Tom’s Sri Lanka & Maldives Adventure
Recently, Honeymoon Dreams Head of Marketing, Tom, and his fiance, Polly, headed to Sri Lanka and the Maldives . We caught up with him to give you an idea of what to expect on a Sri Lanka and Maldives multi-centre trip.
Landing in Colombo in the afternoon we made the four-hour drive from the airport to our first hotel, and as the light started to fade the hustle and bustle made way for tranquil calm as we headed north for Kandalama.
Built into the rockface and concealed with foliage, the Heritance Kandalama is a true sight to behold. As you make your way through the hotel to its rear you realise truly how special the setting is, with panoramic views of Lake Kandalama just a stone’s throw from the hotel.
Be sure to book a room with a view of lake Kandalama, and for the lucky, a chance to spot wild elephants in the distance as they come for a drink at the lake.
The following morning, and it’s up early for a visit to the iconic Sigirya Lion Rock. It is advised to climb early to avoid the midday heat. The climb, up stone steps, spiral staircases, perilous walkways and metal steps chiselled into the rockface is not for the faint of heart but the rewards are undoubtably worth the endeavour. At the summit of 660ft high, 360 degree view of the rolling hills and never ending forestry await from this former monastery, imperial home and fortress.
A short drive away, through north Habarana, we arrived at Kaudulla National Park. Kaudulla is one of 22 National parks in Sri Lanka, each home to its own array of exotic flora and fauna. At Kaudulla, we were on the hunt for Sri Lanka’s iconic elephants. As our jeep hared through the jungle, we finally reached a clearing and, wow – dozens of elephants right in front of us! We were genuinely dumbfounded by the sheer number of wild elephants we were able to see and how close we were able to get to them as they grazed on the grasslands and washed themselves in the lake. In little over two hours, we saw over 500 elephants in just one small area.
Next, we headed to Nuwara Eliya for our stay at the Heritance Tea Factory. Although not that far away, be warned that due to vast amounts of traffic in Sri Lanka, it takes quite a while to drive anywhere. Thus, we would definitely recommend using a car driver throughout your trip if you want to make as much of your time as possible. Our driver, Dushan, was fantastic, incredibly chatty and helpful with local customs, invaluable advice and ideas for things to see and do.
The drive from the Dambulla area to Nuwara Eliya took several hours, however, it was anything but dull. Quick visits to the Dambulla Cave Temple, Kandy and several stops for picturesque viewing points and photo opportunities made for unforgettable detours along the way. As we ascended the hills into tea country, the landscape transitioned; mist descended and the temperature plummeted. I would advise everyone to pack appropriately as the climate in Nuwara Elyia will certainly remind you of a cool spring back home. As we arrived, we eyed the local Sri Lankans with their woolly hats and rain macs enviously. The area tends to be very chilly and inclement all year round, particularly in the afternoons, something that we weren’t exactly prepared for.
As we penetrated through the mist we reached our next hotel, The Heritance Tea Factory, set upon its own tea plantation. One of the region’s few working tea factory hotels, the Heritance exudes colonial charm and hospitality with its own museum and original factory features. For a very authentic experience be sure to take advantage of the hotel’s tea picking trip and only a few pounds per person. One of the factory’s tea makers will dress you in traditional tea picking finery and explain the art of the perfect pick before you can try it out yourself. Then it’s back to the factory to see how your leaves are transformed into the hotel’s own tea that it sells and exports all around the world.
Rather than take the 3 hour drive to nearby Ella, we decided to take the scenic train. One of the world’s most famous train journeys, it truly is an experience not to be missed as you venture high through the mountains and puncture the hillside fog at high speeds. Hanging out of the open windows and doors against the dramatic backdrop is a unique adventure and picturesque photo opportunity, and a great way to experience the local charm that this amazing country is famous for.
Just a few kilometres from Ella train station, we find ourselves at a much balmier 98 Acres Resort & Spa. This hillside retreat looks directly at Ella rock and Little Adam’s peak across the valley. Many hours can be spent admiring the view from your private balcony or the hotel’s hilltop pool.
A short stroll down to the tracks of the 9 arch bridge is before breakfast and then a short sharp ascent of Little Adam’s Peak; a great way to get the blood pumping first thing in the morning. The top of the peak, a great viewing point to look back at the 98 acres and beyond as the hills interwine everywhere you look.
Now to the coast and our final stop in Sri Lanka, the Jetwing Sea Hotel in Negombo, set upon the golden Indian Ocean sands. This eco-hotel houses its own water distillery and honey factory. Every effort is made to reuse and recycle and it is a great base to explore Negombo and only a 20 minute drive to the airport.
Bye bye Sri Lanka and now we fly onto the Maldives. At just over 1 hour away, the Maldives is fantastic to twin with Sri Lanka, and a very popular combination with our clients. Upon touchdown, you will find Male airport, which is the hub of the country with hundreds of seaplanes and speedboats waiting to ferry excited guests to their chosen paradise island. Each island has its own lounge in the airport where you will wait in comfort, with complimentary food and drink, for your seaplane or speedboat to fill up.
The seaplane is an amazing experience in itself and a great way to whet your appetite as you fly over the myriad atolls and islands scattered across the turquoise waters. For islands closer to Male, a speedboat is often the only option but given the choice, nothing beats the experience of a seaplane to build up the anticipation for the arrival at your island.
We stayed for 5 nights at Finolhu in the Baa Atoll, and on arrival, and throughout your stay, everyone is treated as royalty. As the island is on the larger side, you will notice a constant flow of buggies transporting guests up and down the island. We chose to stay in one of the Ocean villas above the water, which are the furthest away from the centre of the island where all the restaurants are located, however, we never had to wait more than 5 or 10 minutes for a buggy and often chose to walk the 15 minutes instead.
Each of the rooms and villas are decorated in a laid back vintage style befitting the relaxed surroundings. The rooms are vast, and be sure to select the premium all-inclusive, with 4 bottles of wine and an array of other drinks and snacks in your minibar topped up daily, you will certainly never be short of a tipple or two.
There are four restaurants on the island, the Baa Baa Beach Diner is where you will have lunch and breakfast, and if you are lucky you will spot some dolphins in the distance while you eat. It features a buffet offering, with a different theme and array of delicacies every evening.
There is also Kanusan, and up-market Pan-Asian eatery, and BaaHaa Grill, a North African restaurant, both serving delicious evening dishes. During our stay, our favourite place to eat was the Crab Shack, open every day for lunch and one dinner per week. Located at the very of the island, and accessible by boat, this eatery typifies the island relaxed atmosphere serving an impressive variety of local seafood.
Finolhu is considered one of the liveliest islands in the Maldives and although you certainly would not describe it as such general terms, a cool vibe is set throughout the day and well into the night with the resident DJ or live music from the beach bar.
The Baa Atoll, where Finolhu is located, has been designated a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve due to its world renowned coral reef. Just standing on the terrace of your villa or the jetty you can see an amazing array of wildlife; from reef sharks to sea turtles. The resort provides all guests with their own snorkel and fins so you can explore the surrounding house reef for yourselves. The kaleidoscopic range of aquatic life you can see just several feet from the shore is truly astounding.
For the more adventurous, the Manta Ray snorkelling trip run by the island is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see these mercurial creatures, and so many more, in their natural environment. During our stay, we also went on a dolphin cruise and just a few minutes after leaving the jetty, our boat was swarmed by a group of dozens of inquisitive dolphins following us as we sailed around the island.
Although we travelled in the supposed wet season, we only experienced rain on our final day out of the 6, and it certainly did not affect our ability to enjoy this amazing island. On our final day, more miserable than the weather, was the sight of our seaplane arriving to take us home, but we knew the memories of this amazing trip will last a lifetime.