Arawe Retreat

Ella is a picturesque town surrounded by mountains and valleys. It’s a hub for a wide range of activities in Sri Lanka and because of it’s higher elevation it remains warm but comfortable year round and offers some respite from the rest of the country which can get stiflingly hot in season, or see a lot of rain out of season. Almost every person I met travelling in Sri Lanka remarked Ella was their favourite place they visited during their trip and I have to say it was also mine. The temperate weather makes Ella a great place to do lots of activities each day -you can go hiking, enjoy one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world, view Nine Arch Bridge, swim in waterfalls, go caving and swim in underground cave pools, take yoga classes, cooking classes, visit temples, and venture a little further for safaris. It’s an ideal spring board between Colombo and the South/East Coast and Yala National Park. The best way to arrive in Ella is by train from Kandy or Nuwara Eliya, but as one of the most beautiful train journey's in the world, you will need to book your train tickets in advance... my advice is to go for 2nd class- find out why, and how to book them in the "What To Do" section of this guide. Read on for all my recommendations on where to stay, what to do and where to eat for a FABULOUS time in Ella!

5 budgets, all areas... so you have options for all the places you want to visit. I often like to do several nights in budget stays, then choose a couple of places I'd like to splash out on towards the end of a trip, when I want to relax more than dash around seeing sites! Sri Lanka is spoilt for choice when it comes to sites, activities and accommodation and you can easily become over whelmed by the options which is why I encourage you to make full use of this guide and save yourself valuable time and energy.