Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka family holiday
Sri Lanka is one of our most popular holiday destinations for families. This is no surprise given its abundance of glorious scenery, incredible ancient ruins, wonderfully friendly people and idyllic tropical beaches. Wild elephants roam around national parks, Buddhist temples sit on remote hilltops and the aroma of wafting spices is never far away.
The distances in Sri Lanka are relatively small which is perfect for families. It means that there is not too much travelling between key locations and allows more time for exploring and enjoying your holiday.
There are also a superb selection of family-friendly boutique hotels, from colonial tea-planter bungalows to beautiful beachside retreats. Inter-connecting and family rooms are common, so you can put younger children to bed and enjoy your evening without having to sit in a darkened room! Families with older children will enjoy evenings having dinner out under the stars or around the fire in a safari camp.
Hike through tea plantations and learn how to pick the leaves
Why take the kids to Sri Lanka?
There are a remarkable range of activities in Sri Lanka. Your family holiday will be packed full of variety that will keep children of all ages happy.
Some of our favourite activities to include on a Sri Lanka family holiday are:
- Tracking leopards through the jungle in remote national parks
- Learning to surf on the idyllic beaches of Sri Lanka’s coast
- Climbing up Lion’s Rock at Sigiriya for superb views
- Riding a bullock cart through a coconut grove
- Hiking through tea plantations, stopping to chat to tea-pickers
- Bargaining for souvenirs in the colourful craf shops of Galle
- Learning to cook taste bud-tinglingly delicious Sri Lankan meals
- Swinging in a hammock on a white sandy beach
Families with older children will love spending the day cycling through lush green paddy fields that are home to lumbering water buffalo or hiking amidst hilly tea plantations. Families with younger children will want a slower pace but the kids will adore watching the monkeys swinging through the trees at Dambulla. Or eating a mango plucked straight from the tree. You’ll never have a dull moment!
An elephant safari is a must on a Sri Lanka family holiday
Sightseeing in Sri Lanka
Any family holiday in Sri Lanka will include some of the ancient sites, an incredible six of which are UNESCO World Heritage listed. They include huge Buddhist sculptures carved from rock and a hilltop fortress constructed on a rocky outcrop more than fifteen hundred years ago. The great thing is that all can be visited in a family-friendly way; younger children will love scrambling around and watching the monkeys dart from one corner to the next. Older children will enjoy exploring by bike, so that temple viewing is interspersed with something more active.
Explore Sri Lanka’s 5th-century mountain fortress, Sigiriya
Travelling around Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is a relatively small country that is easy to get around. On all of our holidays here, you will be accompanied by an English-speaking driver. They are brilliant, and will be happy to adapt your day to day itinerary for the kids. This might mean stopping at a local shrine for a blessing or joining a village cricket game.
The weather pattern in Sri Lanka means that we will suggest you concentrate on a particular part of the country. We will discuss this with you at the time of booking, to ensure that you maximise your chance of sunshine!
Family holiday itineraries for Sri Lanka
All of our itineraries are bespoke, which means that they are tailor-made for your own specific family, taking into account the ages of your children, your interests, your budget, and so on. However, to give you an idea of what you could do on a Sri Lanka family holiday, have a look at our sample itineraries, Sri Lanka in Summer and Sri Lanka at Christmas & Easter. For some great photos and even more activity ideas, check out our Sri Lanka Top 10 with Kids and our Holiday Photos of Sri Lanka features.
You can also find out more about places to visit in Sri Lanka here and check the weather on our handy chart. Or simply get in touch, and we’ll be delighted to advise you on the best Sri Lanka family holiday for you and your family.
Try refreshing coconut water straight from the coconut, one of our favourites
Sri Lanka in pictures
From our blog
“We had an amazing holiday and the whole family enjoyed themselves. We loved the walking, sites and white water rafting.”
Harris Family (with three children aged 10,16 and 18)