Planning Your Trip to the Beautiful Town of Ella, Sri Lanka
Ella is a beautiful town in the Sri Lankan countryside and should not be missed on your Sri Lanka itinerary.
Ella is tucked into the green hills and tea plantations in south central Sri Lanka. It is easy to spend a few days here, Ella has a backpacker and relaxed feel. If you enjoy fresh air and green mountainous views, this place is for you!
What I love about Ella is that you have access to hiking and nature. It is easy to relax in the beautiful surroundings, go to yoga classes, and get a massage. All of my favorite fun things.
Ella town center
Along the main street in town you will find everything you need such as cafes, restaurants, and cute shops. Almost everything within Ella is accessible by walking, and for anything outside of town or for convenience you can travel by tuk tuk.
Most of the guesthouses and hotels are in the hills. I got dropped off right on the main road because my driver said his car couldn’t make it up the hill and he pointed up Waterfall road and said, “walk about 10 minutes that way.” It was a steep hill but nothing to sweat over. I was thankful to be carrying a backpack instead of a suitcase. It was a very beautiful walk on a winding dirt road. It seemed like most of the accommodations in the hills were built to put nature on display and had spectacular views of the rolling green landscape.
Things to Do While in Ella, Sri Lanka
Take a hike and enjoy the views
Ella Rock
This hike will take you to the best viewpoint over the city of Ella, it was one of the highlights of my trip. I loved how it felt like an adventure as I was trying to navigate without signs among the constantly changing landscape. The route is now on All Trails, but at the time I was roughing it.
Ella Rock trail will lead you down the train tracks, through tea plantations and tall dense forest grass, and finally up a steep ascent to the top. I passed kids walking the tracks en route to school and saw the iconic blue train breeze by on the tracks.
On a clear day you can see all the surrounding nature and Little Adam’s Peak from a distance. It is a longer hike than Little Adam’s Peak, but totally worth the effort.
If you’re lucky you will meet a few friendly dogs on the railroad tracks that will lead the way.
Little Adam’s Peak
If you favor a shorter and easier trail than Ella Rock, this one’s for you. For less effort, Little Adam’s Peak hike will give you a beautiful panoramic view of the green hills and nature surrounding Ella town.
You can continue on past Little Adam’s Peak to another viewpoint for more views and less people. The trail starts near the entrance to 98 Acres Hotel, follow the signage off to the right.
Visit the Nine Arch Bridge
Sri Lanka is really showing off with this one. The architecture of the stone Nine Arch Bridge is perfectly contrasted with the surrounding tea plantation and lush green jungle landscape. It is picture perfect and worthy of the crowds of people who come to wave at the passing trains and admire the scenery.
There are several ways to get to the Nine Arch Bridge. I opted for the more scenic nature walk through the forest, but of course you can always hire a tuk tuk for convenience.
From the main road in town, turn off onto Ella-Passara Road and follow the road until you see a marked footpath on the left side of the road heading into the forest. There is a tag on Google Maps of the exact spot. This path will lead directly to the bridge. There are shorter and more direct routes, but I particularly loved this calming forest walk.
Thick clouds were rolling through the forest in the early morning as I set off to see the bridge. I love a good forest walk, and this one was extra moody. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to see the bridge because of the fog, but as the sun came up the clouds cleared perfectly on cue.
There are multiple viewpoints on both ends of the bridge, so be sure to wander around and check out both sides. You can capture multiple different angles of the bridge for pictures and the morning light is really beautiful.
There are a few cafes in the area where you can enjoy the scenery while waiting for the train to make an appearance. Make sure to listen for the train and stay clear of the tracks when it’s approaching. Don’t risk it all for that selfie.
Take a yoga class
If you’re looking to unwind and clear your mind, take a yoga class in an outdoor studio. I took several classes while in Ella and can confirm yoga is even better with a view, fresh air, and nature sounds.
I woke up early to take a morning class in the hills of Ella and afterwards I felt like I unlocked new levels of bliss. What a great way to start the day and get a well needed stretch after hiking and traveling.
Zion View Ella Green Retreat offers daily drop in classes for 2000 rupees per person (approximately $6 USD). Yoga mats and blocks are provided. The morning class is a Vinyasa flow and the early evening class is a Restorative/Yin flow.
Ride the scenic train from Kandy <> Ella
The blue train is iconic in Sri Lanka! It’s known for its open windows and doors and awe inspiring views through the most picturesque area of Sri Lanka’s central highlands. If you’ve done any research on Sri Lanka you have undoubtedly seen pictures of this famous train journey.
It’s possible to travel all over Sri Lanka on the railway network, but the most popular route is the train ride from Kandy to Ella and vice versa. The scenery will change from jungle to the spectacular hilly countryside with tea plantations and gorgeous green highlands.
My train mishap
Don’t be like me – I failed to pre-book and missed my opportunity to ride the train. I was devastated, it was the activity I was most excited for in Sri Lanka. At the time, Sri Lanka was booming with tourism and the online system was booked months in advance.
Once I arrived in Kandy I attempted to get help from my hotel. They told me the only ticket available was the standing ticket in third class. They repeatedly told me I wouldn’t enjoy it and it wasn’t a good idea.
With my dreams crushed I booked a private car for transportation from Kandy to Ella as they suggested. I ignored my intuition and in hindsight, I should have gone to the train station and booked a ticket on my own instead of getting talked out of something that I wanted to do.
Maybe it would have been a rough 7 hours in the crowded standing carriage and they saved me the hassle, or maybe it would have been worth it. My itinerary was tight so I didn’t have the luxury to change my mind the next day.
Ultimately, you don’t always have to take other people’s advice. Listen to your intuition and when you get the chance…go for it. Hopefully you will have blue trains and blue skies in your future!
Take a Sri Lankan cooking class
If you love Sri Lankan food, this is a great opportunity to learn more about the ingredients, culture, and dishes. Joining a class is also an easy way to meet fellow travelers. Making friends while making food sounds like a win-win situation. Plus you can impress family and friends when you return home with your new skills for cooking Sri Lankan food.
A few of the top rated classes in Ella town include, Ella Spice Garden cooking class, Priya Cookery Class, and Honey Bee Garden.
Visit a tea plantation and tour a tea factory
Tea culture is strong in Sri Lanka. This small country is one of the world’s largest tea exporters. The central Sri Lanka highlands boast the perfect environment for producing “Ceylon Tea” making your trip to Ella a perfect time to visit a tea factory.
A tea factory tour will include a walk through the factory and insights into the tea making process and production. At the end of the tour you will have a chance to taste test the different varieties of tea and purchase your favorites.
Kinellan tea factory and Uva Halpewatte tea factory are local favorites. Remember to sip, don’t spill the tea.
Book an Ayurvedic spa treatment
Sri Lanka is a great place to try a spa treatment that incorporates traditional Ayurvedic principles and techniques with the use of herbal oil. Hello, relaxation!
Spa treatments in Sri Lanka are affordable, even for a very tight budget traveler. There are several Ayurvedic spas in Ella town and some of the bigger hotels offer their own services as well.
Check out Helena Spa & Organic Gifts and Hela Osu Suwapiyasa Ayurveda Spa; they are rated as the top spas in Ella town.
Places to Eat
I love memorable food experiences when traveling and I’m a sucker for a cafe with good vibes. Ella town caters to the tourists, but still remains authentic. There’s no shortage of kottu roti and a wide variety of curries. Bring your appetite!
A few of my favorite food spots in Ella:
- Cafe Chill
- One Love Cafe
- Matey Hut
- Cafe Umbrella
Also, I have to give a shout out to Ella Alpine Resort for the top notch breakfast spreads during my stay. I was impressed with the variety and felt fully fueled daily.
Ella, Sri Lanka has a lot to offer travelers with its authentic charm, backpacker vibes, and natural beauty. This little town truly showcases the best of Sri Lanka. I certainly left a part of my heart in the hills of Ella.
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