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Ella

Welcome to everyone’s favorite hill-country village, and the place to ease off the travel accelerator with a few leisurely days resting in your choice of some of the country’s best guesthouses. The views through Ella Gap are stunning, and on a clear night you can even spy the subtle glow of the Great Basses lighthouse on Sri Lanka’s south coast. Don’t be too laid-back though; definitely make time for easygoing walks through tea plantations to temples, waterfalls and viewpoints. After building up a hiking-inspired appetite, look forward to Sri Lanka’s best home-cooked food and a reviving cuppa.

In recent years, Ella's popularity has soared and the town's attractiveness has been somewhat compromised by some multistorey concrete eyesores.

Explore Ella

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Ella.

  • Restaurants

  • International

    Cafe Chill

    Run by an engaging local team, this huge, stylish roadside cafe-bar-restaurant goes from strength to strength. Its latest addition is an upper deck…

  • Cafe

    Matey Hut

    A neo-rustic log cabin that looks suspiciously like a backwoods hipster hang-out but is actually just a simple, very cheap roadside joint run by a jovial,…

  • International

    Dream Café

    This cosmopolitan cafe-restaurant has good espresso coffee, well-executed Western dishes including breakfasts (Rs 490), roasted veggie wraps, paninis and…

  • International

    Adam's Breeze

    A casual family-run thatched place close to the turn-off for Little Adam's Peak, with delicious kotthu, noodle dishes, curries and Western food. Prices…

  • International

    Curd Shop

    Tiny hole-in-the-wall spot near the bus stand that’s good for a cheap breakfast before or after an early-morning stroll to Little Adam’s Peak. It’s a…

  • Sri Lankan

    Garden View Restaurant

    A wooden treehouse-like shack with friendly staff, great-tasting local meals and cheap prices. You'll pass it as you walk along the railway tracks between…

  • Cafe

    Little Folly Restaurant

    It’s 3pm, you’re in the Hill Country; that must mean it’s time to have a nice cup of tea and a slice of homemade lemon or chocolate cake. What better…

  • Sri Lankan

    Down Town Rotti Hut

    For a quick pit stop and refuel head to this place (they also do a takeaway service). Its deliciously tasty rottis come in a wealth of flavours and are…

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in Ella.

  • Activities