Are you going to visit Sri Lanka with your family for your next holiday? Then your decision is totally correct! Sri Lanka is an easy-going place with many family-friendly destinations for kids, while people in our country especially love them. There is a strong bonding between parents and children in Sri Lankan families. Therefore, visitors traveling with children will find that Sri Lankans love and give more attention to the younger ones. If you need any help, don’t hesitate to ask locals and many people will be ready to give you any kind of support.
Plan your trip well ahead and find out the most fascinating places to entertain the kids. With prior knowledge about family-friendly destinations, travel with children in Sri Lanka will be great fun. Although Sri Lanka lacks fancy Disneyland or many amateur parks, it blessed with many natural wonders to make your kids happy. We hope this post will help you to arrange a wonderful bucket list to have the best fun-filled family vacation ever in Sri Lanka.
There are many ultimate escapades and attractions on this lovely island, which can be ideal places for kids. Our best family-friendly destinations list has created by using our local experiences of the best places where our kids enjoyed the most. Make sure to include as many as them to your itinerary, since each of the places has unique and distinct features. Rest assured that your trip to these destinations will bring you a golden chance to rediscover your family bonds and let you have a wonderful time together.
1. Unawatuna Beach
Stunning beaches in Sri Lanka offer a great opportunity for children to have some fun in the sun. Among the most famous and safe beaches in the country, the wonderful Unawatuna beach tops the list.
Located in the south of the island, Unawatuna is a highly popular beach among locals and tourists alike as a family-friendly destination. It’s absolutely stunning bay beach protected by a coral reef, making it much safer for swimming. You can let kids have a sea bath in the mellow waves without worrying about their safety.
Unawatuna is a tourist beach and if you like a peaceful environment, head to the closer by Dalawella beach. It is a tranquil, quiet spot than bustling Unawatuna beach. Family-friendly Dalawella beach is pretty good for young kids since there are many attractions for them. Children will especially enjoy Turtle Beach, particularly well-known to spot sea turtles. Kids can go snorkeling to witness them in the shallow waters of the beach. A Turtle conservation project is going on in Dalawella beach and it will be fun to release baby turtles into the sea.
While kids are enjoying in shallow waters, adults can enjoy swimming in the deep Blue Ocean. The best time to visit Dalawella beach is at the time of sunset, which can get really epic and colorful. It is a supreme place to capture the Insta-worthy shots of palm tree rope swing and the Frog rock in Dalawella beach.
2. Galle Fort
Enjoying a day out with your family in the world heritage site Galle Fort is something you shouldn’t miss in Sri Lanka. Built by the Portuguese and fortified by the Dutch, this historical monument is one of the best family attractions.
Kids can walk around the ramparts witnessing the beauty of the ancient colonial buildings. There are many fascinating hotels, churches, museums, cafes, and antique shops situated in the ancient Galle Fort. The afternoon is the best time to visit the Galle Fort because the heat of day time sun is too strong for the kids.
Galle has so much to offer for a peaceful and fun-filled family holiday. Together with your loved ones catch some waves and have a dip in shallow crystal clear blue water in Galle Fort beach. It is a popular family-friendly hotspot among the locals, who loves to have a fun time while enjoying a warm sea bath. You can chill out with the kids until late in the evening while taking pleasure in the colorful sunset in the background. Below is a short video of our little one enjoying the waves on Galle Fort beach.
3. Bentota Beach
Although the sea around Colombo is quite rough and risky for the children, Bentota Beach is a particularly safe, clean beach with quite clear water. It is located only one hour’s drive from Colombo city. There is a long strip of golden sand and warm, shallow waters where you can swim. But you need to be careful to stick closer to the shore and don’t let the kids go too far, since the waves can get rough. Bentota Beach is a premium beach in the country with luxurious grand hotel facilities to entertain the younger ones.
Apart from swimming, there are so many things to do including a boat ride in the nearby Bentota Lagoon. The eye-catching view of the Bentota River and surroundings will entertain the kids very much. The hour-long ride on a boat of the river gives chance to witness different kinds of animals, birds, reptiles such as crocodiles, iguanas in their natural habitats.
In addition to these activities, pay a visit to closer Kosgoda Turtle Hatchery, one of the most famous and sought-after places for kids and families. Your kids are surely going to enjoy this place that means protecting the turtles. They will get the chance to spend a great time watching how the turtle eggs hatch and how small baby turtles are cared for before releasing them into the ocean. Your kids will enjoy a lot releasing the cute baby turtles into the ocean.
4. Hikkaduwa Beach
Hikkaduwa is one of the most beautiful and safe beaches for families. It is home to a shallow fringing coral reef with an average depth of around 5 m. It is a world-famous destination to see the colorful coral reefs rich in biodiversity. Hikkaduwa coral garden is the first national marine park in Sri Lanka.
The sanctuary has approximately seventy varieties of multi-colored coral species and many beautiful reef fish species. Large schools of colored reef fish live close to the shore in Hikkaduwa Beach.
Snorkeling is the best way to explore the rainbow colors of beautiful underwater life. If the kids don’t like to get wet, there are glass-bottomed boats to see this brightly colored marine life. Turtles can be seen close to the shore and they are accustomed to humans, even you can hand feed them. The calm waters with light waves in Hikkaduwa make it a wonderful family-friendly destination suitable for both adults and kids.
5. Pasikudah Beach
The jewel of the East Coast, Pasikudah is a wonderful family beach paradise. Pasikudah Beach is situated 35 km northwest of Batticaloa and it is easy to access from both Trincomalee and Batticaloa cities. Pasikudah is a hugely popular tourist safest beach destination with its crystal clear, shallow water. The beach is crowded all the time to enjoy the smooth, gentle waves and calm waters.
It is possible to walk up to 1 km into the sea because the water is only a few inches deep in Pasikudah. It is one of the best beaches which can be recommended as a family-friendly destination to enjoy a sea bath and swimming for the children. There is a long stretch of shallow reef coastline in the world, making it a wonderfully safe beach destination.
6. Nilaveli Beach
Nilaveli Beach in Trincomalee is the best beach for families in Sri Lanka. It is an ideal place for swimming in crystal clear water without any strong undercurrents. Nilaveli’s sand is super fine, soft, and white, which makes it an ideal place for kids’ beach play. They will love roaming the beautiful shore in search of colorful seashells. For the adults, it is the best place to have a relaxing time lounging around and catch the stunning view of orange sunsets while the day gradually goes to the night.
Pigeon Island the well-known beach is located only 1 km from Nilaveli. It is a marine national park in Sri Lanka, which is home to a coral reef with over 300 reef fish species, reef sharks, and a range of sea turtles. The name Pigeon Island comes from the wild Blue Rock Pigeons that inhabit the islands.
If your kids love snorkeling, they can view an exotic array of fish, colorful corals, and turtles in waters just a few meters off the beach.
7. Sacred Temple of Tooth in Kandy
The Sacred Temple of Tooth Relic is an important Buddhist religious place to visit in Kandy. Although kids may not be aware of its historical importance, they will be enchanted by the spiritual power of this holy place. This is a quiet and peaceful place to visit with an exceptionally beautiful interior decorated with ancient paintings and wood carvings.
The gold casket containing the tooth relic of Lord Buddha is located inside a room in the golden-roofed temple. During the pujas or the time of offering and prayers, devotees and tourists, are able to respect it.
Although it isn’t a fun place, children may have a great time inside the premises of this awe-inspiring, historical temple. Sometimes the majestic tuskers who belong to the Temple are walking on the temple grounds and kids will be so happy to go closer and touch them.
8. Royal Botanical Garden in Peradeniya
The lovely Peradeniya Royal Botanical Garden is a must-visit place in Kandy, located at Peradeniya around 5 km from the city center. It is the country’s largest garden that is home to 4,000 different species of plants.
It is margined by the Mahaweli River from three sides. Kids will be thrilled to take a stroll through this beautifully landscaped garden with colorful flower beds, elegant archways, and magnificent avenues of palms.
It is famous for its vivid collections of orchids, roses, and Bamboo species. Here you can see the Double Coconut Palm known for producing the world’s largest seeds, as well as many rare trees difficult to find in other places. Not only is the tour in this garden is educative, but also fascinating for whole family members.
There is a finely manicured ground called the Great Lawn, ideal for kids playing. At the center of the lawn is a huge Java fig tree that looks like a giant umbrella, the best spot for a picnic or taking a break from the long journey. Our kids enjoyed a lot at Peradeniya Garden and we captured lots of nice shots of them as shown below.
9. Kandy – Ella Scenic Train Ride
Kandy – Ella scenic train ride or the world’s most scenic train ride is something you shouldn’t miss in Sri Lanka. Take the train from Kandy to Ella and you may wish the journey to never end. This will be one of the most fascinating journeys of your life as the train passes through the incredible landscapes of the Sri Lankan countryside. The train will rattle past lush green mountains and breathtaking sceneries of hill country towards the beautiful Ella town. You can either travel to Ella or can get off at Nanu Oya to visit the most family-friendly destination in Nuwara Eliya called “Little England”.
Many children peep out of the train’s window to catch glimpses of the mesmerizing view of mountains, mist, clouds, waterfalls, and endless tea plantations. It should be noted that there are several tunnels on the way and need to be careful while peeping from the windows.
Sri Lankan kids love to smile and wave at the visitors traveling on the train and this will be a truly amazing experience to witness the local life of rural villagers in the countryside. Definitely, this will be the most ecstatic family activity your kids will experience while touring in Sri Lanka.
10. Elephants at Pinnawala
If your kids love to see the majestic elephants, watching elephants at Pinnawala is something you shouldn’t miss in Sri Lanka. It can be easily reached on the way to Kandy from Colombo, by turning at Kegalle.
Pinnawala is the place where abandoned elephant calves are raised and currently around 100 elephants are living there. The elephants are kept quite well with proper care and you can see their daily routine at this place. The kids will be fascinated and enjoy the most memorable experience of getting close to these majestic giants.
Feeding the baby elephants with milk bottles and fruit feeding can be fun experiences during this trip. Every day at 10.00 am and 2.00 pm, the herds of elephants are taken into the river for their bath. You can enjoy watching them playing around and roaming freely on river banks.
There are some cafes at the riverside, where you can buy a snack and leisurely enjoy the adorable behaviors of baby elephants, as well as adult elephant herds. There isn’t any better place to see so many elephants in one place in the world than Pinnawala.
11. Gregory Lake in Nuwara Eliya
Lake Gregory is one of the major attractions in Nuwara Eliya, located at the heart of the city. It has a lovely park with beautifully manicured lawns. Kids can enjoy a stroll along the boardwalk that runs alongside the lake. The large open spaces and lush green lawn offer a splendid and peaceful environment for sightseeing along the lake.
There are a wide array of things children can enjoy in Gregory Park. Water sports including swan paddle boats and cruises are the major recreational activities suitable for the kids. Pony riding is a popular activity among the kids in Gregory Lake Park. Indeed, Gregory Lake is a nice place with great scenic beauty perfect for a fun-filled family trip.
12. Victoria Park in Nuwara Eliya
Visiting Victoria Park in Nuwara Eliya is one of the best family-friendly things to do in the hill country. This garden is an elegantly landscaped one with an astonishing variety of plants, ranging from tropical rainforests to English country gardens. Victoria Park has lawns that are grown to perfection and brightly colored flowers, making it a wonderful destination to visit. The park is open year-round, the best time to visit it is during the spring festival in April.
It has a separate kids playing area and a kid’s train to have fun. They will love playing around the garden in the nice weather. Victoria Park is heavily crowded during the spring festival and if you need some peaceful and quiet time, it is better to select August or September. There are many colorful blooms in this period, and it is far less crowded than the spring festival.
13. Little Adams Peak in Ella
One of the favorite places among travelers in Sri Lanka is beautiful Ella town. It is a lovely city with spellbinding greenery, surrounded by lush green mountain ranges. Out of the two prominent hiking trails in Ella, the family-friendly hiking route is Little Adams Peak. It is a fairly easy hike than Ella Rock, suitable for kids who find it difficult to climb much higher altitudes. It can climb along the stairs and takes only 1 hour to complete the trail.
The beginning of the path goes through beautiful lush green tea estates and a fairly easy hike for children. The final part is slightly steep, but the hard work pays off with an amazing view from the top.
The spectacular view of magnificent Ella Rock and lush green mountains covered in tea plantations will be an eternal memory in the hearts of children. Capture the epic photogenic Insta-worthy images of the beautiful Sri Lankan hill country to memorize the trip forever.
14. Ravana Falls in Ella
Ravana Falls is the most famous waterfall in Ella. This gorgeous waterfall is 25 m in height. It is an easily accessible waterfall located just next to the Ella -Wellawaya main road. Therefore, even the kids can reach it conveniently without any hassle. Ravana Falls is a very popular sightseeing spot and it looks absolutely spectacular in the rainy season.
This is a famous bathing spot for locals and travelers alike. Although it might be risky during the rainy season, kids can have a dip in the bottom pool during the dry period. Ravana Falls is definitely worth a stop to explore the surrounding spectacular landscapes and the views of the hill country.
15. Udawalawa National Park
Udawalawe National Park is the most family-friendly wild safari destination for elephant lovers. It is an important habitat for Sri Lankan elephants with a large herd of about 250 Elephants. The park is an ideal place to see photogenic elephant families. This is the best opportunity to get up close to the wild elephants in their natural habitats. Kids will be thrilled to get a closer view of the elephant families with their cute babies.
You’ll find the Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home closer to Udawalawa Park. It was established in 1995 for the purpose of taking care of abandoned elephant calves. They will be released to the park when old enough to feed themselves. A trip to the elephant transit home gives you the opportunity to see the bottle feeding of the little baby elephants raised in this transit home.
16. Colombo Galle Face Green
Colombo Galle Face Green is the best family recreational area among the locals in Colombo city. Since the waves of the ocean around Colombo are quite rough, it isn’t possible to swim in this area. Instead of a sea bath, you can enjoy many other interesting activities in Galle Face Green such as walking, jogging, sunbathing, flying kites, and many sports including beach volleyball.
Galle Face Green is filled with visitors who need some fresh air and community spirit in the evening. There are also many food stalls selling Sri Lankan street food. Galle Face Green is especially beautiful in the afternoon to see the stunning colors of the sunset. Then kids can enjoy some delicious food from the night food stalls and have a relaxing time enjoying the cool sea breeze.
Here we have bought the details about the best family-friendly destinations in Sri Lanka according to our choice. Although we haven’t included major attractions such as Sigiriya or Dambulla as family-friendly destinations, we have seen some families climbing these rocks with their little ones. So, it depends on your traveling experiences and if you believe in yourself, it is possible to explore all the corners of Sri Lanka with your kids. Wish you all the best family vacation ever in Sri Lanka!
Text by Magnificent Sri Lanka. Images from Wikimedia Commons, Pixabay, and our personal collection.
