Can you travel to Sri Lanka with babies and toddlers?

Yes, you absolutely can! 

If you are travelling to Sri Lanka with young children, then keeping the amount of travelling to a minimum is essential. At the same time it is a shame to simply do a fly and flop as there is so much more to Sri Lanka than lovely beaches. And knowing that nothing is more than a few hours away makes traveling with young kids seem doable.

There are medical facilities all over the country in case of an emergency, there is a variety of food available and there are plenty of baby shops in the cities to buy any supplies that you need (though the quality of nappies might not be the best).

If you’re worried about visiting Sri Lanka with a baby, don’t be! Sri Lankans love babies and in many cases a young kid can be the biggest tourist attraction around with locals lining up to say hello! 

Some words of advice:

• Don't be afraid to spend a bit more money on accommodation. You would proably need facilities such as a bathtub, somewhere to sterilise bottles and a place for the kids to sleep (you might not get offered a baby cot, so think about taking a light, portable travel cot with you).
  
• It’s recommended you bring a carrier with you, because with lots of stairs and roads and iffy sidewalks, a stroller would be more problematic than useful. 
• Most of the vehicles you will use likely won’t have seat belts in the back or room for a car seat, keep that in mind. 
• Be especially cautious of mosquitoes than usual. 
• If you’re travelling with a toddler, skip the glass bottom boat tours. Constantly looking down can make a toddler dizzy and the coral reefs off of Hikkaduwa are severely damaged and not worth the hefty prices quoted to tourists.

Your child might not remember the trip in years to come but it can be amazing for their development. It will leave you with fantastic memories that you can share with them when they’re older.