Tea plantation in Sri Lanka with kids
After a few days by the ocean in Negombo, we moved inland to a completely different landscape – the tea plantation around Nawalapitiya.
And this was one of those moments where you really feel how diverse Sri Lanka is.
We stayed on a tea plantation where, apart from the accommodation itself, you can take part in different activities like tea tasting or tea picking. And it was really great.
Tea picking & life on the plantation with kids
We were shown around by the owner of the plantation, which made the whole experience even better.
We picked tea leaves together with local women, wearing traditional scarves – the kids loved it. While walking around, the owner showed us so many different plants and spices growing nearby and explained everything in a really engaging way.
The best part? His 12-year-old son was helping him and had so much knowledge as well. It didn’t feel like a “tour”, more like being invited into someone’s everyday life.
From leaf to cup
After picking the leaves, we went through the whole process:
- rolling the leaves ourselves
- letting them oxidize
- and finally drinking the tea we had just picked
It’s such a simple thing, but it completely changes how you look at tea.
We also did a tea tasting and tried around 10 different types. The differences in flavor are much bigger than I expected.
Where we stayed in Nawalapitiya with kids
We stayed at Tea Cottage Resort & Spa – a really nice place located on the tea plantation.
- small houses surrounded by greenery
- very peaceful, definitely “in the middle of nowhere”
- super friendly staff
- good food (the daily curry was really worth it)
There’s also a spa and a range of tours you can join, so it’s easy to stay longer and explore more from there.
All posts about our trip to Sri Lanka you can find here.
