If you’re lucky enough to be flexible, longer Sri Lanka holidays are incredible immersive experiences for kids as Katie de Pelet and her family discovered this summer.
Wilpattu Lake, Sri Lanka
If you have flexible working arrangements which allow you to work from home for some, or all of the year, then logically home could be anywhere in the world, right? With supportive colleagues backing our decision and our house rented out on Airbnb we packed our bags and booked our flights to Sri Lanka.
Although it’s a relatively small country, Sri Lanka holidays offer a huge range of activities and experiences. However, where you go and what you do, does depend largely on the time of year.
The ‘Yala’ monsoon hits the well-trodden south and west coast of Sri Lanka between May – September. This doesn’t mean you’ll have rain every day, but it does increase your chances. July and August are therefore the perfect months to visit the lesser known northern and eastern regions.
Max prepped for kiting, Kappalady, Sri Lanka holidays
Kappalady: kite surfing is a great start to Sri Lanka holidays
Our trip in Sri Lanka was to be five weeks long and with two children in tow (aged 12 & 10), we had certain non-negotiables. We didn’t want to be moving every couple of days. We needed to include lots of activities. And we had to keep an eye on the budget. We started our adventure three hours north of Colombo in a place called Kappalady, known for its beginner friendly kite surfing and ultra-consistent wind.
We spent two weeks in this small village which attracts kite surfers from around the world. It was the perfect spot for the kids to learn because the lagoon was shallow and the water flat and warm. They had lessons every day with their wonderful instructor Mawfeer, a local guy who has recently set up his own kite school called Kite Buddies. The kids thought he was hilarious and loved when he took them kiting on his back, but we knew he was hot on safety so were reassured that they were in good hands. The lessons also gave us time to log in and catch up on work.
Villa Sante, Kappalady
We split our stay between Wind Blend Kite Resort, as a budget friendly option, and Villa Sante for a touch of luxury. For next level luxury further up the coast in Kalpitiya I recommend the newly opened Koddu Kalpitiya.
As we had wind every day, the kids made huge progress and both went from complete beginners to riding upwind by the time we left.
Heading out on safari, Wilpattu, Sri Lanka holidays
Wilpattu: visit the wilder and less crowded national park
Although kiting was the main activity, we also took an overnight trip to Wilpattu, the largest national park in Sri Lanka. Secluded and in many parts unexplored, Wilpattu is also home to abundant wildlife including elephant, crocodile, sloth bear, wild pig and the elusive leopard.
Leopard numbers in Wilpattu are significant, but the overall population is not yet known, as the park only reopened in 2009 following the end of civil war. Lower visitor numbers and vast wilderness of Wilpattu often translate into complete privacy when game viewing, whereas the more accessible wildlife sightings in Yala mean bigger crowds.
Bee Eater, Wilpattu National Park, Sri Lanka
This was the kids’ first safari, and we were lucky enough to see the Sri Lankan Big 5: elephant, leopard, sloth bear, crocodile and water buffalo, as well as hundreds of beautiful birds.
Max diving, Dutch Bay, Trincomalee
Trincomalee: how to live a little like a local on Sri Lanka holidays
Our next stop took us across the northern dry zone to Trincomalee on the northeast coast. We spent a total of two weeks in Trincomalee where we rented a small Airbnb house on Dutch Bay, a short walk away from the dive school where the kids worked towards their Open Water PADI qualification.
Max with local cricket team, Trincomalee
My son also joined a local cricket team and had one-to-one coaching with the owner of the Play to Win Cricket Academy which was a wonderful experience and a great way to immerse himself in local Sri Lankan life.
Nilaveli, just north of the city, is known to be one of the most beautiful beaches in Sri Lanka. Boasting four kilometres of picture-perfect white sand, palm trees and turquoise water, it didn’t disappoint.
Pigeon Island, Trincomalee
Just off the coast is Pigeon Island Marine National Park with its stunning coral and water teeming with hundreds colourful fish including black tip reef sharks and turtles. To limit visitors, the powers-that-be have hiked prices in recent years so it is quite an expensive day trip, but we felt it was worth it.
Pidurangala Rock with Sigiriya Rock in background
Central Sri Lanka: how to take it easy on the tourist trail
From Trincomalee, we travelled on through the centre of Sri Lanka. Having visited relatively remote places for the first few weeks of our trip, we did notice the increase in tourist numbers as we arrived in Habarana. However, this is a great place to access Sigiriya Rock Fortress and Minneriya National Park to see the annual elephant migration.
Minneriya National Park, Sri Lanka holidays
We decided to climb the smaller Pidurangala rock as we had been told that there were often queues of people climbing Sigiriya. We were really pleased with this decision because it was still a really enjoyable hike, the trees provided natural shade from the ferocious heat and it also offered stunning views of Sigiriya, all without the queues and the crowds.
We enjoyed Minneriya National Park and saw lots of wild elephants, but were surprised by the sheer number of number of jeeps in the park. The animals didn’t seem too bothered by all the attention though!
Dambulla Cave, Sri Lanka
Also, we included a visit to Dambulla Cave Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. Temples weren’t generally a trip highlight for the kids, but they did enjoy this one, especially as there were lots of monkeys.
Tea plantation hiking, Knuckles Mountains
Knuckles Mountains: time for tea, cooling off and exploring
After the heat and humidity of Habarana we headed up to the relative cool of Ashburnham Estate.
Set in the foothills of the Knuckles Mountain range, Ashburnham is a boutique, colonial guesthouse-hotel located on a beautiful 100 acre working tea estate. Taking your meals on the veranda, looking out over the rolling hills, was like stepping into a bygone era. Although we also did some challenging hikes to stunning viewpoints and cascading waterfalls, always returning home to a cup of tea and slice of cake.
Esala Perahera Festival, Kandy
Kandy: no Sri Lanka holidays are complete without a festival
We timed our Kandy visit to coincide with the spectacular Esala Perahera. It’s one of the largest and most vibrant festivals in Sri Lanka with origins dating back to 3rd century AD, but the modern Perahera is a 10-day event which showcases the country’s rich cultural traditions and includes whip crackers, fire dancers, drummers and elephants in elaborate costumes.
Naturally, it’s very busy in Kandy over this period and finding a spot to watch the daily procession can be tricky and expensive. With that in mind, we stayed at The Radh Hotel in a family room that had a balcony overlooking the procession route. This was a great option as the event lasts for three hours, meaning that we had a great view and the kids were also able to duck in and out of the room.
Washing elephants, Elephant Freedom Project
On our way back to Colombo, we stopped off at the Elephant Freedom Project a family run shelter which currently looks after two rescued elephants, Kumari and Menike. Unlike other similar projects they don’t allow riding, but instead you spend a couple of hours feeding, walking and washing the elephants. Both our kids loved getting up close and personal with these majestic creatures and it was a wonderful way to end our incredible Sri Lankan adventure.
How to plan Sri Lanka holidays
How to get there
Direct UK flights to Colombo from 10 hours, 20 minutes