Trip Overview:
Our welcome into Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport was so special. We were greeted with traditional flowers and dancers by the team at Aitken Spence and our tour guide Rav.
Jetwing Blue, Negombo
We drove to our first stop in Negombo for a little lunch and refreshing drinks at the hotel, Jetwing Blue. The sea breeze was a much-welcomed delight during our lunch. This hotel had the most stunning location right on the beach!
Cinnamon Lodge Habarana
We arrived at our hotel, Cinnamon Lodge Habarana quite late in the day, it was already dark, and the hotel grounds were all lit up with garden lights. It was stunning. We were welcomed with refreshing fruit drinks and given our room keys. The rooms, being Private villas were gorgeous and very spacious with a full-sized bath. After we settled in, we met up for dinner which was served as buffet style and the choice was brilliant. There was definitely something for everyone, and the traditional foods were a real treat! The hotel staff were very attentive at keeping drinks coming.
The next day, we had an early morning start for our hike to Rock Sigiriya. Our tour guide Rav suggested a 5am start to complete the climb, as this would be the coolest temperature wise, and we had to agree, this was a great decision! Climbing the rock took around 1hour 30min and was so worth it – we had the most stunning views.
After our hike, we went back to the hotel for a lovely breakfast – the egg hoppers are delicious, definitely a must-try when in Sri Lanka! We then had a quick shower before checking out and heading off to the Buddhist Temples. This was such a spiritual experience. While wandering around the ruins, the place was filled with white butterflies. Something to make a note of is you have to cover your knees and shoulders, and to take off any hats and shoes before entering.
After a long day, we stopped off at a little rice paddy where the family cooked us a traditional Sri Lankan lunch. The food was cooked fresh and was absolutely amazing. I think clients would really appreciate these little touches for traditional and authentic dining.
Heritance Kandalama
Our second hotel, Heritance Kandalama, was situated in the jungle and the architecture was outstanding! We were again welcomed with refreshing drinks and given our rooms. The bathrooms were amazing! You feel like you are showering outside in the jungle.
Monkeys roaming around the property make it such a unique experience, and very exciting, just do not leave the patio door open as they do come into the room and they love to pinch fruit!
We enjoyed a lovely cocktail at the infinity pool which had the most breathtaking views. And then we had a tour of this beautiful hotel and a lovely dinner before bed.
The next day, we had another early morning start. On this day, we were off on an Elephant safari which was just magical. The guys at the safari really put out all the stops to make this trip memorable. The elephants where stunning to watch and so close!
Sun Siyam Pasikudah
We then arrived at our third hotel, The Sun Siyam Pasikudah. This hotel was out of this world! They greeted us with drinks and cool face cloths, and we were treated to a 5-star lunch overlooking the hotel grounds and the beach. The grounds of this hotel are stunning, and the staff could not be more helpful. We were very well looked after.
During our stay at Sun Siyam Pasikudah, we got to enjoy private villas, which was incredible! While we stayed at the Sun Siyam we were treated to a tour of the hotel, a cooking class on the beach and lunch with our feet in the sand. Treatments at the spa, dance classes and we even got to watch some coconut weaving! We had a BBQ on the beach and some karaoke too. The whole experience was really special, and the staff would go to any lengths to make your stay enjoyable. I could not recommend this hotel enough!