Ahhhhhh family holidays. They are often the biggest highlight – and investment – of the year, so you’ll agree that getting them right is very important.
There are many considerations when booking a family holiday: including diverse interests, varying attention spans, finite patience for travelling around and changeable tolerances for unusual food. Personally, when travelling, if my life as a parent is not only made easier but, the experience is enjoyable and memorable (in a good way) and the everyday details are taken care of, then it’s actually a holiday. If I can make memories of a lifetime thanks to a range of meaningful travel experiences, that is the pinnacle of a family trip.
Amazingly, a family holiday in Sri Lanka can offer all of this and genuinely has something for everyone. It is an island gem nestled off the South Eastern coast of India which features stunning beaches along a crystalline sea, diverse wildlife, fascinating history and culture, adventurous experiences, and super friendly locals. It’s easy and safe to travel here. There is a great range of accommodation, English is widely spoken and value for money is good.
So far, so family.
Being a little smaller in size than Ireland, means you can cover a lot of ground in Sri Lanka during a relatively short period of time and that you don’t spend too many hours getting from A to B thus avoiding the relentless “are we nearly there yet?” again, this is great for a family holiday in Sri Lanka as it means you can do loads in say, two weeks.
What’s Sri Lanka like?
Sri Lanka experiences a warm and tropical climate for much of the year. Even peak heat doesn’t reach the child-unfriendly temperatures of thirty-five degrees plus, and, while it can be humid; it is entirely manageable, especially as most accommodation offers a swimming pool and aircon.
There are two monsoon seasons to be aware of – the south-western monsoon brings rain between May and September and the north-eastern monsoon brings wind and rain between October and January. So what does this mean? Family translation – you can still travel here all year round and you’ll have a fab time. There may just be a couple of areas to avoid during your trip but the good news is, much of the country is especially great during the traditional summer holidays across July and August.
Direct flight time from the UK is around ten and a half hours and time zone is nearly six hours ahead. You fly into close to the capital, Colombo, on the west coast, although the airport is forty-five minutes north of the city.
Due to the questionable road infrastructure and safety/insurance issues for non-natives, most transport is via private drivers. Wonderful! A family chauffeur – no arguing over directions or dodgy driving tactics. Drivers can be arranged as part of your Sri Lankan family holiday, so you can travel in safe comfort from the moment you land.
1 – Negombo
Instead of spending your first night in the busy capital of Columbo, a good option is to head to nearby Negombo.
It’s close to the airport, so an initial transfer is short. The beach has a lovely local feel, where you’ll see the residents hanging out, swimming or playing the national sport of cricket. The town itself has a Dutch colonial history and a lively bazaar. You can watch the fisherman bring in their catch to the fish market and even join them in the Negombo lagoon for a spot of fishing yourself. A tour of the canals can offer a more ‘behind the scenes’ view of Sri Lankan life here.
2 – Sigiriya
From here, you can travel inland towards the Central Province and cultural triangle of Sri Lanka. Sigiriya is the mighty mythical ‘Lion’s Rock’ fortress among an elaborate and large garden featuring waterfalls
Kids will love the climb to the 200m high peak via the winding staircases (some parents may not!). Halfway up there is a gateway in the form of a gigantic lion presumably part of the protection King Kassapa, who built the fort wanted and needed after he murdered his father and entombed him in a wall so he could take the throne. Nice guy. Hopefully, it won’t give the kids any similar ideas. It’s best to do the climb it early in the morning or just before sunset to keep out of the midday heat, but it is shaded most of the way up and probably takes around a couple of hours to reach the top.
3 – National Parks Aplenty
As you continue to travel inland towards Sri Lanka’s other cultural treasures, our lovely Sri Lanka Travel Specialists can arrange a wild elephants jeep safari in either Kaudulla or Minneriya National Park. Here you can experience the mesmerising joy of the beautiful Sri Lankan elephants, often in large numbers; a wonderful and authentic family experience.
4 – Polonnaruwa
You are then close to Polonnaruwa, one of the most impressive archaeological destinations in Sri Lanka and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Some eight hundred years ago it was the thriving commercial and religious centre of the country. It now has a number of amazing sites to visit that can be enjoyed on foot, by tuk-tuk, or by bicycle, which if you’re all up to it as a family, is a really enjoyable way to see this ancient city. There is much to see.
Top tip: wear clothes that cover your knees and shoulders (especially women), since some of the ruins of the Ancient City are sacred. Guards will prevent entry if you are not appropriately dressed.
5 – Dambulla Golden Cave Temple
As you’re in the cultural zone and if your children are of an age where they will be into a bit more history (and what child doesn’t love a cave?) then it’s definitely worth spending a bit of time at Dambulla Golden Cave Temple; yet another World Heritage Site. This is an amazing and incredibly well-preserved complex featuring; eighty caves, rock towers over 150m tall, endless statues of Buddhas, Gods, Godesses, Royalty and murals that cover over two thousand square metres. A gory fact for the kids is that as prehistoric natives would have lived here, the burial sites here feature human skeletons that are nearly three thousand years old. Yeeeeuch. Monkeys often greet you up along the climb adding to the glorious photographic opportunities. Again, as this is a scared site, don’t forget to cover up to go inside – knees and shoulders!
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