Undiscovered Sri Lanka is a new Red Dot itinerary designed
for couples and families that want a special holiday that
steers away from sterile accommodation and the well-trodden
tourist trail. We have designed an island holiday that allows
you to enjoy Sri Lanka’s remarkable beauty, amazing
diversity and legendary hospitality. The holiday mixes accommodation
types, from the five-star Kandalama Hotel, to private hill-country
bungalows, tranquil eco-retreats and perhaps the best-located
beach cabanas on the south coast. It mixes cultural insights
with some active adventures and a glimpse of wildlife. It
begins with a journey and ends with several days of lazy relaxation
on a beautiful little-known beach that even the guidebooks
cannot name near Galle. The holiday is special but it is also
extremely good-value because we have used our intimate knowledge
of Sri Lanka to carefully pick-and-choose properties.
Holiday highlights
• Ancient kingdom of Polonnaruwa
• Climbing the ancient Sigiriya Rock Fortress
• Rural temple walk in Kandy hills
• Historic Temple of the Tooth in Kandy
• White-water rafting on gushing rapids
• Watching elephants in Uda Walalwe
• Searching for leopard in Yala National Park
• Staying at Galapita Eco Retreat
• Relaxing on unknown turquoise bay
Itinerary:
Day 1, 2 & 3: Upon arriving in Sri Lanka, transfer direct to Sri
Lanka's famous cultural triangle, an area that offers plenty
to fire both mind and body over the next two days. The journey
will take 3.5 hours from the airport. We have suggested traveling
direct to give you an extra day’s relaxation on the beach
at the end. The lion rock of Mount Sigiriya, ancient city of
Polonnaruwa and Dambulla’s Buddhist Cave Temples are all
UNESCO world heritage sites and are included in your holiday.
Explore these three cultural sites, all set in beautiful scenery,
at your own pace, planning your days with the assistance of
our expert drivers. We also a recommend an elephant trek through
dryland jungle.
Accommodation profile: Kandalama
Hotel is the finest hotel in the cultural triangle. Cleverly
designed by Geoffrey Bawa, Sri Lanka’s most revered architect,
to snake along a rock outcrop overlooking Kandalama tank (ancient
reservoir), the hotel is a naturalists dream. Stroll along its
restful, atmospheric corridors and you may spot a tame monkey,
or some of the 160 resident bird species. And you can experience
it all in the finest comfort. Tasteful bedrooms possess telephone,
satellite TV, mini bar, hairdryer, bath/shower/WC, and all facilities
aim for the highest standards Sri Lanka.
Day 4: After breakfast, transfer to Sri Lanka's hill capital
- the small lakeside city of Kandy. The journey will tale approximately
2.5 hours. In the afternoon, explore such delights as the fabulous
botanical gardens and the Temple of the Tooth, which is said
to hold a holy relic of the Lord Buddha. We can also arrange
an afternoon temple walk with a local guide that gives you a
real taste of Sri Lanka life and Kandy, a proud town. We have
recommended spending one night at Helga’s Folly, a bohemian
and quirky small hotel that sits above the lake.
Accommodation profile:Helga's Folly, in
the eyes of its owner, Helga de Silva Blow Perera, is not a
hotel but "an 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 heady blend of Sixties flower-power and 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.
A restaurant meal can be a minor event and breakfast has been
known to be taken at 2pm. Forty simply-furnished bedrooms are
adequate enough but they lack the sumptuous style and flamboyance
of the public areas, through which Helga may wander in a style
described by The Times as "a benevolent Cruella DeVil,"
complete even with a pet dalmatian. The Stereophonics once wrote
a song in praise of Helgan and, to extend the arty theme, Peter
Finch and Vivien Leigh had such a theatrical row here that Leigh
shredded a bible in fury over Finch's lack of long-term commitment.
Day 5 & 6: The morning railway journey upwards towards Hatton
through the dramatic landscape of the southern highlands stirs
the senses, a land of lush tea plantations, majestic peaks and
rushing waterfalls. The journey will take about 3 hours and
in the early afternoon you will arrive at the Summerville Bungalow
nestled among the hills of the Dickoya region over 5,000 feet
above sea level. Spend your time there savouring the views and
walking in the tea plantations.
Accommodation profile: The Summerville
bungalow was originally built for British tea estate managers
in the days of the Raj. Situated high above the reservoir lake
at the edge of a tea plantation, it is a perfect getaway. The
neo-traditional furniture of the rooms/suites provides a sensitive
balance of the classical and the contemporary. Some suites open
to private gardens and all have easy access to a cozy lounge
warmed by a roaring log fire. For the more active, there is
trekking, biking, kayaking, white-water rafting, rock climbing,
paragliding and golf. A ‘Tea experience’ is also
offered providing interesting insights into one of Sri Lanka’s
most important export commodities.
Day 7:
Leave the hills for Uda Walalwe, the best national park in the
island for seeing elephant. Check into Centauria, staying in
one of their new lake-front villas. During the afternoon you
might like to visit the Elephant Transit Camp, a small but important
programme set-up on the Born Free Model which rehabilitates
injured or orphaned wild elephants and releases them back into
the wilderness. The next morning you will go for a dawn game
drive in Uda Walalwe national Park.
Accommodation
profile: The Centauria Hotel lies on the edge
of a lake, close to the small town of Embilipitiya, and just
south of the Uda Walawe National Park. The property is a simple
two-star hotel, with 51 rooms, and is valuable for its basic
comforts and close proximity to the national park.
Day 8 & 9:
After a morning game driver, transfer to Galapita, a wonderful
eco-retreat close to Yala National Park in Sri Lanka’s
southeast corner. Galapita is blessed with one of the most beautiful
and tranquil locations of any property in the island. Sip a
cold beer in the tree-house sitting overlooking paddy fields
and countryside – a magical setting at sunset. Hours of
fun can be enjoyed in the Gem River. The property is also close
to Yala National Park where, if you are lucky, you may catch
a glimpse of a graceful leopard, now seen with increasing frequency.
Accommodation profile:Across
Galapita bridge, your world may change. Your bedroom on stilts
will be one of four huts perched on the rocks by the river.
It will have a straw roof, bamboo walls, a futon bed, mosquito
nets and a little driftwood furniture, nothing much else. It
might be the Tree House that peers over paddy fields. Galapita
is one of the island's best hideaways, a property blessed with
a stunningly beautiful location and a relaxed atmosphere.
If you need to unwind and recharge away from the stresses of
modern world then this is the place for you. Families, too,
will love Galapita because the surrounding countryside will
keep children enthralled for hours. However, children aged under
eight should be watched carefullt because of the river. Galapita
only offers vegetarian food but the rice and curries are mouthwateringly
good.
Day 10 & 14:
The journey southwards continues to Galle, one of our favourite
corners in this magical island, for a five-night beach stay.
Galle is surrounded by beautiful small bays, most untouched
by large hotels, but the area offers so much more than a beach
holiday: the Galle Fort, a UNESCO-protected World Heritage site
and a melting pot of cultural influences, for example.
Excursions can be made inland too to see rural temples. There
are several excellent restaurants in the local area. We’ve
recommended staying at Rockside, an undiscovered cabana-style
property right on the beach. The beach, protected by a coral
reef, is popular for swimming and surfing. You may like to explore
the local area too. There are also lovely beaches just south
of Galle, including Unawatuna and Mirissa that are also well-worth
visiting.
Accommodation profile: Rockside Cabanas
is situated on a beautiful stretch of coastline not far from
Thalpe, a small town which is a few kilometres to the east of
Galle. The set up here is simple: good-sized wooden cabins are
nicely spaced apart and perched on the sand, equipped with beds,
balconies and bathrooms. With the feel of fine sand, the smell
of sea-air and the sound of lapping waves, this is very natural
way to relax, let go of the western world and get stuck in to
Sri Lanka.
Day 15: Depart in good time for your flight
home. The journey to the airport direct from Galle
Cost: TBC
Package price includes:
•
Return flight with SriLankan Airlines • 14 night’s BB accommodation
on twin-sharing basis • Airconditioned car and
English-speaking driver for tour and transfers
(excludes
Galle Stay) • Entrance: Dambulla, Sigiriya
Rock, Polonnaruwa, Temple of the Tooth • Elephant trek in Cultural
Triangle • Whitewater rafting expedition
in Kitugala • Entrance and jeep hire
for Uda Walalwe and Yala (one game drive each)
Red Dot's Sri Lanka holidays and Sri Lanka tours
are ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority as long as you buy Sri Lanka
flights from us. So, for full protection on your Sri Lanka holiday book your Sri
Lanka flights with Red Dot, as well as your Sri Lanka accommodation. Red Dot has
the largest selection of Sri Lanka hotels, villas and guest houses at competitive
prices and offers independent advice and flexible itineraries. Trust Red Dot for
your holiday needs in Sri Lanka, Kerala and the Maldives. ATOL protection extends
primarily to customers who book and pay for their Sri Lanka tours or Sri Lanka
hotels in the United Kingdom. [ Check
our licence ]
Undiscovered Sri Lanka is a new Red Dot itinerary designed
for couples and families that want a special holiday that
steers away from sterile accommodation and the well-trodden
tourist trail. We have designed an island holiday that allows
you to enjoy Sri Lanka’s remarkable beauty, amazing
diversity and legendary hospitality. The holiday mixes accommodation
types, from the five-star Kandalama Hotel, to private hill-country
bungalows, tranquil eco-retreats and perhaps the best-located
beach cabanas on the south coast. It mixes cultural insights
with some active adventures and a glimpse of wildlife. It
begins with a journey and ends with several days of lazy relaxation
on a beautiful little-known beach that even the guidebooks
cannot name near Galle. The holiday is special but it is also
extremely good-value because we have used our intimate knowledge
of Sri Lanka to carefully pick-and-choose properties.
