Visit Ella

ADMIRE ELLA’S FAMOUS NINE-ARCH BRIDGE

It's astonishing to think that a bridge could drive tourists in droves to Ella, yet the Nine Arch Bridge, just outside the town, has done just that.

The Nine Arch Bridge is flanked by verdant forests and tea plantations, standing proudly across the valley below. On misty days, a low cloud hangs in the valley, giving the whole area a moody, mystical feel.

Completed in 1921, the Nine Arch Bridge is built entirely out of brick, rock and cement, with no metal used in its construction - an engineering feat back in those days. Spanning 91 meters at a height of 24 feet, the bridge is on the famous Kandy to Bandarawela (via Ella) train line, with trains passing around five times a day, depending on the ever-changing Sri Lankan train timetable.

Although train times are notoriously unreliable in Sri Lanka, trains tend to pass the Nine Arch Bridge around the following times: 9:30, 11:30, 15:30, 16:30, and 17:30 (read our comprehensive guide here!).

There are many places to view the bridge from, with the most popular being from the actual bridge itself, and below from the tea plantation (this is private land, so please ask for permission before entering).

But for us, the best views are from above, either looking from the forests surrounding the bridge, or from one of the cafe platforms in the surrounding hills. Watching the train slowly made its way across the bridge is a wonderful sight.

Just get there early, as the Bridge and surrounding viewpoints fill up VERY quickly!

HIKE UP THE FAMOUS ELLA ROCK

For those who seek spectacular views everywhere they go, the summit of Ella rock, with its views over Ella, Little Adam's Peak, and Ella Gap, is one vantage point you don’t want to miss out on.

Starting at the famous Ella train station, you’ll follow the Ella to Kandy train line past many beautiful waterfalls, bridges, tea plantations, and homes, before starting your ascent towards the Ella Rock summit - hopefully with a King Coconut in hand for some extra energy. We definitely needed it; the hike to the summit under that fierce sun is tough!

Once at the summit, we enjoyed the incredible views for at least an hour, munching away on our vegetarian roti and some well-deserved water.

The route to the summit can be a little complicated, however, if you follow the clearly marked paths and ignore the (sometimes deliberately misleading) touts, you shouldn't have too many issues (this in-depth post will help you get there). All up, the hike takes around 2 hours round trip, but remember to pack enough water and snacks to power your journey.

ADMIRE THE VIEWS OF ELLA GAP FROM LITTLE ADAM’S PEAK

If a strenuous hike in the sun doesn’t really appeal but you’re still keen to get the legs moving and explore the Sri Lankan countryside, the easier hike up to Little Adam’s Peak is absolutely worth checking out.

Named after its similarly shaped, yet far taller older brother, Adam’s Peak, the Little Adam’s Peak hike takes about two-hours roundtrip from Ella town, and starts in the lush tea plantations before slowly snaking its way to the first set of viewpoints. From here, you'll have 360-degree views overlooking the giant Ella Rock and Ella Gap towards Udawalawe National Park, perfect for photos.

We'd definitely advise continuing the hike further down the ridge, as the views become more spectacular and less busy. The return route follows the other side of the mountain, overlooking the incredible 98 Acres resort before slowly making its way back to Ella.

Stop at the little wooden juice hut on the return journey back to relax and grab a refreshing king coconut.

We recommend hiking up during the late afternoon and watching the glorious sunset unfold; and definitely advise against hiking during the middle of the day as there's little shade to hide from the glaring sun - one of our worst-ever travel burns happened right here!

WITNESS THE BEAUTY OF DIYALUMA FALLS

Forget what the pop songs tell you, Sri Lanka's second tallest waterfall, Diyaluma Falls is so impressive that you absolutely do need to chase waterfalls here.

Cascading from high in the Sri Lanka mountains, Diyaluma may be a little off the beaten track, but the epic views and natural infinity pools make the 1.5-2-hour journey more than worth the effort.

To get to Diyaluma, we jumped in a tuk-tuk from Ella to Poonagala, through quintessentially Sri Lankan tea plantations. Once we’d arrived in the small village of Poonagala, we set off hiking downhill through long, dry grass for around 30mins before getting our first glimpse of the upper Diyaluma falls. A short walk further and there we were, standing above a sheer 220m rush of water to the valley floor below.

It was amazing.

At this point, we need to warn you that safety barriers do not exist, so if you're an adrenaline junkie (like Mark), and like to stand on the edge of just about anything, please be careful.

During the summer months when the water levels have dropped, you can enjoy a refreshing swim at the falls' various natural pools, including right on the edge of the main waterfall. Alternatively, there are larger, safer pools at the upper Diyaluma falls, but again, take precautions before diving in.

There are two ways to get to the top of Diyaluma falls - either hiking from the bottom, which is rather strenuous and hard to follow, or from Poonagala village, which is far shorter yet less popular.