Green Fairways and Azure Seas

Upon arriving in Sri Lanka transfer to central Colombo. Relax and unwind after your long journey. Next morning, play a round of golf at the Royal Colombo Golf Club situated nearby. This prestigious course is a good introduction to golf in Sri Lanka.

The Royal Colombo Golf Club, built in 1879, is a welcome escape from the hectic city centre. Located in Borella, a short distance from central Colombo, the course is a green oasis accompanied by a clubhouse of colonial charm. Listen to your attentive caddie to avoid the numerous water hazards. Despite being in the centre of Colombo, the course maintains its tranquillity, although the occasional commuter train running along the 6th fairway can prove hazardous to concentration.

Early this morning, transfer by Air Taxi to Victoria located north east of Kandy. The Victoria Golf and Country Resort has a testing course which has regularly been voted as among the most beautiful in Asia. Stay four nights here, golfing and relaxing amidst the magnificent Kandyan hills. For those wishing to experience the ancient Kandyan heritage, trips into Kandy and the surrounding hills can be arranged to your exact specifications.

The Victoria Golf and Country Resort, offers a wide range of facilities including an 18-hole golf course, putting green and practice range, Pro shop and PGA golf academy. Other sports and recreational facilities include bar and terrace dining, floodlit tennis court, Saddle club, riding lesson for adults and kids, and horse safaris. Other facilities include an outdoor infinity swimming pool and an Ayurvedic wellness centre offering a range of relaxing treatments. The surrounding reservoir and central hills are ideal for bird watching. Over 100 species of birds can be spotted on nature trails within the 500-acre estate accompanied by a local expert. Mountain bike trails also provide for much adventure.

The city of Kandy is steeped in history and culture. Interesting activities include: a visit to the Temple of the Tooth where a sacred tooth relic of the Lord Buddha is enshrined; Peradeniya Botanical gardens, with its orchid collection and formally laid-out trees; Kandy's rich ancient arts and crafts including drum making, Dumbara mat weaving and Kandyan dancing and drumming.

Early morning, catch the train from Kandy to Nanu-Oya, a railway station 10km from Nuwara Eliya. This journey is breathtaking as it takes you through the tea country along one of the worlds most spectacular railways. You will enjoy the comfort of First Class (the Observation Carriage). Your driver, with your clubs and luggage, will meet at the station and take you Nuwara Eliya where you will spend two nights.

Nuwara Eliya was made into a summer retreat by the British in the early 1800s and much of its colonial character still remains. The town sprawls over the fertile valley flanked by Mount Pidurutalagala and Single Tree Mountain and is scattered with Victorian-style properties complete with gabled roofs, large open fireplaces, gardens with neatly-clipped lawns and colourful flower beds. Spend two days golfing at the Nuwara Eliya Golf Club. The testing course here was built by a Scottish soldier of the Golan Highlanders in 1889 for the British serviceman and officials stationed here in 1889. Occasionally you may even feel you are playing golf in Scotland, but the course holds many features unique to Sri Lanka. To ensure a successful round you will need to stay clear of the trees that line the tight course, the crags and creeks that bisect the fairways and the remorseless gorse and bunkers that protect the greens. The colonial-style clubhouse and bar is an atmospheric place to enjoy a drink and meal after your round. Little has changed since the founding of the club and you can even enjoy a log fire on cooler evenings.

This morning you will head south to the historic city of Galle where you will spend five nights relaxing by the azure seas and palm fringed beaches – the last two of them in the Fort itself. The drive is long, approximately 6 hours but can be broken up with stops along the way and a number of sites. The journey will be well worth it when you arrive at your selected coastal retreat. Scuba diving is immensely rewarding in Sri Lanka and around Galle there are some of the country's best dive spots. Run by PADI centres, based in Unawatuna diving is suitable for beginners to advanced. Spotting bright corals and exotic fish is easy and there is the opportunity to go both cave diving and wreck diving. Based at Mirissa Harbour, Mirissa Water Sports also offers exciting water sports activities such as sailing, fishing, coastal cruises, river trips, sea kayaking, snorkelling and boating activities. Whale watching excursions into the deep seas are organised by Mirissa Water Sports during the season from December to April when the seas are calm. Galle’s 17th century Dutch Fort, a UNESCO-protected World Heritage site and a melting pot of cultural influences. Several hours can be spent wandering through the narrow streets and along the ramparts and browsing through art galleries and boutique shops.