Family Traveler

PHO``````TO``````GRAPHS:``````GETTY``````,ROBER``````THARDINGsrilankaElephantsmighthavebigbums,butthey’renotusuallybeachbums.InSriLanka,though,everyonelovestheshore,includingleopards,jackals,monkeysandtheaforementionedbig-nosedones.InWilpattu,Yala,BundalaandKumananationalparks(thelastthreemakinguponenear-continuousprotectedzone),thedrywoodlands,savannahandmarshesmergeseamlesslywiththebeaches,andmegafaunacanoftenbespottedasyoustrollto,from,orevenonthebeach.SriLanka’sparksareidealforafamilysafari.Thewildlifethrillscomethickandfast,butthesmallsizeofmostparksmeansyoudon’thavetodedicatemorethanafewhourstoasafari–ampletimeforchildren.n``````AttheMuthurajawelaMarsh(justnorthofColombo),PottuvilLagoon(onthesouth-eastcoast)andontheBentotaGangariver(south-westcoast),smallboatscantakeyouputteringthroughswampsandundertheshadeofgiantjungletreesinasearch``````fordinosaur-likemonitorlizardsandcrocodiles,anaviary’sworthofwaterbirds,andmudskippersandmangroves.Mosttourslastaroundtwohours,andbecausetheboatsaresmall,familieswillnormallygetaboattothemselves.GOWHALE-WATCHINGBOATTHROUGHTHELAGOONSLEOPARDS&ELEPHANTScentredontheenjoyablebeachtownofMirissa.Boatsdepartonwhale-watchingtoursdailyatdawnbetweenOctoberandApril.However,asmuchasthisisaonce-in-a-lifetimeexperienceforolderchildrenandtheirparents,it’snotidealforyoungerkids,thankstolonghoursatseaandthepossibilityofseasickness.Also,everymanandhiscanoeseemstohavejumpedonthewhale-watchingbandwagon,andinternationalrulesareoftenignoredinanefforttogetclientsclosertothecreatures.WewouldsuggestusingtheservicesofJetwingEcoHolidays(jetwingeco.com)orEco-TeamSriLanka(srilankaecotourism.com),bothofwhomuseknowledgeableguides,sticktotherulesandworkhardtopromoteeco-tourisminSriLanka.``````Turtlesaren’ttheonlydenizensofthedeepoffSriLanka’sbeaches.Peoplehavelongknownthewatersoffthesoutherncoastarefrequentlyvisitedbywhales,butitwasn’tuntilsixorsevenyearsagothatitwasrealisedthisisamajorwhalemigratorycorridor,andthatthenumberspassingbyarestaggering.Therewere,sothefirstscientistsreported,dozensofwhalesvisibleatatime–andwhat’smore,theseweren’tanyoldwhales.Thesewerebluewhales–thelargestcreatureevertolive.ItveryquicklybecameclearthatSriLankawassimplythebestplaceintheworldtoseebluewhales,aswellaslargenumbersofspermwhalesandmassesofdolphins.Inthespaceofafewshortyears,amajorwhale-watchingindustryhassprungup,SRILANKA:THELOWDOWNGETTING THERESriLankanAirlines(srilankan.com)andBritishAirways(britishairways.com)flydailyfromHeathrowtoColombo(flighttime 10 hours).Britishnationalsrequirevisas.E-visascanbeobtainedinadvanceviaeta.gov.lk/slvisa``````WHERETOSTAYThere’slittleinthewayoforganisedkids’clubsandsoforthinSriLankanhotels,butstaffwillnormallyquicklyadoptsmallerchildrenanddoalltheycanforthem.Placeswe’vefoundespeciallygoodwithchildrenalongthecoastare:``````negomboVillaAraliya(villaaraliya-negombo.com),whichhasagoodpoolandlotsofchildren’stoys.``````colomboGalleFaceHotel(gallefacehotel.com).Whilenotobviouslyaimedatyoungsters,thisbeautifullyrenovatedcolonialpropertyscoreskidpointsforitslocationfacingthefun-packedGalleFaceGreenbeachsidepark.``````thalpeWhyHouse(whyhousesrilanka.com).Astunningsemi-privatebeachwithallmannerofchild-friendlyactivities,thiscolonial-feelingboutiquehotelmakesforanidealsouth-coastbase.``````tangalleBackofBeyondKahandamodara(backofbeyond.lk).FifteenkilometresfromTangalle,thisplacehasluxurybungalowsidealforfamiliesandaruralvillagesettingwithkayaking,farmvisitsandsafeswimmingontapinthelagoon.srilanka’ssmallparksmeansafaris``````aren’ttootiring``````THEBIGBLUESEarth’slargestmammalsmigratepastSriLanka’ssoutherncoast``````CLOSERTOHEAVENAdam’sPeakisoneoftheholiestspotsinSouthAsia102