Ella: My Favourite Place in Sri Lanka

I loved Ella. It was undoubtedly my favourite place in Sri Lanka, and although I loved the waves in Mirissa, and eating a candle lit dinner on the beach, nothing seemed to be able to top this place. The drive up from Tissa was beautiful and stopping off at the incredible Ravana Falls was the perfect introduction to a place that shimmers with natural beauty.

'I got weirdly excitable when I grabbed my jumper'

The colder climate gave me a new lease of life, especially after spending the majority of our time in Sri Lanka in fan rooms. I got weirdly excitable when I had to reach to the bottom of my backpack to grab a jumper I'd not put on since we left England four months earlier. The accommodation we stayed in was slightly out of the centre of town, up a mountain. It wasn't too far to walk into the city centre, however we are definetly not fit enough to walk up it. Though, we have seen others conquer it, backpacks and all.

'An unbeatable view out to Ella Rock and Little Adams Peak'

The views from the top were unreal, it felt incredible to wake up to see the clouds running off the mountains towards the horizon. Our favourite place we stayed was called 'La Ciel' which had just opened as we were their first guests. The family prepared food for us which was really tasty and authentic, nothing seemed too much trouble. Plus, the room was spotless with an unbeatable view out to Ella Rock and Little Adams Peak as well as a nearby waterfall.

There's loads of restaurants to go to in Ella, with actually really good western food. We grew accustomed to the Sri Lankan breakfasts though, and preferred it to the continental alternative. 'Chills' had a really nice laid back atmosphere, and really good looking pizzas, but there are plenty to choose from. The town itself is quite small, but it's got everything you need if you're only staying for a few days.

'walking through people's homes and back gardens'

We climbed Little Adams Peak twice because the views from the top were so good, and we enjoyed the sunset on the second day which makes for a romantic spot - if only it wasn't so busy. We also went to the Nine Arch Bridge, although we are convinced we took the alternative route from the town. We ended up off roading - walking through people's homes and back gardens on our way down to the bridge. Although everybody was friendly, it was slightly awkward. Again, the bridge was pretty busy as we went in the afternoon but if you're prepared to get up early then you'll be rewarded with the peace and quiet. Thankfully, we found the conventional route back into town, which was through the woods. If you're into rugged landscapes, steep sweaty hikes up mountains and the cooler alpine air then you'll probably like Ella as much as I did.

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