Travelling to Ella as a solo female..
Ella was one of the places I was most excited about visiting in Sri Lanka. Every Sri Lanka travel blog and article highlighted Ella as a must visit destination, with its variety of hiking trails through stunning scenery.
Getting here..
If coming from the North arriving to Ella by train is the most popular amongst the backpackers.
The Kandy to Ella train journey is one of the most famous in Sri Lanka for its jaw dropping views. Whether you travel first, second or third class you’re guaranteed a rather special experience. See my blog post about my train travel to Ella here. As a female I felt perfectly comfortable and safe travelling by train in Sri Lanka.
Where to stay in Ella..
Ella is extremely popular with tourists and as a result has a huge variety of guest houses, hostels and hotels to cater for the traveller.
Personally I would recommend staying slightly out of the centre itself. When I say centre, there isn’t a centre as such, there’s one small busy street filled with restaurants, shops and a few bars.
My first night I stayed in the most adorable guesthouse – The Mango Shadow Inn which I highly recommend.
I needed a decent room to relax and get a good nights sleep and so splurged slightly. When I say splurged I mean I spent £20 for the night so not exactly breaking the bank! This is the perfect place to come, recharge your batteries, read a book and go for walks.
It is located up a steep hill away from the busy Main Street on a path with the pleasant name of waterfall road. I opted to take a tuk tuk rather than walk. Lazy, moi?!
The breakfast was unbelievable, and I got to try the local specialities. My favourite were the Sri Lankan pancakes rolled up with a sweet coconut filling inside, they were delicious! They tasted even better with the fresh air and a view..
The sweet old man running the guesthouse was so kind and helpful. This was exactly how I imagined Ella. A perfect retreat away from the crowds.
For my next two nights I booked the highly rated Hangover Hostel.
One of the reasons I booked it was because of its free yoga classes -with all the sitting on trains I felt some yoga would help stretch my muscles out.
Annoyingly, they weren’t actually running while I was there. I found myself wishing that I’d just booked a random little guesthouse up in the hills for the two nights. Ah well, you live and learn!
If you’re feeling a bit lonely and in need of socialising it is easy to meet other backpackers here though, it seemed to be where all the solo travellers end up!
Go on.. treat yourself..
For those with cash to splash who appreciate the finer things in life, check out the fabulous five star 98 Acres Resort. This luxurious retreat is truly stunning. The accommodation is made up of cabins set in the hillside overlooking beautiful views. Some even have their own pool. There’s an on-site spa where you can indulge in a massage after all the hiking.
Things to do in Ella:
Hikes in Ella
One of the most popular things to do in Ella is to go for scenic walks.
Hike up Little Adam’s Peak
This is one of the most popular walks around Ella. I used google maps on my phone to find the way. From the centre it takes about an hour or so each way.
The scenery en route and at the top is beautiful. 
Another top tip: Stop off at the five star 98 acres resort on your way back for a drink and a bite to eat!
I highly recommend the veggie burger which comes with coleslaw and fries. I also indulged in a wine, cocktail and a mocktail. I really didn’t want to leave! Unfortunately it is out of my price range at 100,000 rupees a night- about £450.
Walk to Nine Arches Railway Bridge
After Little Adams peak you can continue onwards to the Nine Arches bridge, a famous viewspot.
There’s a little refreshment stop where I sat and had a coke and watched the trains go by.
You can also walk to it other way from Ella train station along the rail tracks which is how I walked back to Ella. You literally follow the railway line until you get to Ella station.
This is a very touristy spot and full of instagrammers. There were some women in frilly white dresses posing for their tinder profile pics or whatever else, and others perching on the edge of the bridge with a sheer drop over the side. I mean I know we all love a good photo but honestly some people take it so seriously and have a full on photo shoot.
Ravana Falls…
About ten minutes away from the centre are some waterfalls which are a popular spot to have a dip and cool off. I had to laugh when the local guys brought their soap and were having a full on wash in public- lathering their whole bodies, back, sack and crack! Swishing their hair like a Timotei advert. Not a care in the world!
To get here just catch the public bus which costs a mere 25 rupees which is about 10 pence. It’s an experience on the winding cliff side roads. In fact when it almost collided with an oncoming truck it was a near death experience.
Hike up Ella Rock
One of the most popular treks is upto Ella Rock.
I didn’t do this so can’t comment but check out this blog for details.
Where to eat and drink.…
Can I get vegetarian food?
Being a vegetarian, well pescatarian to be precise as I do occasionally eat seafood, travel can sometimes pose a problem and be rather limiting. Luckily Sri Lanka has an abundance of vegetarian food- most menus have vegetarian options and some cafes are solely vegetarian. You can usually get a veggie curry wherever you go.
There are a range of places to eat. Matey hut is a popular cheap option. I just tried random places…
Where to drink alcohol.
Alcohol isn’t served everywhere. Sri Lanka has strict licensing laws. The places I enjoyed a white wine in the centre were Chill restaurant (head upstairs for a cool atmosphere at night) and Dream restaurant. 360 restaurant also served wine, beer and a few cocktails.
However, my favourite spot was at 98 acres resort restaurant after my walk up Little Adam’s Peak. The drinks menu is more extensive than most other places in Sri Lanka and the views are second to none. I stayed here for hours!
Where to get coffee.
The local coffee was widely available. Although many places advertise cappuccinos and Americanos, when you go in they will often say “no sorry”. You can always stick to the famous Ceylon tea grown in the region (amazing by the way).
If you’re desperate for your morning American style latte, then it can be found at ‘Starbeans’ on the Main Street, haha yep it is called starbeans, although I only came once as felt it was overpriced. I resented paying the high prices and always feel slightly embarrassed sitting in the overpriced Western joints. I always wonder what the locals must think of us.
What’s the local nightlife like?
What nightlife?! Head to Chill, dreams or 360 for a few low key drinks before bed.
Is Ella safe for solo female travellers?
I felt totally safe and didn’t have any problems at all.
I always dress covering legs and shoulders to avoid attracting unwanted attention. The local people are extremely friendly and kind in my experience. Everybody says hello and are very helpful. They welcome tourists and don’t (yet) seem jaded by tourism or try to take advantage e.g. by overcharging by crazy amounts.
Is Ella worth visiting?
It is beautiful scenery but so was pretty much everywhere I’d passed on the train.
I’m sure you can find just as, if not more beautiful spots that aren’t as well known. However, sometimes you just want the convenience of being able to get a cocktail or a coffee with ease. There’s plenty to do here, although it is a bit too touristy for my liking. Nothing here is undiscovered.
However, if you do come to Ella, stay out of the main strip and get a cute, local guesthouse with an amazing view!
I highly highly recommend The Mango Shadow Inn, but if it’s booked don’t worry- there are plenty of others.
Many aren’t even advertised online. If I’d done this for the full duration of my stay I think I would have enjoyed my three days even more.
For more information about Ella check out this website: https://www.visitella.com
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Thanks for reading!!
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