Ella is an island of tranquility in Sri Lanka. We tell you what to see in Ella, where to live, where to eat and how to get there. Is it worth coming here? Read our review!
Ella has a rustic idyllic and measured life: the morning ghostly haze in the mountains, coolness, the constant Sri Lankan breakfast, the whistle of a steam locomotive and the sounds of the jungle in the evenings. Time here is viscous, like humid air, and a week goes by three.
The mountain village will give odds to the rest of the tourist cities and towns of Sri Lanka. It has an almost ideal climate, picturesque mountains, many trekking places, full of cafes with delicious food and - most importantly - sooo calm and quiet. If we knew how cool and good it is, we would boldly skip Negombo, Sigiriya and Nuwara Eliya and immediately rush here. Read our report: Living in Paradise for $ 25.
What to see in Ella
There are not too many attractions in Ella, but they are all beautiful.
Small Adam's Peak
Enjoyed the mysterious mists, plush slopes, cute puppies at the top and the view of Ella Rock. On the way - tea plantations, where you can take pictures of tea pickers for 100 rupees.
The way up is simple: in the center of Ella, we turn left at the main bus stop, go to the sign for the peak. Then along the dirt road past the plantation, then along the concrete stairs.
Council. Almost everyone sees sunrise or sunset at their peak. It's too hot during the day. Do not indulge yourself with the illusion that you will be wandering alone - there are many people upstairs. Unless, at the top, go further along the peak, where almost no one goes.
Ella Rock
It is more interesting to look for the way to the top than to be on it. Along the way - first twisted trees, and then a gorgeous eucalyptus forest - long steel rods, flat, like a company of soldiers, trunks.
There are a lot of paths, but GPS does not catch very well, so the locals try to lead tourists to the top. Of course, they want money for this. Don't settle for helpers, don't encourage such an obsessive "business".
Route to Ella Rock. Create and follow a walking route on MAPS.ME. First, along the railway tracks, and by the large tree where the locals sit, go down past the house (they will prompt). Walk across the bridge and immediately turn right into the tall grass. Then you will come out to a small tea plantation - keep to the right and dive into the tall grass again. Then you will come out on a rather wide path, go straight to the cafe along the bushes and trees. At the fork near the cafe, take the right path. Walk past and enter the forest of twisted trees. From there, in fact, the ascent to the mountain begins - 20-30 minutes through the forest along the stones and roots, and you are at the top. Good cardio workout!
Council. As in the case of Little Adam's Peak, many people meet sunrise or sunset at the summit. Get up as early as possible - at 8 o'clock it is already hot upstairs. We left the house at 6 in the morning, but you'd better go earlier. And even after dawn, everything is obscured by a haze, and little is visible.
Nine Arch Bridge
In the photo it looks cooler than in reality, but still beautiful and impressive. There are unrealistically many tourists at sunset. Check the timetable in advance and wait for the train to cross the bridge - it's beautiful. It passes from Ella to Badulla across the bridge at 18:20.
How to get there? The easiest way is to walk along the sleepers without a difference in height - from the station about 20 minutes one way. On the way there are beautiful views and a tunnel. There is also a path to the bridge from the road leading to Little Adam's Peak.
Council. Come in the morning when there are fewer people. At this time, everyone goes to the peak or mountain.
What else to see in Ella
There is also Rawana waterfall, Rawana Cave, tea factories, a track to the Lipton's seat, atmospheric Buduruwagala Temple with 7 figures carved into the rock.
Where to stay in Ella
There are a lot of options. The cheapest - from $ 6. Good ones cost $ 15-20, great ones cost $ 25-30. We chose in the latest price range: with a score of 9, private bathroom and hot water, table and chairs, fan, small garden with terrace and mountain views, good internet and hearty breakfasts included.
We lived in two wonderful houses:
- Cozy Home Stay
- Ella grand paradise
Advice. The area is mountainous and almost all hotels are located on the hillsides. If you have a lot of heavy luggage and your accommodation is on the slope, take a tuk-tuk - it's hard to walk on your own. In addition, the markings on the map are often wrong.
Choose hotels from which you can easily get on the railway - it is convenient to go to the center along it, because there are no endless ascents and descents.
Nature is all around, so be prepared for uninvited guests. We were visited by frogs, ants, geckos, spiders, centipedes and cockroaches.
Where to eat in Ella
It is not a problem to find a good place in Ella - unlike Nuwara Eliya, where we suffered a lot. All are oriented towards foreigners, therefore there are many cafes, restaurants and bars of the European type.
We searched Trip Advisor in the "tasty and inexpensive" section and selected:
- Café C. Delicious fish curry for Rs 500. Try watalappam pudding for Rs 200. Juices - from 220 rupees. After 5 pm, queues form.
- Matey Hut. # 1 on TripAdvisor. After lunch, huge queues, because there are only 5 tables. They ate delicious coconut roti there - sweet and dal. The prices are average.
- Nanda Restaurant. Juices from 200 rupees. The curry is delicious but the portion is small - Rs 350-450. Very long service in the evening.
- MozzarElla - Delicious thin-crust pizza is cooked in a wood-fired oven. The big one costs 1400 rupees. Opens at 16:30.
- Dream Cafe. Stopped in by accident. There is delicious European food: pizza on a thin crust of about 1000-1500 rupees, a giant tuna steak for 1350 rupees for two, carbonara pasta for 700 rupees. Another nourishing Sri Lankan tuna shawarma (called Wrap, 2 pcs per serving). If you are tired of local food, feel free to order! Lassi and juices about Rs 250-300, Lion beer - 400.
How to get to Ella
You can take the bus, but basically everyone arrives on the famous train - this is a local attraction, because there are gorgeous views along the way. Many people send their luggage with a driver to Ella, while they themselves travel light by train.
We drove from Nuwara Eliya in third grade. They wanted to go to the second, but when they came to the station for the train's departure, the tickets were only for the 3rd grade. We were lucky - we managed to take a seat. There were only 5 cars, and most of the people stood in the aisle between the seats or crowded in the vestibule for 2-3 hours on the way.
Tickets. In grades 1 and 2, everyone advises to buy tickets in advance - the seats are reserved for you. In grade 3 you need to buy on the day of departure (in grade 2 you can also do this). The seating is free, so it is not a fact that you will have time to sit down.
Tickets for grade 3 cost 55 rupees, but 155 rupees were charged from the two of us.
If you are coming from Nuwara Eliya, then you need to buy tickets in the neighboring village, which is 20 minutes away by tuk-tuk (500 rupees). If from Kandy, then at the railway station in the city.
Council. If possible, take the train on the left to Ella and on the right if vice versa. Everything is most beautiful there. Or take seats in the vestibule aisle - tourists love to sit there with their legs dangling.
Useful: ATMs, shops, taxis
Ella is a small mountain village where everything revolves around tourists. There are many of them here, but no one bothers each other - there is no feeling of overcrowding. Everyone is relaxed, good-natured and welcoming.
One main road passes through the village - cafes, restaurants and shops are concentrated here. Several streets depart from it, where hotels, guesthouses, cafes, vegetable gardens and houses of local residents are located.
Another important road is the railroad. It is convenient to walk along it to the center of Ella, to the arch bridge and Ella Rock.
The shops. In the center of Ella there is a supermarket where you can buy everything you need. There are also small shops with groceries, fashionable showrooms with clothes, shops with tea, spices and souvenirs.
ATMs. We shot commission-free at Bank Of Ceylon ATMs on Main Street.
Electricity. Keep all your gadgets always charged - in Ella, the power goes out all the time.
Tuk-tuks and buses. Local taxis are the ubiquitous tuk-tuk. Tourists are expected right at the station. As always, prices are broken and do not want to haggle.From us for 2 km they asked for 500 rupees. We found another who agreed to Rs 300.
Many intercity buses pass through Ella - for example, to Badulla and Kandy. The main stop is in the center.
