One of the highlights in the jungles outside Ella is the ultra famous Nine Arch Bridge. This 30 meter high and 40 meter long bridge is one of the most iconic landmarks and sights in Sri Lanka. While this bridge was initially created to transport tea during colonial times, it’s become an Instagram and tourist phenomenon in recent years.
Even though it’s become so touristy, I very much enjoyed visiting this bridge as it is probably one of the most picturesque bridges you’ll find in the world. I came to the Nine Arch bridge as part of my greater Sri Lanka itinerary where I spent almost two weeks traveling this beautiful country.
History of the Nine Arch Bridge
The history of this bridge is fascinating. As with much of the construction happening in Sri Lanka during colonial times, the main purpose of this bridge was to transport tea from the mainland of Sri Lanka to the coasts. The British Government wanted to construct the bridge with steel which was the material of choice in the early 20th century.
As World War I broke out in Europe, much of the steel capacity was diverted back to Europe for the war. The bridge was therefore unfinished for some time. Locals however, took it into their own hands, constructing the bridge with stones and cement which probably left the British baffled.
Nowadays, this train no longer is responsible for much tea transportation. Trains still run across the bridge regularly throughout the day but instead of transporting tea, it’s mostly transporting tourists and locals (but mostly tourists). As well, the bridge itself is a tourist hotspot with people flocking to the bridge to take photos.
Getting to the Nine Arch Bridge from Ella
There are numerous ways to get to the Nine Arch Bridge from Ella.
Walk from Ella Town to Nine Arch Bridge
The simplest is to just walk from town. This will take about 30-40 minutes from the main road. You’ll need to climb down and up a few hills but generally this is not a difficult hike in my opinion. The starting point is in town at this point.
Drive to the car parking lot and walk
If you have a driver with you or do not want to pay the tuk tuk costs to the bottom of the bridge, consider taking it to the car parking lot located here. From here, it is a 15 minute walk through villa and cafes to the bridge. You can see the viewpoint at the end of this walk here.
Take a tuk tuk directly to the train tracks
Another method is to take a tuk tuk directly to the train tracks. As this is a super touristy endeavor, you can expect the prices to be jacked up. I heard of people paying 3,000 LKR for the 10-15 minute tuk tuk ride which would be crazy in any other instance besides this.
Best time to visit the Nine Arch bridge
Without a doubt, the best time to visit the Nine Arch bridge is during the sunrise. The warm colors of the morning really pair well with the aged stone and the nearby tea fields. It’s much easier to take photos as well without the sun shining down unevenly on the bridge.
The morning is also the best time to avoid the crowds as swarms of tourists will come later on in the day.
Visit during the sunrise
Sunrise is generally around 6am in Sri Lanka. I arrived at the bridge just after 6am which means I left my guesthouse around 5:40am to make it in time. This was perfect as there were only a few other tourists around which allowed for getting amazing photos!
From 7am, the tourists start to show up and by 7:30am, it can be very busy. I found the best lighting to be around 6:45 to 7:15am just as the sun was rising above the trees and before it really hit directly onto the bridge.
Time your visit around a train
Taking your photo when the train comes adds a whole different element of excitement.
The train runs multiple times a day across the bridge. There’s no warning signs or people guarding the tracks either so make sure you get out of the way once the train comes!
The train times are as follows
- 6:15
- 6:30
- 9:30
- 11:50
- 12:40
- 15:30
- 16:30
- 17:30
Sri Lankan trains are not the most reliable so these times are subject to change. I would give a little buffer room on both ends of the time to be safe.
How To Take Amazing Photos On the Nine Arch Bridge
The bridge is free to roam and wander as you please. You can walk on the tracks, walk alongside the tracks, or inside the tracks. If you’re feeling brave, you can even sit or walk along the edges of the bridge for that iconic bridge photo shot. We spent a lot of time trying to get the right shot from the bridge and you can see the fruits of that labor in these photos.
The train passes through this bridge multiple times a day with the first train passing through at around 6:30am. I had quite the scare when this happened as I was busy taking photos on the edge of the bridge. The train was full of tourists hanging out the front door like I had done the previous day. There are no barriers or warning either. Some guy who does not work for the transportation department will usually come onto the track and tell people a train is coming.
I suspect this will probably change in the future with more tourists flocking to this ever popular bridge. I can also see more accidents happening with people falling off the bridge or getting struck by the train.
Take photos in the tea plantation
The bridge is surrounded by tea fields which make for an amazing juxtaposition with the Nine Arch Bridge. Next to the bridge on the south side are a few tea fields and a local shop selling coconuts and snacks.
Simply walk a few steps down into the tea fields and you all of a sudden have brand new photo opportunities with the bridge directly in front of you. Don’t take my word for it, simply look at these amazing photos!
Take photos above the Nine Arch Bridge
Finally, you should take some photos overlooking the bridge. The best area for this is the viewpoint directly above the bridge on the north side. The exact location is the “Nine Arch Bridge Viewpoint“. It actually looks like someone lives here but they just let you use the viewpoint to take your photos. They do leave a box for tips however!
Where to stay around Ella and the Nine Arch Bridge
There are countless guesthouses, B&Bs, and hotels in and around Ella and the Nine Arch Bridge. There are also a lot of hotels that have direct view and access to the bridge. On my hike to the bridge, I walked through numerous hotels that had unobstructed views of the bridge and even advertised themselves as having this.
The only downside to staying in an accommodation directly above the bridge is its inaccessibility to the main town. You’ll have to take a tuk tuk every time you want to go to town which can be annoying. If you don’t care about going into the town, then this could be a great option for you. Waking up to the trains passing through this bridge is a sight to behold. There are even capsule style hotels akin to the hotels I found in Petra, Jordan here!
These are a collection of hotels that have direct views and access to the Nine Arch Bridge!
Enjoy the view of the bridge from a nearby cafe
Nearby to the bridge are a collection of many different cafes that offer amazing views. This is a great place to go after your hike to enjoy a morning coffee and a bite. Don’t expect to have Bali style cafes surrounding the bridge but more rustic, local style cafes.
One of my favorites is the Asanka cafe which does a fantastic coffee as well as Sri Lankan specialties like kottu rotti and coconut rotis.
