Our Kids Collection Editor, Nadine, had long promised her daughter, Esme, a bucket list trip as a reward for getting through her GCSE exams. They chose to discover Sri Lanka, and had the trip of a lifetime!
Stop 1: Wallawwa, near Colombo
As this was a really special holiday for us both, we opted to have a car and driver in the interests of saving time and maximising what we could see. Tailormade Tours Sri Lanka helped us create an itinerary and provided us with our excellent driver, Roshan, who became a firm friend. They can arrange any length of trip for you, and have great contacts with all the hotels and lodges in the country.
Our first task was to decompress after a long flight and adjust to the heat and humidity by staying one night at the gracious and elegant Wallawwa. Here we had our first taste of yummy Sri Lankan food including hoppers for breakfast, and wandered around the tropical grounds, relaxing poolside under swaying trees, before crashing in our spacious twin room.
Stop 2: Uga Ulagalla, Cultural Triangle
On Day 2 our adventures really began. We headed in a north-easterly direction to Minneriya National Park, where we saw water buffalo, an incredible array of birdlife (look up what a Lesser Adjutant looks like!) and herds of elephant – Esme’s first time seeing them in the wild.
We spent the next two nights at the amazing Uga Ulagalla – a resort-style hotel set amongst rice paddies where you stay in upmarket pool villas. This is a terrific place to base yourselves to discover Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle – a clutch of ancient cities and places of pilgrimage, including 4 Unesco World Heritage Sites, each rooted in Buddhism.
They took us on a scenic drive through the village and local area, ending up by a lake for sundowners and a picnic while birds flew across the setting sun. Dinner was the incredible Kamatha experience, replicating a traditional feast with many small plates of different curries, all cooked over fire in clay pots by two smiley sisters from the village. We did our best to sample 25 dishes, each more delicious than the last, served with local fruit juice concoctions.
After a sumptuous breakfast – we were getting used to early-morning curry by now – we visited Mihintale, where the King was converted to Buddhism in the 3rd century BC. Then on to Unesco-listed Anuradhapura, the political and spiritual capital for 1300 years.
The ancient rock fortress Sigiriya, also Unesco-listed, is a must-see. We were at the base of this eroded volcanic plug by 6am the following day, marvelling at the palace ruins and the 360º views as we ascended to the summit, then the 1500-year old frescoes and mirror wall on descent. We also saw more amazing cave paintings at Dambulla, just down the road. We did feel privileged to have seen such wonders.
Stop 3: Uga Jungle Beach, East Coast
Our next stop was Uga Jungle Beach, a laid-back resort set on Sri Lanka’s unspoiled north-east coast, just 30 minutes from Trincomalee. This part of the country benefits from not having a monsoon during the European summer holidays, so is an ideal spot for families to steal some R&R. Here we swam in the lagoon-shaped pool and the sea, did a fun cooking course with the head chef, ate seafood on the beach, walked along golden sands, and went snorkelling over a nearby reef.
Stop 4: Karpaha Sands, East Coast
The next two nights were similarly beach blissful. Just a couple of hours south on the untouristy east coast, we had heard a lot about contemporary-styled resort Karpaha Sands, where you stay in African safari tents with outdoor showers and private gardens. There’s an infinity pool with a bar and restaurant alongside, overlooking the ocean, a pétanque court and cool sculptures throughout. We had a fabulous cinema under the stars experience one night (Esme chose Slumdog Millionaire), and a mouth-watering barbecue another. The east coast really delivered in terms of relaxation for us both.
Stop 5: Gal Oya Lodge, Gal Oya National Park
We headed inland in search of wildlife encounters, to Gal Oya Lodge, a jungle eco-lodge with a lush backdrop of forested mountains. Here you sleep in thatched bungalows, taking dinner in an open-sided restaurant overlooking the swimming pool. You get a naturalist assigned to you during your stay, ours took us on a night safari (kingfishers in a nest, spiders spinning webs, nightjar roosting) and accompanied me on a bird walk by the local lake the next day. Esme sensibly took an afternoon off from her mum, chilling in the pool with new found friends.
The highlight here is to go on a boat safari to Senanayake Samudraya Lake for the opportunity to see elephants swimming. It was broiling hot as soon as the boat stopped moving, but we did see amazing birdlife including fish eagles, and – very luckily – a young-ish lone male elephant swimming steadily, trunk held aloft like a periscope. Undoubtedly one of our favourite stops on the trip.
Stop 6: The Kandy House, Kandy
In the very centre of the country, Kandy is a unique place. This bustling sacred city marks the southern tip of the Cultural Triangle, and was the last capital of the Sinhalese monarchy before the British took over. We stayed just outside town in The Kandy House, a pre-colonial home turned tranquil boutique hotel with lovely grounds and heritage bedrooms, with views over tropical plantations. We had a hectic afternoon visiting the wonderful Botanical Gardens, took in a cultural show of dancing and fire-eating, and visited the Temple of the Tooth in the extensive Royal Palace Complex, a revered Buddhist relic which draws tourists and devotees in number.
Kandy is also the gateway to Sri Lanka’s Tea Country – where we headed next.
Part 2 of our trip report coming soon!