Sri Lanka is a beautiful country, rich in heritage and culture, and the newest addition to the Tropic Breeze portfolio. As we pride ourselves on our first hand knowledge it was important for one of the team to get out and explore and so, last month, Jess had the opportunity to spend some time travelling around the country. Below she shares her experiences of this unique part of the world.
The Cultural Triangle
After a comfortable flight and warm welcome from our local representatives at the airport, Jess made her way to Sigiriya Water Gardens, located within the stunning Cultural Triangle. This was to be home for the next two nights and her base to explore the historic sites located nearby.
Jess was impressed with the beautiful grounds at Sigiriya Water Gardens and with the sense of peace and tranquillity offered by the individual villas. These are dotted throughout the hotel’s gardens, and some feature private pools.
Now, time to explore!
First stop was the famous Sigiriya Rock and Jess wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to climb the 349 metre landmark to take in the breathtaking views. She would highly recommend doing this in the early morning when the temperatures are lower and it is less busy.
Moving on to Anuradhapura, another UNESCO World Heritage site, she hopped on a bike for a cycle tour, learning about the fascinating history and culture with a private guide. Her last stop of the day was Dambulla and it’s iconic cave temples, housing over 150 Buddha statues and paintings.
Kandy and Tea Country
Making her way south towards Tea Country Jess enjoyed a stop in the hills just north of Kandy, staying the night at the beautiful, Santani Wellness Resort. She was impressed by the excellent dining and enjoyed the no menu concept which she felt gave the resort a more personal touch. The resort also offers daily guided nature walks which are very popular.
Upon leaving Kandy Jess travelled by road to Hatton where she boarded the train for what was to be her favourite part of the trip. The 90 minute journey through Tea Country to Nuwara Eliya was simply stunning!
For an authentic experience Jess recommends travelling in second class, where windows and doors are open, and you can really soak up the atmosphere. Refreshments can be purchased on the train and, if you prefer a little more luxury, air conditioned first class carriages are also available.
From the station, a short drive brings you to Goatfell. This small manor house style hotel has just 4 bedrooms and boasts beautiful gardens with an infinity pool and croquet lawn, the perfect place for an afternoon G&T. Jess found the service and food at this hotel exceptional.
Galle and the South Coast
Continuing south to the coast, Jess was quite surprised by the change in temperature from the cool climate of Tea Country. She soon acclimatised with a bike ride around the outskirts of Galle, taking in canals and rice fields as well as plenty of birdlife and even a few buffalo along the way.
Galle itself is an interesting place to visit, with Galle Fort being a UNESCO World Heritage Site and steeped in history. It also offers a great spot for anyone wanting to do a little bit of shopping and is home to Fort Bazaar, a chic and stylish boutique hotel in an excellent central location.
Having visited, Jess felt that a short stay at Fort Bazaar could work really well with a stay at her next stop, Kumu Beach, which was her personal favourite. Located a little further along the coast Kumu Beach has ten rooms and suites, all with thoughtful and modern décor and most with views over the stunning beach.
Jess loved the pool area with it’s comfy loungers and was really impressed with the attention to detail at this hotel. The daily happy hour in the garden between 5pm and 6pm was a relaxed and enjoyable way of meeting other guests.
The West Coast
The west coast offers the perfect spot for a few days of rest and relaxation, and Villa Bentota works perfectly for this. Small and boutique with a mixture of guest rooms and spacious suites, its gardens are incredibly well looked after. It also has a contemporary pool area and is just a short walk to the beach.
One quirky feature of this hotel that Jess loved was the railway line running between the gardens and the beach. She noted that trains didn’t cause any problems with noise at night, but it was something very unique to see in the daytime.
Departing the west coast Jess made one more stop before heading home. Just to the north of Colombo, Wallawwa is a 15 minute drive from the international airport and is set within lush tropical gardens. With a relaxed atmosphere and just 18-bedrooms, it is very different from a typical ‘airport hotel’.
Jess felt the hotel would make the ideal stop for guests either at the beginning or end of their stay, giving them somewhere peaceful to recharge in such a convenient location. Finally, Jess headed to the airport, with a new country ticked off the list and plenty of stories to share!
At Tropic Breeze we specialise in using our personal knowledge of each hotel to offer the best recommendations based on our extensive experience of the Caribbean and Indian Ocean. If you would like further information, please call us on 01752 880 880 or email info@tropicbreeze.co.uk
Author KatieCategories News