Tea, sea & safari

After an overnight at Wallawwa in Negombo, head inland to Ceylon Tea Trails. Located in Sri Lanka’s panoramic Ceylon tea region and bordering the World Heritage Central Highlands, this is the ideal location for trekking and biking against the backdrop of mountains, lakes, winding roads and waterfalls. During your stay, enjoy a private Ceylon Tea Experience with Bernard Holsinger. An interactive and guided experience where guests will taste and learn to identify the unique flavour profiles that give different teas their distinction. Bernard is the resident tea planter at Tea Trails and brings with him a wealth of experience, complemented by a healthy dose of tongue-in-cheek wit.

Intimate clearings in the jungle are the setting for Uga Chena Huts. Bordering a saline lake with ibis and a beach where turtles lay their eggs by moonlight, the property provides accommodation for a maximum of 28 guests in the form of detached private cabins kitted out in rustic fashion. Activities are many and varied – but the highlight here is a private game drive in Yala National Park with its abundance of leopards, elephants, sloths and birds.

A Zen-like tranquility pervades this exclusive property on a picture-postcard cove replete with requisite palm-fringed golden beach. Overlooking the emerald sea is a 47 metre pool, which is in turn overlooked by the panoramic restaurant where local seafood from the Indian Ocean is a speciality. During your stay you'll visit Galle Fort with a local resident and enjoy a cooking experience in Galle.