Aberdeen Falls: Sri Lanka’s Quietest Big Waterfall

BY  Sibashree Mar 31, 2026

From enjoying a train ride on the Nine Arch Bridge to Ella Rock, Ella has endless adventures to offer.  Exploring the things to do in Ella is also easier as the Ella Hotels offer the most comfortable and safe accommodations.  As a backpacker, I chose to stay in a hostel on my first visit. However, you can find many budget, mid-range, and luxury hotels in this beautiful hill country town.  So, here is a list of the best hotels to stay in Ella.  What Are The Best Ella Hotels?  I have divided the best Ella hotels into three different categories. So, you will find a good mix of luxury hotels, mid-range hotels, and budget hotels. Furthermore, I have also included the hostels and the eco-stays here.  And here are the details.  1. Luxury Ella Hotels There's a quiet magic when birds sing in the morning, and mist hangs on the tea bushes.  Moreover, Ella has upgraded its luxury offerings, blending colonial roots with modern sustainable design. • Nine Skies: Colonial Elegance Just outside Ella in Demodara, Nine Skies is a five-bedroom tea bungalow restored from old stock.  Furthermore, it sits like a piece of the English Lake District transplanted into the tropics.  Also, you begin your day with a Sri Lankan breakfast and then swim in an infinity pool that stretches over endless tea fields.  Moreover, the lifestyle is classic tea country, wrapped in a dream-like hotel setting. • 98 Acres Resort And Spa: Eco-Luxury Overlooking Little Adam's Peak, 98 Acres stands out as the region's top hotel.  Furthermore, the chalets use upcycled railway sleepers and local granite, with genuine, hands-on design.  Moreover, their spa features treatments with herbs grown on-site. Just a 15-minute walk from the Nine Arch Bridge, it's ideal for morning shots.  So, what else is there to say about this place? • Hide Ella: Modern Panoramic Views Hide Ella sits right into a 60-degree slope.  Every room faces the Ella Gap with clear, sweeping views.  The pool dips into the trees like you are floating through the canopy. It's a clean, sharp design, with no frills. Furthermore, it offers just pure view-focused living.  Why would anyone want anything else in Ella? 2. Mid-Range Ella Hotels For a bed that works, a shower that flows, and a balcony with real views, without the honeymoon price!  Ella's mid-range picks offer the best trade-off. Most focus on the view, which is Ella's strongest selling point. • Chill Ville Viewpoint Hotel It is set into the mountainside, and it is the most welcoming.  Cabins are clean, modern, with wood and concrete finishes.  They even include Yoga mats for stretching in the morning light.  If you want to go early to the Nine Arch Bridge, this is your only real shot, and it's just 800 meters away.  It seems like a good fit for quiet travelers who value space and scenery. • Country Homes Ella  It looks more like apartments than hotels.  Warm pine decor gives each suite a cozy feel.  The wide valley view from your room makes it hard to leave. In particular, when you know breakfast is often brought right to your balcony by the owners.  You get coffee at the same time clouds drift through the gap, arguably one of the most consistent perks in town. • Boutique Vibes: Morning Dew, EKHO, And Tip Top It seems to be a recurring motif in Ella. These hotels offer really amazing views and somewhat old-fashioned rooms.  Morning Dew, EKHO Ella, and Tip Top Boutique Hotel are, to some extent, this kind of hotel.  The furnishings in these places might give the feeling of the 1990s, but the rooftop pools and jacuzzis with a stunning view of Ella Rock offer a 5-star experience.  One of the advantages of choosing Tip Top is that you get the opportunity to see the train passing the Nine Arch Bridge from your private balcony. 3. Budget-Friendly Ella Hotels  Guesthouses once pulsed with life in Sri Lankan tourism.  Staying with a local family still gives the truest view of Ella.  You learn how daily routines move through the village. Nobody makes curry like a Sri Lankan grandmother. • Rowinrich Cottages: The Jungle Hideaway These loft-style cottages sit above a valley wrapped in jungle.  Backpackers find them ideal, glamping without dorm-sharing.  Forest sounds carry through at night.  Sunrises stretch across your terrace each morning. Just be warned: the road up is narrow and full of potholes. It's not easy to drive. • The Original Homestays: Idyll And Chamodya Idyll Homestay opened early in town.  Anil, who once worked on tea plantations, now manages one of Ella's most trusted homes.  Chamodya offers a clear view of Ravana Falls.  Both serve breakfasts packed with string hoppers, dhal, and fresh fruit, more than enough for hiking up Ella Rock. 4. The Hostels In Ella: The Most Happening Social Hubs  Like my trip to Jaffna, I also chose a hostel to stay in Ella.  The hostel scene in Sri Lanka has really taken off over the past few years.  Nowadays, staying in a hostel is not only about finding a cheap bed; it is also about experiencing a community, having superfast Wi-Fi, and going on shared adventures.  • Bunk Station A fairly new place in a peaceful and friendly atmosphere.  It's a quiet location away from the noise, but you can still walk to the town in ten minutes.  • Hangover Hostel Being part of a well-known chain of hostels in Sri Lanka, it is the best place to experience a social atmosphere. You will get AC rooms here, and the location is very central near the train station. • Backpacker's Paradise  If you are looking for the genuine "simple life" experience, you can camp in tents that are set up under thatched roofs.  Moreover, it is a very basic, cheap option, and they even have their own little dogs as residents.  So, what else do you need? 5. Eco-Friendly Stays In Ella  Ella is a place that feels like home.  Furthermore, Ella's environment is delicate, and these eco-friendly stays are actively preserving it. • Living Heritage Koslanda It lies halfway between Ella and Horton Plains.  Over the years, they've restored the forest and prioritized hiring local women, often left out of tourism jobs.  The place feels like a quiet, natural escape. • Arana Eco-Lodge And Yoga Center The lodge sits just ten minutes from town.  Rooms are treehouses built around living trunks.  Moreover, it operates like a forest monastery.  Also, electronics are minimal here. So, you can take part in sessions of Kundalini yoga and meditation here.  Moreover, vegan Sri Lankan meals take center stage here. You disconnect from Main Street noise and return to the wild.

BY  Sibashree Sep 7, 2026

I visited the Gal Oya National Park in 2022, and after a few months of being back in my country, I got a call from my friend in Sri Lanka.  It was December, and he shared the news published on the Daily Mirror Online, which mentioned the threats of illegal mining to the flora and fauna of the national park.  I felt numb, as this was not the Gal Oya National Park I visited. Even if Sri Lanka has icons such as the Yala National Park, for me Gal Oya offered the most remarkable encounters with elephants.  For the first time, I did a safari from a boat, drifting quietly across open water while a herd of elephants waded between islands ahead of us. There was no engine noise to spook them, no queue of vehicles, just the reservoir, the herd, and the sound of water. It felt more like a secret that Sri Lanka preserves so dearly, not a national park.  Gal Oya National Park At A Glance DetailInformationLocationAmpara District, Eastern Province, Sri LankaEstablished1954AreaApproximately 25,900 HectaresCentrepieceSenanayake Samudraya, the Largest Reservoir in Sri LankaKnown forBoat Safaris and Elephants Swimming between IslandsWildlife32 Recorded Mammal Species, including Elephants, Leopards, and Sloth Bears150+ Bird SpeciesBest time to visitDry Season, Roughly May to SeptemberDistance from ColomboAround 300 KM,  Roughly 6 Hours by Road A Reservoir-Built Park With A History Tied To Irrigation The history of the Gal Oya National Park goes back to 1954. It was built to protect the Senanayake Samudraya. This newly constructed reservoir, the largest in Sri Lanka, was part of a major post-independence irrigation scheme in the dry zone of Sri Lanka.  The scale of the reservoir made my boat ride in the park all the more fascinating. It is just open water with forests around.  So, the jeeps on the dusty tracks are replaced by the boats on the serene water.  The landscape around the reservoir was more varied than I expected from a dry-zone park. Forested Hills! Savannah Grassland! Also, there were rocky outcrops that locals call turtleback formations.  Moreover, low grasslands all sit within the park's boundaries, alongside historical sites like the Digha Vapi Dagoba and the Henebedde cave. Wildlife And The Swimming Elephants The most fascinating experience in Gal Oya was watching wild elephants swimming between the reservoir’s islands.  They were moving in search of fresh grazing as water levels dropped in the dry season.  Beyond elephants, the park has around 32 mammal species, including: Leopards Sloth Bears Grey Langurs Endemic Toque Macaque. Also, the park, though not as fascinating as Bundala, has more than 150 species of birds. I could spot the following ones. Painted Storks Ospreys Endemics like the red-faced Malkoha and Sri Lanka spurfowl. I could also spot crocodiles and water monitors along the reservoir's edges. How To Reach Gal Oya National Park? You can take a drive from Colombo to reach Gal Oya National Park via Ampara. The distance is around 300 km, and the journey takes around 6 hours by road.  However, staying in Ampara Town as the base or finding a lodge close to the park’s boat safari jetty is a more reasonable move.  Also, Gal Oya National Park is a natural inland detour from the east-coast surf town, Arugam Bay, roughly 2 to 2.5 hours away. Again, if you are traveling from Kandy, it is 4-5 hours by road via Mahiyangana. So, Gal Oya is a workable stop on a route heading toward the east coast. Gal Oya Entrance And Boat Safari Costs (2026) On top of the park entrance fee, the boat safari itself is typically arranged and priced separately, usually through your lodge or a licensed operator. Remember that access to the reservoir's boats isn't managed the same way jeep permits are at other parks. Also, the boat safari costs around LKR 6000 to LKR 8000.  CategoryApproximate Cost (2026)Foreign Adult (12+)USD 12Foreign Child (6–12 Years)USD 6Foreign Children under 6 Years FreeSAARC NationalsUSD 10 for AdultsUSD 5 for Children between 6 and 12 YearsFree for Children below 6 YearsLocals Adults: LKR 60Children from 6 to 12 Years: LKR 30Children below 6 Years: FreeStudents: LKR 20Boat SafariLKR 6000-8000 A One-Day Gal Oya Itinerary A day at Gal Oya has a different rhythm from most Sri Lankan national parks because here the safari is on a boat and not a jeep.  Here is a structure that works well if you're based near Ampara or the park's eastern lodges. TimeActivity5:30 - 6:30 AMEarly transfer to the boat jetty on Senanayake Samudraya6:30 - 9:30 AMMorning boat safari.It is the best window for elephant sightings near the shoreline. 9:30 - 10:30 AMReturn to lodge for breakfast.10:30 AM - 12:30 PMOptional short trek or visit to the Henebedde cave/Digha Vapi Dagoba area.12:30 - 2:30 PMLunch and rest during the hottest part of the day.4:00 - 6:30 PMEvening boat safari for a second wildlife window and sunset over the reservoir. What Are The Practical Tips For Visiting The Gal Oya National Park?  Boats and slots are more limited than jeep availability at bigger parks. Bring a hat, sunscreen, and a light waterproof layer. Pack a zoom lens or good binoculars as elephant sightings are often across open water rather than at close range on a jeep track. Stay two nights if you can, so you get both a morning and an evening boat safari rather than just one. Combine with Arugam Bay or Ampara for a fuller east-coast itinerary. What Is The Best Time To Visit Gal Oya National Park? May to September, or the dry season, is the best time to visit Gal Oya National Park.  In the dry season, the water level of the reservoir drops. So, all the animals, especially the elephants, concentrate near the remaining islands and water.  Thus, the sight of swimming elephants is more common in this national park than anywhere else in Sri Lanka.  This season is also ideal for birdwatching in Sri Lanka, as migratory and resident species settle around the shrinking waterline.

BY  Sibashree Aug 21, 2026

I saw the Knuckles Mountain Range from a distance, and I knew where it got its name from.  Near Riverston, the ridgeline transformed into a row of rounded peaks with unique folds. The folds further made it look like a clenched fist against the sky. I was expecting an extension of Nuwara Eliya or the charm of Ella in the Knuckles Mountain Range.  However, instead of the tea estates, I got days of cloud forest, leech socks, village guides, and a silence so complete that I could hear my own footsteps on the trail. Also, if you have loved Horton Plains National Park, you will definitely cherish the Knuckles Mountain Range, the less-polished and wilder counterpart. Where The Knuckles Mountain Range Is And The Mystery Behind Its Name The Knuckles Conservation Forest is in the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka. It is between the Kandy and Matale districts and at a distance of around 30 to 40 kilometers northeast of Kandy Town. Furthermore, it stands between the Kandy and Matale districts.   The Mountain Range gets its name from five or six peaks that you can see from certain angles. These peaks, with their folds and unique round shapes, resemble knuckles on a closed fist. However, the local name for the mountain range is Dumbara Kanduvetiya. The name means the "misty mountain range."  Honestly, I could relate to this name more during my visit. On the two days I visited the mountain range, the Sun was not out even when it was 9 AM.  In 2010, the Knuckles Mountain Range got the designation of a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Sri Lankan Central Highlands listing.  It got the designation because of how many distinct climate zones and endemic species are packed into a relatively small area. How To Reach The Knuckles Mountain Range? Most people base themselves in Kandy or the small village of Meemure, Corbett's Gap, or Hunnasgiriya before heading in. I stayed in a homestay near Hunnasgiriya, which cut my morning drive to the trailhead down to about 40 minutes. FromDistanceApprox. Travel TimeKandy30–42 km (depending on trailhead)1.5 to 2 hours by tuk-tuk or carColombo140 km4 to 4.5 hours by carMatale25 km1 hourDambulla45 km1.5 hours There is no train access into the range itself. So, a hired vehicle, tuk-tuk, or your own transport is essentially mandatory.  Roads narrow into single-lane gravel past Loolwatte, and a couple of the approach roads are only comfortable in a 4WD or trail bike during monsoon months. What Makes Knuckles Different From Other Highland Parks If you have already read up on Horton Plains, you will know that the park is essentially a single well-marked loop trail to World's End.  Knuckles is the opposite. It is a sprawling, largely unmarked forest reserve with more than 35 identified peaks and a dozen-plus trail combinations, most of which require a local guide. I hired mine through the Forest Department office near the Wattegama entrance, and I am glad I did. Without him, I would have missed the point entirely where the trail splits toward Deer Park versus the summit route. Flora And Fauna The range spans five distinct climatic zones within a 20-kilometer radius, which is unusual anywhere in the world.  On my hike, I moved from dry-zone scrub near the base, through a submontane forest thick with orchids, into genuine cloud forest by midday, where the canopy dripped constantly even without rain. FeatureDetailsElevation range300 Meters to 1,863 Meters (Knuckles Peak)Endemic plant speciesOver 160 RecordedBird speciesAround 128 Bird Species, including the Endemic Sri Lanka Whistling ThrushNotable wildlifePurple-faced LangurRusty-Spotted CatKandyan DrongoBest known peaksKnuckles PeakGombaniyaCorbett's GapDeer Plateau I did not spot the rusty-spotted cat, and almost nobody does. However, I did have a long, unbothered staring match with a purple-faced langur troop near Deer Park, and the birdlife alone was worth the leech bites. Popular Trails And What To Expect You can choose the loops and trails in the Knuckles Mountain Range based on the kind of experience you want.  The Meemure Loop This is the trail most guides recommend for a first visit. It is a roughly 10-kilometer loop through the traditional village of Meemure, one of Sri Lanka's most isolated settlements. It is still reachable only by a single mountain road.  I spent a night here in a village home, ate red rice and jackfruit curry cooked over a wood fire, and left with a much better sense of why people describe Knuckles as a living landscape rather than just a park. Corbett's Gap And Riverston If you have limited time, Riverston is the easiest win.  It is a short drive-up viewpoint rather than a trek, and on a clear morning the "Bible Rock" formation and the valley below are genuinely dramatic.  I would treat this as a half-day add-on rather than the main event. Knuckles Peak Summit Trail This is the demanding one.  It is approximately a 14-kilometer round trip with a real elevation gain, usually done as a full-day hike starting before dawn.  Expect grassland patches, patana grass ridgelines, and a scramble near the top.  I would not recommend it without a guide or without reasonable fitness. Parts of the descent were harder on my knees than the climb up. TrailDistanceDifficultyTime NeededRiverston / Corbett's Gap1–2 Km ViewpointsEasy2–3 HoursMeemure Loop10 KmModerateFull day / OvernightKnuckles Peak Summit14 km round tripChallengingFull day (Start Pre-Dawn)Deer Park Trail6 KmModerateHalf Day Practical Tips From My Trip Leeches are real and constant in the wetter zones, especially June through September. So, leech socks aren't optional; I learned this the hard way on day one. Weather flips fast. I packed for cold cloud-forest mornings and sweated through humid valley afternoons on the same day. A guide is genuinely necessary for anything beyond Riverston. Trails are not signposted, and the Forest Department requires registered guides for most routes anyway. The best season is broadly February to April and August to September, avoiding the heaviest southwest monsoon rains. Phone signal disappears past Hunnasgiriya on most networks, so download offline maps beforehand. Entry to the Knuckles Mountain Range is free. However, based on the loop you take, the trekking and permit charges will be between LKR 1000 and LKR 2500.  Where To Stay Near The Knuckles Mountain Range? Options are simple by design. This is not a resort destination.  Homestays in Meemure and Loolwatte give the most authentic experience. On the other hand, Hunnasgiriya and Corbett's Gap have a handful of small eco-lodges with better amenities if you want a hot shower after the hike. Knuckles Mountain Range: The Ultimate Remoteness Of Sri Lanka Knuckles won't give you the manicured, easy-access experience of Horton Plains or the tea-country views of Nuwara Eliya.  What it gives instead is a genuine sense of remoteness. I found village life largely untouched by tourism, a forest that changes character every few hundred meters of elevation, and trails that still require a bit of local knowledge to navigate.  If World's End felt like Sri Lanka's highlands on display, Knuckles felt like walking into them.  I am already planning a return trip to attempt the summit trail from the Deanston side, weather permitting.