Waterfalls near Ella - which ones are actually worth visiting and can you swim in them?
I'm spending three nights in Ella and I see waterfalls mentioned everywhere but I can't work out which ones are actually good and which are just tourist stops with a parking lot.
1. Which waterfalls near Ella are genuinely impressive and worth the effort?
2. Can you actually swim in any of them or are they just for photos?
3. How do you get to Ravana Falls and is it as good as it looks in photos?
4. Is Diyaluma Falls worth the trip from Ella or is it too far?
5. Are there any lesser-known waterfalls that locals actually go to?
6. What is the best time of year for waterfall visits - does the monsoon make them better or just make the paths dangerous?
7. Are there any waterfalls you can combine with a hike rather than just driving to a carpark?
I'm travelling from Mumbai and I do a fair amount of trekking back home. Looking for something more than just driving somewhere and taking a photo.
2 Answers
I guide the hill country and I know these falls well. Here's the honest rundown.
Ravana Falls: right on the main road about 6km from Ella town. Easy to find, no walk required, just pull over. It's wide and high (about 25m) and impressive especially after rain. Swimming is allowed at the base pool and people do swim here but it can get crowded and the pool is shallow. Good for photos, not the most peaceful experience. Worth 30 minutes but don't build your day around it.
Diyaluma Falls: this is the one serious trekkers should know about. It's the second highest waterfall in Sri Lanka at 171m. It's about 28km from Ella (40-50 minute drive). There are natural rock pools at the top with incredible views that very few tourists bother reaching. The walk to the top is about 1.5-2 hours and requires some scrambling. The pools at the summit are genuinely special - you can swim in flat natural pools above the waterfall with the valley below you. This is worth a half day.
Liddesdale Falls: much less visited. About 15km from Ella, partly through tea estate land. You'll need a guide or at least ask at your guesthouse for directions. Small but the walk there is beautiful.
Nine Arches Bridge area has a small waterfall nearby that locals use for swimming - ask any tuk-tuk driver.
Best time for waterfalls: November to February when the northeast monsoon is finishing and the rivers are full but the weather is manageable. May to October after the southwest monsoon means maximum water but paths can be slippery and access to some viewpoints is closed.
My recommendation: Skip Ravana if you've seen big waterfalls before. Go straight to Diyaluma and do it properly with the top pool swim.
Diyaluma top pools are not talked about enough. Most people see the waterfall from the road and drive on. If you do the walk to the top, there are 4-5 flat connected rock pools fed by the stream above the waterfall drop. You can swim in them and look out over the valley. We were the only people there for 2 hours. The walk is a bit of a scramble in places and my guesthouse strongly suggested taking a local guide (they arranged one for LKR 1,500). Worth every rupee.
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