Plan Your Trip
Eating with Kids
Sri Lankan hospitality means that people
will go to any length to please young and
finicky eaters; most places have a few
Western-style dishes.
To ease your children into Sri Lankan
food, try a breakfast of pittu. The coconut-
rice combination will be kind to their
palates. Also try hoppers (bowl-shaped
pancakes), especially the string variety, or
nice and mild rotti. flatbreads with filling.
The profusion of fresh and exciting varie-
ties of fruit should mean that everybody
will find something they like.
Children’s Highlights
There aren’t many attractions dedicated
solely to children in Sri Lanka, but there
are a lot of sights they’ll love.
̈ Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage (p 144 ) A
home for elephants near Kandy, with up to 80
ready to interact with visitors.
̈ Uda^ Walawe (p^188 ) One of the best
national parks for wildlife-spotting safaris.
̈ Elephant^ Transit^ Home (p^188 ) Not far
from Uda Walawe, this is a well-regarded halfway
house for injured and orphaned elephants.
̈ Minneriya (p213) A national park renowned
for its herds of elephants.
©Lonely Planet Publications Pty LtdTravel with Children
Like a good rice and curry, Sri Lanka offers a dazzling array of
choices. This is obviously not a first-world country, so the child who
expects a packaged Disneyland experience won’t be happy, but any
bumps along the way are more than compensated for by the Sri
Lankans themselves and their love of children.
Best Regions for Kids
The West
It’s beaches all along this sandy coast. There are
all manner of child-friendly resorts where you can
relax and maybe build a castle or two. Overall, this
is probably the most child-friendly area.The South
More beaches, lots of water-based activities and in
the east there’s elephants.The Hill Country
Many of the attractions here are more adult
orientated, but the mild temperatures are a good
respite from the heat elsewhere. Tea plantations
and trains are an unbeatable day out.The Ancient Cities
Ancient temples, forts, ruins, jungles and
elephants. Hello, Indiana Jones!