Durva's Travel Diaries: Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a little version of Kerala and has been on my route several times in the last few years. Shopping in Colombo is so much fun. Shanth Fernando's Paradise Road stores across Colombo seem to be on my hot favorite list.  I have had some wonderful times at Taj Samudra and on different occasions I have had the luxury of staying at different hotels. One of those that comes to my mind is Havelock Bunglows- a boutique hotel that was converted into a hotel from an old colonial home. Havelock Bunglows is a great address, but my favorite stay in Colombo is the Hyatt which is a brand new hotel and very delightful to live in. It houses Senaka Senanayake's gallery. A memorable visit to this biggest Sri Lankan artist's residence to acquire a work of his is afresh in my mind till date. One of my visits in Sri Lanka happens to be on my way to Maldives. During a week in Sri Lanka, I was driven and escorted by a guide all the way from Colombo to Candy where the tallest Buddha deity till date rests on the top of the hill and then, from Candy we had driven to Nuwara Eliya, a tea plantation on the top of the hills. A stay at the Tea factory is the best way to sample the local tea flavors. 

From Nuwara Eliya we had driven to Bentota and then stayed there at the Eden Spa and resort which is a lovely place to live. Though, my favorite as I realized later after a few visits is The Taj Exotica, Bentota. Driving past Galle, you get to see such amazing art and antique shops that tempt you to walk in. The greenery and the scenic views accompany you all accross your trip. Worth a mention is Jeoffrey Bawa's famous hotel 'Kandalama' where I had spent a few days. A tree house built into the valley, you could have a tree trunk right in your room at this hotel. With an infinity pool, a concept in pool architecture that was first found in this famous architect, Kandalama also has a spa which is a must visit.

The next time I had visited Srilanka, was when I had gone to spend a birthday week with my husband who was working in Colombo for an extended period of a month. So we had traveled in and around Sri Lanka once again, this time different routes and different hotels and different experience! 

Taj Exotica, Bentota, Sri Lanka

Sigiriya Caves, Sri Lanka

Taj Samudra, Colombo, Sri Lanka