So you are planning that all important family holiday and have picked Sri Lanka as your destination of choice. You know there are plenty of beaches and wonderful coastal backdrops, but in the back of your mind the question lingers, will the kids have stuff to do that will keep them occupied. Thankfully, the answer is a resounding yes! There are lots of fun activities and sites to visit for young travellers and even teens looking for more thrilling fun in the sun.
The beach is an obvious choice for your holiday and Sri Lanka has plenty of it. The South Coast is a great choice for all the exciting water sports on offer, but for something different and relatively less crowded head to the West Coast. Negombo is a popular destination and offers lots of activities such as snorkelling which can be enjoyed by even kids who will love to swim in the ocean and get a glimpse of the coral and marine life beneath the waves. Negombo is also where you can take an interesting boat ride along the old Dutch Canal which makes for quite an adventure. One will find many beach hotels in Sri Lanka in the West Coast region and Amagi Hotels provide ideal accommodation options here.
The beach can only keep the kids occupied for so long and a good idea would be to head to the commercial capital, Colombo which has plenty of places to visit. Viharamahadevi Park is a great spot to unwind as is Galle Face Green ideally located right by the sea; young kids will have lots of space to run about and play at both of these public areas. If you head to Independence Square you can even hire bicycles and enjoying cycling along specially marked tracks, while kids may also be fascinated with a visit to the National Museum.
A sure fire way to have kids in raptures of delight when on holiday is to try some of the wildlife adventures available in Sri Lanka. Yala National Park is renowned for its leopard safaris, though it is by no means the only National Park worth visiting. Wilpattu, Udawalawe and Minneriya are among the other national parks where one can embark on safaris and where you can witness animals such as the iconic Sri Lankan Elephant along with sloth bears, crocodiles, deer and a diverse array of birds. Depending on when you visit, you can also plan a whale and dolphin watching expedition which provides an unforgettable journey to the seas to catch a glimpse of these majestic marine mammals. For more outdoor fun you can even opt for some outdoor camping in national parks such as Horton Plains or the Knuckles Mountain Range, ideal spots to take older kids looking to experience the great outdoors and camping out under the stars.
Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.