By Katie James, Brides
This Southeast Asian island nation,
located just off the tip of India, has been the subject of much buzz in
recent years, quickly becoming one of the world's most up-and-coming
destinations. And with good reason: A Sri Lankan honeymoon
guarantees an epic journey because nowhere else in the world can you
experience such a wide array of cultures and experiences in one compact
destination.
[post_ads]Everywhere you go leads to discovery: ancient temples in
the Cultural Triangle, artist havens in Kandy, tea plantations in
Ceylon, palm-lined beaches in Tangalle, colonial-era buildings in Galle,
leopards on safari in Yala National Park, and metropolitan grandeur in
Colombo. For years, the island nation was unsafe for western travelers
due to decades-long civil war, but since peace was finally achieved in
2009 and political and economic climates have stabilized, Sri Lanka is
once again booming. Couples can spend anywhere from 10 days to two weeks
exploring all this island nation has to offer, but most of today's
honeymooners pair a Sri Lankan itinerary with a stay in the Maldives,
the Indian Ocean archipelago famed for its luxe private-island resorts.
No matter how much time you have, it's easy to pick and choose your
perfect honeymoon using this overview as a starting point.
Know Before You Go
Given
that tourism is still developing on Sri Lanka (intra-island flights and
highway infrastructure are scarce), it's essential to enlist an expert
travel advisor to help plan your honeymoon. No one knows Sri Lanka
better than Jen Boyd, a Boulder, Colorado–based travel specialist at ATJ (Asia Transpacific Journeys).
Boyd's skills are unmatched when it comes to crafting the perfect
itinerary that highlights your specific interests (be it safari,
history, food, et cetera), with seamless on-the-ground transportation
and expert guides to boot. (Do yourselves a favor and ask for the
ebullient Thushara, who has encyclopedic knowledge of the country.) Boyd
will walk you through which regions are ideal for your honeymoon dates,
but a word to the wise: steer clear of the south and west coasts during
the heavy rains of monsoon season (May to August).
Getting There
Most
trips to Sri Lanka from the United States include a stopover in the
Middle East. For example, couples can choose the Qatar Airways overnight
departure, direct from New York City to Doha, followed by a five-hour
flight into the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo. While this is one of the
most time-efficient routes from the States, you'll touch down in the
middle of the night. But fear not, Boyd and her team arrange "fast
track" service through the airport—as soon as you step off the plane,
you're greeted by an airport representative to escort you through
immigration and on to the Silk Route Lounge for a meet-and-greet with
your guide.
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After your luggage has been collected, your private
transport will take you to a nearby hotel to shower up and catch some
more Z's. But airport hotel this is not—ATJ nails it on local scouting: The Wallawwa
feels worlds away from the bustling terminal from which you just came.
Set in a 200 year-old manor home, once owned by the commander of the
British Royal Air Force, the Wallawwa has been expertly restored and
converted into an intimate boutique hotel. Waking up in your room's airy
four-poster bed, surrounded by perfectly manicured tropical gardens,
will immediately get you in a peaceful Sri Lankan state of mind—as will
the alfresco breakfast and dip in the gorgeous outdoor pool.
Day 1
After
a solid night's sleep, you should be better acclimated to the local
time. But no rest for the weary—it's back to the airport for your short,
scenic seaplane flight to central Sri Lanka's Ceylon tea region, the
heart of the world's finest tea production. You'll land directly on
Castlereagh Lake and check into Tea Trails (all-inclusive rooms from $583),
a historic resort composed of five converted century-old tea planters'
bungalows spread out across the hillside. Take your pick among Norwood,
Tientsin, Castlereagh, Summerville, and Dunkeld bungalows—there's
literally no bad choice. In fact, you don't have to choose just one:
Most guests book multiple nights at Tea Trails and will either transfer
bungalows midway through or, at the very least, go for lunch at a
different one to view the breathtaking landscapes from another angle.
Couples
can spend their days kayaking on the lake, touring the nearby Dilmah
Tea Plantation, hiking steady-incline trails, or relaxing by their
bungalow's pool. Just be back in time for 4 p.m. daily high tea, so you
can sample a few of the region's sophisticated and complex varietals,
like the strong but elegant "Udawatte" tea from Somerset Estate. If
you're more the alcoholic beverage type, you'll fancy 6 p.m. cocktail
hour, when your bungalow's private butler is on-duty to serve your
favorite mixed drink or help you select the perfect vintage from an
extensive wine list. Chances are he'll have already paired it with your
meal before you've even sat down—thoughtful cuisine is central to the
experience at this Relais & Chateaux-designated hotel. Guests can
expect consultations with the chef each morning, in which you'll work
together to create your own personalized menu—so don't fill up on the
complimentary in-room cookies before your mouth-watering traditional Sri
Lankan curry dinner.
Day 2
Did
you know that Sri Lanka's Yala National Park has the highest population
density of leopards in the world? That's right, this Southeast Asian
island nation is home to tons of wildlife—peacocks, elephants, sambars,
chital, crocodiles, and rare black-necked storks—which you can spot on
safari. Yala National Park, the second-largest national park in Sri
Lanka, is a six-hour drive southeast of tea country. (Yes, that's a long
time to spend in the car, but we promise it's worth the hassle.) This
400-square-mile protected wildlife sanctuary is home to more than 40
species of rare mammals, including the leopard and sloth bear (an
elusive hybrid of the same two animals for which it's named), in a
landscape filled with rainforests, grasslands, wetlands, and sandy
beaches.
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Post up at Chena Huts by Uga Escapes,
which sets the standard for safari-style lodging on the outskirts of
Yala. There, you'll lay your head in thatched-roof bungalows, which, at
first glance, are a contrast to their incredibly chic design, spacious
interiors, and private plunge pools. Mornings start early at Uga
Chena—after a quick breakfast, you'll hop in the jeep and head for the
gates of the park (but skip the long line of vehicles waiting to buy
daily safari permits, since someone from Uga Chena arrives even earlier
to pick them up for you). Guides like Hary are expert spotters and true
wildlife connoisseurs, having grown up visiting Sri Lanka's parks and
undertaken guide training in Africa. After a three- to four-hour game
drive, you'll return to camp; take a leisurely lunch, go for a stroll on
the beach, or indulge in a spa treatment. Then, it's back in the jeep
for a second, evening drive, where you may even get lucky and spot a
female leopard with her cubs.
Day 3
A Sri Lankan honeymoon wouldn't be complete without a stay on one of its southern beaches. The recently opened Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle Resort (rooms from $250)
offers a superluxe experience on a secluded stretch of beach fronting a
21-acre coconut plantation.
[post_ads]Each of the 120 guest rooms and 32 villas
(with private pools) have comfortable interiors and are spread out
across the property for maximum privacy. Spend your days hanging by the
pool (where you're given a basket with sunscreen, flip flops, glasses
cleaner, and fresh oranges), play tennis and badminton, take a surf
lesson, tour the nearby town of Tangalle, or hop on your complimentary
bicycle or electric tuk tuk for a tour of
the property. Return to the main building by 4 p.m. for—you guessed
it—high tea. Afterward, book a treatment at the extensive spa (the
second largest on Sri Lanka, offering full salon and ayurvedic medical
services), followed by an intimate dinner at one of four restaurants,
which blend Sri Lanka’s distinctive flavors with international cuisines.
You can't beat the rustic Italian dishes at the cliffside restaurant,
Il Mare, but the hallmark of any stay at Anantara is its "Dining by
Design" program, which allows couples to indulge on a multi-course menu
handcrafted by the chef and served in an ultra-private section of the
resort, like a secluded table on the beach lit only by candlelight.
Day 4
Next
stop on your honeymoon itinerary: the historic city of Galle, a Unesco
World Heritage Site and former trading port that's filled with
Dutch-colonial buildings, ancient mosques and churches, grand mansions,
and museums. But first, an obligatory stop to photograph the storied
stilt fishermen in Welligama. While more tourist prop than actual
fishermen (expect to be asked for money before you're allowed to snap
any pics), the image of these men balancing in the middle of the ocean
while casting lines is one you'll surely want to frame for your new home
together.
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Once you arrive in Galle, make the incomparable Amangalla (rooms from $550)
your home base. Set in a 1600-era Dutch building, Amangalla oozes
romance—from the serene pool ensconced in vegetation to the antique
furnishings in your simple yet chic room, and the candle-lit piazza
where dinner is served to the acoustic tune of classics like "Hotel
California," played by guitar-strumming duo.The
city of Galle is quite small, so you could spend a day wandering its
rambling lanes, popping into stylish cafes, and touring historic sites
like the Dutch Reformed Church, built in 1640, and the Galle Fort, a
walled fortress surrounded on three sides by the ocean—where you'll now
find young boys playing games of cricket on the lawn. After you've had
your culture fix, retreat to Amangalla for sunset cocktails in the
upstairs lounge overlooking the city, followed by a reflexology
treatment or head and neck massage at the spa.
Day 5
Last
stop: Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, a port city once situated
along ancient east-west trade routes. The history of Sri Lanka—which was
ruled successively by the Portuguese, the Dutch, and the British—is
embodied in the city's architecture, which melds colonial buildings with
modern high-rises. Check into Uga Residence before shopping for local fabrics and sophisticated homewares at Barefoot, visiting a Buddhist temple, and going for dinner at the Gallery Café,
set in the former offices of world-renowned Sri Lankan architect, the
late Geoffrey Bawa. Consider your final Sri Lankan curry the perfect
(spicy) send-off.
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