambulla].
• Kandy: Kandy View Garden Hotel [amazing views; family run hotel; great breakfast and dinner, spacious rooms; a five minute tuk tuk from shops and town though not really walkable].
• Nuwara Eliya: UYou Ceylon Guesthouse [great location behind Grand Hotel; cheap rooms; basic and clean. Nice breakfast; laundry service; a bit cool/damp at night due to altitude; recommended].
• Ella: Samiru Guest Inn [friendly small 3-room guesthouse; 350m to main street and train station; great breakfast; owner has tuk tuk and also gave us private un-official cooking lesson in their home!].

• Tissamahara: Peacock Reach Hotel [amazing pool! Very friendly staff; spacious room; great common spaces; resort-style hotel with restaurant on site; highly recommend].
• Tangalle: Blue Horizon Beach Hotel [basic hotel, very small rooms but awesome views from balcony; great location for Tangalle though not near swimmable beach].
• Mirissa: Edelweiss Villa [basic ground floor room; swimming pool. Walking distance to Coconut Hill and Mirissa Main Beach; beachfront location].
• Weligama: Blue Star Beach Hotel [very relaxed atmosphere; staff were amazing; swimming pool; Lebanese restaurant onsite; 30 metres to perfect surf beach for beginners; highly recommend staying here].
• Galle: Elliot Nature Resort [handy location 1.5km to bus station and Galle Fort. Swimming pool; basic but clean, comfortable room; lovely staff; good value for money].

Travel in Sri Lanka with kids is a fantastic experience for the whole family. Let us know if you’re going and what you reckon the highlight turns out to be!

More about travel planning for Sri Lanka and beyond

These are the companies we use while traveling fulltime as a family and that we would recommend to anyone planning and booking travel. 

• Booking.com – The best all-around accommodation booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation and it’s easy to filter and sort into price and availability with all the extras you are looking for personally. (We love the flexible cancellation policy!). 
• Hostelworld– The largest inventory of hostel accommodation in the world. 
• Skyscanner – This is by far our favourite flight search engine. They are able to search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner.  
• GetYourGuide– Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world including everything from walking tours, to street-food tours, cooking classes, desert safari’s and more!
• SafetyWing – A global travel insurance that covers people from all over the world while outside their home country. You can buy it short or longterm; and even if you are out of the country. 
• World Nomads – Travel insurance tailored for longterm travel and nomads (including those who have already left home). 

Read more from travel in South Asia

• Taking an overnight train in Pakistan from Islamabad to Karachi. 
• How to apply for a Pakistan e-Visa: And can you use it at the Wagah Border?
• Crossing the Wagah Border from India to Pakistan. 
• Pakistan with kids: A complete guide to travel in Pakistan. 
• Money in India: Using ATM’s, withdrawing and carrying your money safely.
• How to use a squat toilet: Everything you didn’t want to ask…
• Our complete packing list for travel in India.