Family holidays in Sri Lanka: where to go & what to do

Sri Lanka is the stuff of legends, packing in jungle, beach, relics, ruins, hikes and hands-on activities. A family holiday here is filled with discovery, downtime and ready made adventures. 

Our secrets? Busting teenage boredom with bodyboarding and swimming pools. Stopping tantrums in their tracks with temples and train journeys. And leaving little time for screen time when you’re all on safari and climbing Sigiriya Rock. The kids will be talking about hermit crabs, monkey troops and leopard tracking long after they get home and everyone will be as happy as clams in the water, among the wildlife and chasing waterfalls. There might well be 100 extra stops to smell the cinnamon, catch a coconut and shake sand out of tiny shorts but these are the moments you’ll remember across the years.

We create tailor made itineraries to suit everyone from excitable pint-sized toddlers and curious tweens to chilled out teens and peace-seeking parents. And we give you plenty of time for eating mangoes on sunbaked streets and getting up close with elephants. There’s nothing better than combining our knowledge with your intuition to create wild family escapes and lazy hazy holidays. Or maybe both. We know the hotels that are bang on the beach, high up in hill country and deep in the natural habitat of wild animals.

Take one of our flexible itineraries and tell us what you fancy doing each day. We can easily chop and change things around. That’s how we arrive at your custom made itinerary. Jump on board smartly curated activities when you want them and get left alone to lounge around when you prefer that too. Sri Lanka is small (about the size of Ireland) yet some of the distances between its most beautiful places are great. For those parts of your holiday we give you a chauffer driver so everything is stress-free, fluid and easy. You get to know the lay of the land with a local guide and the kids will think it’s fancy too.

Why Sri Lanka works for families

Sri Lanka is safe, friendly and English is widely spoken. It’s a country where children are warmly welcomed, making travelling with kids a breeze. This is a spectacular island for spending more time outdoors together, connecting with family more deeply and inspiring young minds while having fun. Not only can you tick off cities, safari and cloud forest but also that well-deserved Indian Ocean slowcation. We can do all the planning, including organising a chauffer driver for the road less travelled bits. Our team, including mums and dads who’ve been here first hand, can suggest the ideal routes for each season.

Winter and Easter holidays are great for exploring Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle, the golden beaches of the west coast and the surf-ready south. Come summer, the east coast shines – think calm seas, snorkelling and sugar-white sands. Our itineraries give you a feel for what you can do and their flexibility gives you the freedom to steer the boat yourself depending on the activities and experiences you want.

Things to do with kids in Sri Lanka

Pinch-me moments among the wildlife

If it’s your family’s first rodeo into safari land, Sri Lanka is a fab, wallet-friendly option with a lot of wildlife to see. In person, there’s nothing quite like hearing the earth-shaking thuds of an elephant herd or spotting the elusive leopard near-silently slinking across home turf. And there’s no doubt that the safari guides you meet here will be some of the best teachers your children will have. The island has over twenty national parks so whichever way you’re travelling we’ll find you a wild interlude. Earmarking three, there’s Yala (for leopard sightings this place is the GOAT) and Udawale (relatively untouched, quiet and with a great variety of wildlife) in the south and Minniyera (fab for elephant spotting and easy to add on to a Cultural Triangle tour) in the north.

Climb Sigiriya Rock

If your family is more Famous Five than fly and flop, Sigiriya Rock will be your favourite Sri Lankan discovery. This is a jaunt with over a thousand steps to the top so it’s better suited to older kids. The rewards are fab. Macaque monkeys at the water gardens, ginormous stone lion’s paws at Lions Gate and at the pinnacle, the ruins of a lost civilisation. Peer over the top of this fifth century fortress for breathtaking views and you’ll all get your Indiana Jones jungle moment.

Scenic train ride – Kandy to Ella

It’s choo choo all the way for this trip. A flash of red silk umbrellas, loads of lush green tea plantations and tiny pastel coloured train stations. Even littles with the attention span of a goldfish will sit still for the ever-changing feast of scenery on Kandy to Ella’s train ride. And the end stop is a vertical astonishment of misty mountains, emerald terraces and cloud forest. Grab a guava to eat along the way of what’s known worldwide as one of the most beautiful train rides on the planet.

Beach time – South coast (Bentota, Galle, Tangalle)

When you’re galloping off to golden sands, searching for angel fish underwater and ringing out salty hair there’s no time for checking WhatsApp. The south coast of Sri Lanka has dazzling beaches including Bentota (golden sands and river trips), Koggala (laid back, lovely and close to Galle Dutch Fort) and Tangalle (palm trees and pretty bays). Even the savviest of teens will be impressed with the grown up vibes and aerial sports at Shangri-La Hambantota, the immersive activities at Cinnamon Bentota Beach – Signature Selection or the two-bed family apartments surrounded by jungle at Tabula Rasa Resort & Spa.

Temples and markets

Sri Lanka’s cultural stops (what tweenager isn't going to be amazed with a temple housing Buddha’s tooth relic) are really manageable with kids. You can lead them to the country’s heritage by showing them everyday life as well as what lies in the relics. Take them inside the 2,300 years old Dambulla caves, tuck into shrimp fritters at Galle Face Green, follow the scent of freshly brewed tea to the Central Highland markets and spend a day doing Kandy’s historic three temple loop.

Tea picking and foodie fun

Impactful activities and hands-on experiences in Sri Lanka spark the imagination and raise self esteem as well as being bucket loads of fun. Get a true taste of the country with a spicy cooking class, give tea plucking a go in Kandy and watch crispy hoppers being flipped hot off the pan at village markets.

Whale watching from Mirissa (seasonal)

Land in this little beach town any time from November through to April and you’ll be sharing your winter holiday with the whales. Cruises from here are a world away from the norm: a chance to see killer whales and sperm whales, follow the dance of bottlenose dolphins and see the biggest of all, the blue whale. A real life encounter with the world’s largest mammals brings a whole new meaning to living life large.

Where to stay

Aliya Resort & Spa, Sigiriya

Where are you?
Swimming in sight of Sigiriya Rock.

Why we love it
A superb family base set within Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle. Lap up the convenience of a cracking location and bed down in fab family rooms with attic spaces for the kids.

Family highlights
Clay-pot cooking in the village style kitchen, bicycles and electric bikes to borrow, an infinity pool with superb view and complimentary yoga.

Hide Ella Hotel & Resort

Where are you?

Lakeside luxury in tea country.

Why we love it
Boutique, breezy and brilliantly placed for walks and tea with a view.

Family highlights
The spacious, interconnecting Dickoya Suite. Jaunts including waterfall picnics, canoe rides and late night wilderness walks.

Shangri-La Hambantota

Where are you?
Holidaying in style on Sri Lanka’s south coast.

Why we love it
It’s for luxe minded families who don’t want to lift a finger and it’s just an hour's drive to Yala for a safari.

Family highlights
There are grown up restaurants and golf whilst kids get a flying trapeze, giant chess and a club that’s second to none. Enjoy bike rides around the resort, separate pools for kids, adults and families and a babysitting service if you fancy a date night.

DoubleTree by Hilton Weerawila Rajawarna Resort

Where are you?
In south Sri Lanka, with beautiful lake views.

Why we love it
When you all need to reconnect with nature this is your spot. Wildlife, water and great sights.

Family highlights
Afternoon tea by the lake, a swim up pool bar, bikes to hire, connecting family rooms, all-day dining and rooms with a balcony overlooking the lake.

Suggested itineraries

Our go-to family itinerary
One for big and little island explorers. Extraordinary settings and ooodles of fun. Beaches, Buddhism and wide-eyed wonder at the wildlife. A family trip of a lifetime.

Sri Lanka with teens
Treat the teenagers to a summer holiday that’s so much more than just sunshine. Elephants trumpeting on safari, east coast beaches and a little bit of culture in between.

Sri Lanka & Maldives
This is our catchall family itinerary of dreams. Intrepid adventure and luxe lounging on white beaches. A double whammy of incredible islands for a slice of culture and sandy toes.

How Kuoni makes it easy

• Many itineraries feature a chauffer driver throughout – safe, reliable and flexible

• We have long standing local partners and work with expert guides

• We offer tried-and-tested itineraries and create fully tailored trips

• No need to worry about logistics. We handle all transfers, activities and rest stops

• We can help choose the right pace and resorts for your family

Planning tips

➳ Best time to go: East coast (May–September), South/west (November–April)
➳ Good for Christmas, February half term, Easter and October half term
➳ No malaria risk in main areas
➳ Sri Lankan food is tasty, there are milder options and Western dishes are widely available
➳ Great for 10–14 night trips and the option to add on Maldives
➳ Great mix of hotel styles: family resorts, villas, jungle settings and boutique hotels

This feature was created on 2nd June 2025. The information within this feature is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication.