Summer Family Adventure

Families taking their first steps into Asia often fall head over heels for Sri Lanka. Its vibrant culture makes an enticing prospect when starting to travel further afield, and you’ll feel the island’s famed ease and warmth from day one.

Take your time, go at your own pace and drink it all in, pausing longer where your interests lead you and being choosy about the number of stops you make. Sri Lanka is a country that you’ll be drawn to return to, so don’t feel that you need to include everything in one go.

Downtime on the farm

After a long flight, a bit of dedicated R&R can get your family holiday off to a sublime start. Handily, the Horathapola Coconut Estate - both a working farm and a welcoming escape - is only 90 minutes away from the airport. Set within 50 acres of lushly planted grounds, this elegant estate bungalow feels fresh, restorative and laid-back: a great family-friendly retreat. The garden is full of wildlife, and the farm is home to ponies and buffalo. Anyone with energy to burn can dump their bags and jump into the pool, whilst those looking for a few gentler moments can explore the lush grounds before you all regroup to plan out your next day or two. How about borrowing some bicycles and exploring the local villages? As evening approaches, enjoy a cool swim as the spiced aromas emanating from dinner’s simmering clay pots fill the air...

Wild exploration

One of Sri Lanka’s greatest wonders is its wildlife diversity, and a high-quality safari in one of its 26 National Parks can really take your family holiday to another level. The best get you close to some of Asia’s most iconic creatures in their natural habitats. Of all Sri Lanka’s National Parks, Wilpattu is the largest and, arguably, the most enigmatic. Spreading such a large area, researchers are still discovering the full depths of its ecosystems, with some saying it could be the most biologically diverse of all.

Accommodation on the edge of the park is a mix of simple lodges and luxury tented camps, depending on your preference. Head out on jeep safaris at dusk and dawn to maximise the likelihood of seeing leopards (though they’re always close by even when you can’t see them). Keep your senses alert for sightings of elephants, crocodiles, deer and a plethora of exotic birdlife too. A lucky few are even treated to a glimpse of a rare sloth bear - please let us know if you see one! After each exhilarating safari day, return to camp to relive your adventures around the fire, enjoying a cool drink and a fine feast under a darkening sky by the flicker of flaming torchlight.

Adventures among the ruins

The Cultural Triangle is a window into the ancient Sinhalese culture, and a stop here brings extra depth and a spark of adventure to your family holiday. The cities of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa are some of the oldest historical sites on the island, featuring stupas, relics, sacred trees and classical structures. The rock fortress of Sigiriya rises imposingly from the surrounding jungle, making for a very satisfying, yet busy, climb. Alternatively, you can scramble up the adjacent Pidurangala Rock, which is more of a freestyle climb, and much less visited, but offers some glorious views, especially of Lion Rock. An immersive taste of day-to-day life awaits with a visit to a local family home, where you can help prepare lunch before enjoying a meal with your hosts. 

Aside from the history, you're spoilt for choice when it comes to dividing your time in the Cultural Triangle, including the possibility of more National Park safaris. Whilst scouring UNESCO sites is unarguably great, it’s often the simple, everyday interactions that create the lasting memories - a quick stop in a local town to purchase fresh fruit from a roadside vendor, or cycling through rural villages. These spontaneous moments connect you to a country, so build in some less structured time and see where the day takes you…

A sea breeze

Arriving at the beach signals the moment to slow down and enjoy a few glorious days with nothing more urgent to decide than which local dish to try next! The broad spectrum of accommodation available along Sri Lanka’s east coast means you can stay in whichever base suits your family best, whether that’s a chic boutique hotel or beachside resort. Though things are gradually changing, the east coast is generally less developed, and it’s still possible to enjoy a pretty deserted experience: just you, the beach and your welcoming home-from-home. 

Trincomalee is a vibrant and interesting town with some discreet luxury resorts nearby. Apart from relaxing, swimming and eating fine food, you can go whale and dolphin spotting out in the bay, or snorkelling around a nearby island. Further south, Passekudah Bay has one of the most swimmable beaches in Sri Lanka. Although more developed, it’s a beautiful location, and the nearby settlement of Batticaloa is a fascinating spot to explore if you fancy a change of scene. Stay in Kalkudah for a less-developed beach break with some great accommodation options minutes from the sand. Take a cycling tour if you feel like getting out and about for some local-life immersion, and lose yourselves in the day-to-day wonders of somewhere new.

Where next? 

If you’ve spent the tail end of your adventures on the east coast, enjoying the best of the beach weather, then Colombo - your exit point - is on the opposite coast. Luckily, there are several options for making the most of your journey back across the island, such as making a detour into Tea Country, returning to Colombo via a couple of nights at a riverside adventure camp, or enjoying a food tour in Kandy to delve further into Sri Lanka’s varied cuisine.

One well-loved Selective Asia approach is to head high into the hills to a very special 1930s bungalow, the Ashburnham Estate. Set in the middle of nowhere, this is a blissful place to spend a cool couple of days picking tea, playing jungle tennis, wild swimming, taking guided walks, and just enjoying the delicious food. It’s an unforgettable way to round off a trip. However you envisage it, we’ll make sure that your Sri Lanka journey, from start to finish, fits your family perfectly.