Our special places
We design holidays tailored to your priorities. Please contact us to discuss any destination.
Ancient Buddhist Capitals and The East Coast
On arrival in Colombo transfer to the Wallawwa hotel for your first night. The following morning you will be met by your chauffeur guide for the drive to Kandy – the first stop on your tour of the Cultural Triangle.
Kandy is the old capital of Ceylon and the seat of the last Singhalese Kingdom. Visit the Temple of the Tooth where the sacred tooth of Lord Buddha is enshrined. Spend 2 nights at The Kandy House, a luxury hotel 20 minutes outside the town. Whilst here you should also visit The Royal Botanical Gardens of Peredeniya, planted by the British, and considered to have one of the most valuable collections of plants in the world. There are numerous art and craft centres, antiques and clothes shops, and Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is a short drive away.
Continue north to Sigiriya and have 3 nights at the wonderful Vil Uyana hotel. From here you can explore 3 of Sri Lankas most important cultural sights – Sigiriya, Dambulla and the ancient city of Polonnaruwa.
Rising 200 meters up from the plains, Sigiriya Rock (or Lion Rock) was one of the most shortlived, yet fascinating citadels of ancient Sri Lanka while nearby Dambulla consists of five magically lit caves which feature remarkable hand carved statues and colourful murals representing the life of Buddha. Further afield is Polonnaruwa, an ancient city which originates as far back at the 4th Century. The city was at the height of its power in the 12th Century after its armies repulsed the Chola invaders who came from India. It is by far the most intact and impressive of the ancient cities with its unique irrigation complex, ruins of palaces and the king's council chambers. Also found here are the Royal Citadel, Royal Pavilions and Relic Houses lavished with moonstones, guard stones and sculptured writings as well as exquisite statues of Buddha. In 1982 it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and work continues on minor excavations and renovation work. Bicycles can be hired to explore the vast site at your own pace on two wheels.
Break your sightseeing with a side trip to the Nilaveli Beach Hotel located north of Trincomalee on the east coast. Here, unlike the west coast, you will find fine white sand beaches and turquoise coloured waters that offer great snorkelling opportunities. A stay of at least 5 nights is needed to justify the somewhat lengthy journey but we are convinced you will be well rewarded with what is currently a relatively undeveloped part of the country.
Returning back towards Colombo break your journey with a stay at Ulagalla Resort near the ancient city of Anuradhupura. Dating back to 6th century BC, Anuradhupura is regarded as the cradle of ancient Sinhala civilization and is close to the temple complex of Mihintale where Buddhism first originated on the island. Anuradhapura's monuments and gleaming white dagobas rise out of the jungle and show a very advanced ancient civilization. It boasts one of the oldest dams in the world and the sacred Bo tree, the oldest historically documented tree in the world.
A final night back at The Wallawwa awaits or, should you wish to extend your holiday, you could head south to Galle for a stay in this wonderful colonial fort town.
If you would like a quote or wish to discuss your plans further please call 0207 359 3938 or email Matt and we can put together a tailormade trip of a lifetime.
Philip and Henrietta recently spent their holiday revisiting the Hill Country and the Tea Plantantions, which are highlights of many of our clients trips to Sri Lanka. They also ventured over to the East Coast and were wowed by the history, and by the beaches. Read about it here.
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