Sri Lanka
Luxury Holidays

Sri Lanka is low key. There’s no doubt about it. Sprinkled with ruined cities and religious relics, as well as the world’s oldest stronghold of Theravada Buddhists, it is a country that practically begs you to slow down, unwind and look within. While nights in Galle will leave you feeling relaxed and rejuvenated – especially if you treat yourself to a three-hour cleansing scrub and full-body massage in the grounds of its historic fort – days in Tangalle, where coconut groves shelter sun dappled shores, will make you forget, well, pretty much everything. Sri Lanka luxury holidays specialise in variety too. With over 2,000 years of history and culture under its belt (which spans ancient Arab civilizations, enduring Tamil communities and colonialism), spend your days touring the Sacred City of Anuradhapura, discovering Kashyapa’s Sigiriya fortress, and sipping Ceylon tea in Kandy’s verdurous Hill Country.

If you’re hankering after home comforts though, head to Nuwara Eliya – otherwise known as ‘Little England’. While its Tudor-style houses, colonial hotels and manicured hedgerows will make you question whether you’ve just come across a wayward British isle, its exotic surrounding and mystical flora are a pleasant reminder that you are, in fact, in the ‘Teardrop of India’. Apart from serving as a reminder of familiar creature habits, it is also the perfect stopover for Undawalawe National Park. Ogle at its elephants – 500 to be exact – spy on shy leopards and listen for the growing rumble of a Sambhur stampede. If you fancy pairing 4x4 safaris with a relaxing and romantic retreat in the country’s hinterland, Sri Lanka luxury holidays have you covered. Hunker down in a simple yet stylish bungalow nestled in Sigiriya’s rice paddies; float in private pools overlooking forests and ponds obscured by mist; ponder which indulgent spa treatment to get; and bask in the romance of a lantern lit traditional Sri Lankan dinner.

Old-fashioned charm and unpretentious elegance are words continually associated with Sri Lanka, particularly its train travel. They are a literal rite of passage and one of the best ways to see the country’s unbridled beauty. Whether you’re weaving through Kandy’s rolling hills, hurtling over viaducts, which proudly peak just over the valley’s verdant treetops, or feeling the salty sea air ripple through your hair as the Indian Ocean attempts to touch the tracks, you can relax knowing that on Sri Lanka luxury holidays, you can do, well, precisely just that.