'Saahithya' – meaning literature in Sinhala –
is a journey of discovery into the literary and creative realms
of this island nation as well as an experience of its varied
landscapes and ancient historical past. The colonial seaside
town of Galle is once again in the initial throes of an artistic
renaissance, offering the prospect of great satisfaction for
all who visit the 2008 Festival between January 16-20. The
2008 Festival will see the 17th century Dutch Fort, a UNESCO
World Heritage Site come alive during the five days of the
festival with poetry, readings, discussions and debate by
day; music and gourmet candlelit dinners by night. We have
selected accommodation with character including the country
home of Geoffrey Bawa, Sri Lanka’s foremost architect
and luxurious boutique hotels housed in centuries old colonial
buildings – all of which showcases the best of Sri Lanka’s
creative talents. Our itineraries are flexible and can be
altered depending on programmes you choose to participate
in at the 2008 Galle Literary Festival.
Holiday highlights
• 2008 Literary Festival and Galle’s
artistic renaissance
• Stay in Lunuganga, Geoffrey Bawa’s inspiring
lifelong creation
• Hill country’s lush tea plantations and gushing
waterfalls
• Kandyan heritage and ancient temples
• Turquoise seas and rural fishing villages of the South
Coast
Itinerary:
Day 1 & 2: Transfer directly to Lunuganga –a
garden retreat that was originally an old rubber plantation
before Geoffrey Bawa transformed it into his personal haven.
Stay here for two nights and experience a retreat that inspired
him and was closest to his heart. The Lunuganga gardens were
a lifelong project and are designed with numerous varieties
of foliage, many pavilions, and statues. Bawa continued to develop
the gardens or almost 50 years – a personal journey which
helped to inspire his creativity. Accommodation profile: Lunuganga, opened
as an exclusive boutique hotel in December 2005, offers guests
a rare opportunity to step inside the private life of one of
the world’s most celebrated architects. After decades
of careful, exquisite, creative thought and design Bawa’s
legacy and perhaps most personal life’s work is today
a wondrous and inspiring place to visit and savour. With astonishing
views and beautiful interiors, with many original Bawa artwork
and blueprints on the walls, a stay in one of Lunuganga’s
six fine suites is guaranteed to be a highlight of any holiday.
The property is only available from Dec to April each year.
For the rest of the year it is handed back to the Bawa Trust
who invite artists each year to use it as an inspired retreat.
Days 3, 4 & 5: Travel along the west coast
to the historic city of Galle to participate in the 2008 Literary
Festival. Check into the Galle Fort Hotel, which began life
as a 17th Century Dutch villa, and is now a fully-restored boutique
hotel offering magnificent accommodation in the heart of the
Galle Fort. We have allocated three nights within the Galle
Fort although the Literary Festival itself continues for a period
of 5 days. Dates can be revised depending on the Literary Festival
activities that you wish to register for. Full details of the
2008 programme will be announced on the festival website http://www.galleliteraryfestival.com
and we recommend that you register early to avoid disappointment.
The historic Galle Dutch Fort is a small walled city with about
300 homes and an old-world feel. It’s well preserved bastions,
public buildings, churches, and lighthouse still remains. Hours
can be spent exploring the maze of narrow streets lined with
quaint houses, Dutch and British period buildings still in use,
the growing collection of art galleries, antique shops and restaurants.
There are some fine beaches just outside of the Fort including
Wijeya, Unawatuna, Mirissa and Hikkaduwa.
Accommodation profile: The renovation of
Galle Fort Hotel is a triumph. The hotel evokes a subtle sense
of colonial grandeur, skillfully updated for the modern age.
The inner courtyard, with a tiny garden and 10-metre swimming
pool, offers a tranquil and exclusive area for guests. But a
sense of history does not mean that the Galle Fort’s guests
will gather dust; far from it. The small bar-cum-verandah cafe
is becoming a favoured meeting point, with the two Australian
owners encouraging a convivial atmosphere where intelligent
opinions are to be shared, not hidden. An exciting restaurant
offers classic Asian-West dishes all made with freshly and locally
bought ingredients.
Days 6, 7 & 8: Today you travel along the
beautiful south coast to Tangalle where you will relax for three
nights at the Last House. Tangalle and the surrounding areas
are renowned for superb unspoiled beaches. Other attractions
nearby includes one of Sri Lanka’s largest wildlife sanctuaries
– Yala -- and a fascinating project to save the endangered
Marine Turtles in Rakuwa. We also recommend an excursion to
the serene and tranquil town of Tissamaharama (or “Tissa”
as it is most frequently referred to) which was the capital
of the ancient Ruhunu Kingdom in the 2nd century B.C. Tissa
is dominated by lakes and gigantic semi-circle Buddhist Dagobas
(temples) that reach majestically to the sky, their brilliant-white
radiance contrasting with the surrounding luminous green paddy
fields and lotus-filled lakes. The ancient jungle shrine of
Kataragama, a pilgrimage site that has great religious and historical
significance for the main world religions, is another interesting
excursion. Each day at specific times, the shrines at Kataragama
come alive when poojas (devotions) are presented to the Gods.
The baskets filled with fruit and flowers, the aromas from burning
incense and oil lamps, the sounds of dashing coconuts, clanging
bells and continuous chanting all combine to provide a mesmerising
experience.
Accommodation profile: Last House is a Geoffrey Bawa
designed private home, so-called because it was Bawa’s
architectural swansong.
It is positioned on an idyllic strip of land
– lagoon on one side, beach on the other. This two-storey
house is designed to take full advantage of the breathtaking
views over the ocean and the cool breezes that flows through.
The beach here is fabulously long, perhaps one of the best sites
in the island.
Days 9 & 10: Today you leave the coast
and journey inland to the southern highlands - a land of misty
mountains and tea covered hills. Here you will stay two nights
at Netherbyres, a century old refurbished plantation bungalow
in Haputale. The surrounding tea estate, spectacular sunsets,
fresh air and the cooling upcountry breeze is ideal for relaxation.
Nearby attractions include Addisham, a Benedictine Monastery
with a century old stone buildings. Several waterfalls including
Dunhinda, Diyaluma, and Ravana Ella, are located nearby.
Accommodation profile: Set amidst a working
tea plantation in Haputale, 4,500 feet above sea level, Netherbyres
is a charming colonial bungalow with surrounding views of the
mountains. The building is designed with stone walls, roof with
oak shingles and working fireplaces. Hours can be spent in the
front verandah taking in the breathtaking views – the
mountain peaks as they peer through the morning mist and the
burnt orange skies of the setting sun – an experience
not to be missed.
Days 11 & 12: This morning you hop on aboard
a train and head to the hill capital, Kandy. Noted as one of
the greatest rail journeys in the world, the dramatic landscape
of the hill country stirs the senses – winding past lush
tea plantations, majestic peaks and rushing waterfalls. Once
in Kandy, check into Helga’s Folly a thoroughly individualistic
slice of art nouveau overlooking Kandy Lake.
Accommodation profile: Helga's Folly, in
the eyes of its owner, Helga de Silva Blow Perera, is not a
hotel but "a n anti-hotel." Helga's grandfather, George
de Silva, architect of Sri Lanka's independence, would never
have imagined that the family hotel would turn out like this.
Its welcoming mood of high-camp will appeal to those seeking
an imaginative alternative to routine hotel life. They will
find it an enchanting and alternative place, decorated by antiques,
family heirlooms, wax-laden candlesticks straight out of a Gothic
novel, and endless flights of fancy.
Days 13: Head to the capital of city of Colombo
for your final night. Check into the Park Street Hotel, a haven
of luxury and relaxation in the heart of the city. We recommend
a relaxing and restful final night before your long journey
back home. For those wanting to explore, several Buddhist temples,
Hindu Kovils, shops, restaurants and nightclubs are all just
a walking distance from the hotel. For a final dinner, we recommend
the characterful Barefoot café or the Paradise Road Gallery
Café. Once the office of the famous architect Geoffrey
Bawa, the Paradise Road Gallery Café maintains its unique
ambience with courtyards, ponds, walkways and open pavilions
and provides for a memorable dining experience with an exceptional
fusion menu and mouthwatering desserts. The premises also serve
as an art gallery that promotes the creative talents of young
local artists.
Accommodation profile: Park Street hotel
is a beautiful Sri Lankan home where the intriguing lifestyle
of its past owners is blended successfully with present day
contemporary chic living. Conceived by Taru, one of Sri Lanka's
foremost fashion and lifestyle designers, this boutique hotel
occupies a 250-year-old colonial bungalow and an adjoining warehouse
spread over an extent of 2-acres of land. The bungalow was the
abode of Sheik Salehbhoy Moosajee, whose family has been prominent
business and social personalities on the island since the 19th
century. His second wife, Begum Zarina Moosajee was a flamboyant
artist, fashion and social icon of the time who added to the
rich and colourful history of this magnificent bungalow.
Day 14: Depart in good time for your flight
home.
Cost: TBC
Package price includes:
• 13 night’s BB accommodation
on twin-sharing basis •
Private airconditioned car and English-speaking
driver for tour and transfers
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'Saahithya' – meaning literature in Sinhala –
is a journey of discovery into the literary and creative realms
of this island nation as well as an experience of its varied
landscapes and ancient historical past. The colonial seaside
town of Galle is once again in the initial throes of an artistic
renaissance, offering the prospect of great satisfaction for
all who visit the 2008 Festival between January 16-20. The
2008 Festival will see the 17th century Dutch Fort, a UNESCO
World Heritage Site come alive during the five days of the
festival with poetry, readings, discussions and debate by
day; music and gourmet candlelit dinners by night. We have
selected accommodation with character including the country
home of Geoffrey Bawa, Sri Lanka’s foremost architect
and luxurious boutique hotels housed in centuries old colonial
buildings – all of which showcases the best of Sri Lanka’s
creative talents. Our itineraries are flexible and can be
altered depending on programmes you choose to participate
in at the 2008 Galle Literary Festival.
