This beautiful country, officially called the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, was called Ceylon before independence. Its area, including maritime territories, is 65,610 km². The country, located practically on one island, is inhabited by about 20 million people of different nationalities. Is Sri Lanka suitable for families with children? Where is the best place to spend your holidays on the island? These questions are often asked by parents to travel agency operators.
Sri Lanka is located in South Asia. Despite the long flight (a direct flight from Moscow lasts 8 hours and 35 minutes), many tourists go on vacation to an exotic island with children, sometimes with very young ones. In this article, information about holidays in Sri Lanka with children: how to prepare for the trip, how to choose the right beach and hotel to stay with your baby.
When is the best time to go to the island?
The weather on the islandchangeable. To organize a trip, it is better to choose the period from the end of September to the beginning of April. At this time, the climatic conditions are most favorable for recreation. The air warms up to +30 °C. Judging by the reviews, holidays with children in Sri Lanka are most comfortable from mid-March to early April.
Preparing for the flight
Before traveling to the island, it is necessary to check the availability of all necessary vaccinations, appropriate for the age of the child. Vaccination against typhoid and dysentery will not hurt - food poisoning is quite common in the hot climate of Sri Lanka.
Child will be easier on the road if you prepare a bag or backpack with the necessary baby things. For babies, these are diapers and diapers, nipples and bottles, rattles. For older young travelers, you should prepare your favorite book, small games, some sweets. As a rule, airlines strive to make the stay of small passengers on board as comfortable as possible. Some of them (Qatar, Ethihad, Emirates and others) offer a children's menu, cartoons, children's films and even special kits for kids to help them pass the time during such a long flight.
Features of holidays with a child
Parents should be aware that acclimatization varies from child to child. This largely depends on the individual characteristics of the baby's body. A small traveler can take a long flight hard or get sick on the island. Therefore, you must have a first aid kit with the necessarydrugs.
It will be useful to take out travel insurance for the entire stay in the country before the trip. Arriving on the island, carefully monitor not only the physical, but also the emotional state of the child. Local residents love children very much and try to play with them or cheer them up. Parents should prepare the baby for the fact that the people around him will speak a language that is unfamiliar to him, have a slightly different appearance.
During a holiday with a child in Sri Lanka, hygiene can become a problem for you, because in this respect the conditions on the island are far from Russian standards. For this reason, wet wipes, antiseptic and a bottle of clean water should be with you at all times.
Food in Sri Lanka is usually very spicy, but on request, hotel or restaurant workers prepare special dishes for children. This is especially common in popular resorts that are located on the west coast of the country.
Popular Resorts
There are many great places for family holidays in Sri Lanka with children. Where is the best place to stay on the island? Pay attention to popular resorts:
- Arugam Bay. Many tourists consider this resort the best for families with children. It is famous for its wide and long beaches, where there are few waves. Arugam Bay is surrounded by picturesque lakes and rainforest.
- Unawatuna. The calm and beautiful region is ideal for families. Unawatuna is located in a lagoon, surrounded by a double coral reef,with a depth of not more than six meters. The coastal strip is not wide - only 2 meters. It is always comfortable with children in this resort of Sri Lanka: the water warms up perfectly to +28 ° C and keeps the temperature throughout the day. Children can frolic in the water for quite some time. It is important that the ocean is very calm in this region.
- Trincomalee. Great place in the bay. That is why the waters here are calm and calm. The resort is unique: there are numerous hot springs in which tourists can swim if they wish.
- Bentota. This resort is a favorite vacation spot for honeymooners and romantic natures. Families with children also like to visit here. Bentota is valued for its well-developed infrastructure, modern hotels that guarantee a high level of service, including services for young visitors, wide and long beaches. At the resort you can do any water sports, visit numerous shops and cafes. In the high season, there are always a lot of tourists here. The beach of Bentota is always crowded, and despite this, at any time you can find a place for a relaxing holiday. Vacationers consider the advantage of Bentota Beach to be a large selection of water activities and special attractions for children.
- Tangalle. A calm and safe resort in Sri Lanka, where many tourists from Russia seek to relax with a child. On many beaches there is a gentle entrance to the water. There are no dangerous marine life off the coast. Toddlers enjoy playing on the sandy shore or floundering inwarm water. Older children should be very careful in the water. At depth, you can hurt your leg on a spiny fish or sharp coral. To prevent this, swim in rubberized shoes.
Beaches for kids
There are quite a few sandy beaches in Sri Lanka. With a child, it is important to find a safe place with calm water and a good bottom. And this is not easy to do. Sometimes a wave rises in the ocean that can knock a grown man off his feet. Not all beaches are suitable for a comfortable stay with children in Sri Lanka.
"Weligama" is the most popular and most visited beach of the southern coast of the country with velvety, soft sand and sparkling azure waters. High waves on the beach are not often disturbed by vacationers, but children must be supervised, as Weligama is considered to be the most suitable place for beginner surfers. With the smallest kids, it is better to visit the pool at the hotel.
Choose a hotel
It is very important to choose the right hotel in Sri Lanka. For holidays with children, many tourists from Russia prefer working on an all-inclusive basis. However, many experienced travelers believe that this choice is optional: hotels with half board or only with breakfast are also suitable for families, especially if cafes, restaurants and shops are located in the neighborhood. The vast majority of beach hotels on the island are suitable for families with children, as they provide a minimum set of facilities and services for families with children. However,several hotels should be singled out, more suitable for recreation with both small children and older children.
Centara Ceysands & Spa 5
Hotel, which is located next to the popular beach "Bentota". As with most Centara establishments, all the necessary services for families with children are provided here: a crib for a child, hygiene products, a special menu.
Riu Sri Lanka
Newly opened all-inclusive hotel. It attracts guests with cleanliness and novelty. True, there is not enough greenery on the territory, but the building itself looks very stylish. The hotel has a team of young and talented animators and original shows in the evenings.
Club Palm Bay Hotel
This hotel is noticeably inferior to the two presented above, although it has its advantages. First, the cost of living, which is very important for many guests. Secondly, tourists from Russia prefer to stay in this hotel in Sri Lanka with children. Perhaps this fact is not very inspiring for some adults, but the children are very happy, because it is easier for them to find friends in the hotel.
Kids Fun: Pinnawala Nursery
Elephants usually come to this place from unfavorable regions. Nursery employees help the giants, feed and nurse sick and injured animals. Now 50 adult elephants live in the nursery. You can take pictures with them, feed them bananas.
Tortoiseshellfarm
Because these animals are becoming less and less on the planet, it was decided to create a farm for them in Sri Lanka. Currently, eight species of turtles live here. Excellent care for them allows you to save and enhance the look. An excursion to the farm will be interesting for both adults and children.
National parks
Currently there are five on the island:
- "Bundala".
- "Wasgamuwa".
- "Sinharaja".
- "Udawalawe".
- "Vilpatu".
It is worth visiting each of them, getting to know the exotic local nature, walking through the beautiful evergreen forest, seeing the rarest species of trees and flowers.
Jungle walk
This trip will be remembered for a long time for you and your children. You will see funny tame and harmless sloths that are already accustomed to numerous tourists. And if you meet monkeys, keep an eye on your belongings - they may mysteriously disappear.
Waterfalls
This stunning spectacle will not leave anyone indifferent. The most popular on the island is the Bridal Veil, which is considered the longest in the world. Seeing this riot of water jets and sparkling splashes is a must.
Vacations with children in Sri Lanka: reviews and tips from tourists
Most holidaymakers find a trip to Sri Lanka to be an interesting and memorable trip. Vacation on the island with children has undeniable advantages, which include:
- Clean and safe beaches with gentle entry into the water. Every day, hotel workers carefully remove the garbage and clean the area, so you don’t have to worry that the child will hurt the leg.
- Mild climate, allowing you to relax on the island from late spring to late September.
- Entering the country has become more convenient. Citizens of the Russian Federation require an electronic invitation and a tourist visa. These documents allow you to stay in the country for a month.
When going on a trip, consider and analyze the disadvantages of vacationing with children:
- The sea is not always calm. For the smallest children, the swimming pool located on the territory of the hotel is more suitable.
- Coconut trees along the coast look very attractive, but the risk of a coconut falling is very high. Do not allow children to play near these trees.
- There are no dangerous reptiles and insects at the famous resorts on the island. But it should be borne in mind that in Sri Lanka, cases of snake bites are recorded annually. Do not let your child play near tropical trees or tall grass.
- Today, the cost of such a summer vacation for a family of two adults and one child will cost about 120,000 rubles. Most of the cost is airfare and hotel accommodation.
- When going to Sri Lanka during the rainy season, don't forget to bring mosquito repellent. There is a high chance of getting dengue fever or malaria on the island. Safe in this sense are the areas: Kandy and Colombo, Bentota and Galle, Matara and Kalutara.
