Summary
Short description
Showcase Sri Lanka’s white sands and ancient heritage in consummate luxury
Highlights
- Take in Sri Lanka’s ancient cities – Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa and Kandy
- Spot whales while relaxing on Sri Lanka’s finest beaches
- From palatial manors to beach villas, stay in luxury
- Travel in style, with private transfers throughout
In Brief
- 1 Night Negombo
- 2 Nights Anuradhapura
- 2 Nights Trincomalee
- 3 Nights Passikudah
- 2 Nights Kandy
- 1 Night Colombo
In pictures
About
Recommended for:
Beach | City | History & culture | Honeymoon | July holidays | Natural world
With the services of a private driver throughout, this curated itinerary takes in the best of Sri Lanka’s beaches and ancient world. Indeed, alongside Sigiriya’s rock fortress, Anuradhapura's temple-complex intrigue, the lost medieval city of Polonnaruwa and the royal palaces of tea-plantation Kandy, you’ll enjoy luxury stays on the country’s best white-sand beaches. Throughout, you’ll spend your nights in some of Sri Lanka’s finest hotels, from palatial country manors to a boutique Victorian townhouse in Colombo – Sri Lanka’s vibrant, garden-dotted capital.
Day by day itinerary
Day
1
Depart the UK
Following some included VIP airport-lounge relaxation, depart from London on an overnight flight to Sri Lanka.
Day
2
Negombo
On arrival in Sri Lanka, you’ll be met by a private driver and brought to your luxury hotel. It’s a palatial manor, whose sculpted gardens are ideal for unwinding after your flight. Otherwise, if you’d prefer to explore, take in Negombo’s Dutch and Portuguese past in its fort and spread of cute churches. However, it’s a port town at heart, something evidenced in bustling markets and the local fisherman on their traditional boats.
Stay: The Wallawwa Hotel, Negombo (Superior)
Days
3-4
Anuradhapura, Sigiriya & Polonnaruwa
Your private driver will today bring you through the verdant Sri Lankan countryside to ancient Anuradhapura. Dating back to the 5th century BC, its towering dagoba stupas and thousand-strong collection of monasteries form the country’s most celebrated lost city. It even features the sacred Bo Tree, said to have grown from the branch under which the lord Buddha gained enlightenment. After a night in a 19th-century spa mansion, your private driver will bring you on to Sigiriya – a great palace complex perched precariously on a giant rock. Next it’s Polonnaruwa, a medieval city of great temples, shrines and tombs ringed by imposing walls and moats.
Stay: Ulagalla, Anuradhapura (Deluxe)
Meals: B
Days
5-6
Trincomalee
Sweeping through vibrant rice paddies, your private driver will see you to the coast and Trincomalee. This slice of wilderness – known for its year-round sunshine, golden sands and placid waters – is an idyllic spot for sunbathing and snorkelling, while several offshore wrecks make it a popular destination for scuba diving. It’s even possible to spot dolphins and blue whales over the summer. You’ll be staying right on the beach, in a luxury, jungle-fringed villa. And, after perhaps exploring the nearby hot springs and Koneswaram Temple, you’ll return to spa treatments, yoga classes and cooking courses. There’s also everything from reef fishing to horse rides and sailing trips available.
Stay: Jungle Beach Resort, Trincomalee (Superior)
Meals: B
Days
7-9
Passikudah
Your private driver will today bring you south, mapping the palm-dotted coast to arrive at Passikudah for three days of relaxation. If Trincomalee is wild, then Passikudah is postcard-perfect. And, you’ll stay right on its white sands, enjoying the view from the likes of your private balcony or the infinity pool. There’s also the chance to explore fishing villages, traditional Hindu temples and the 18th-century ruins of a Dutch fort, while a full spread of water sports showcase the region’s bathtub-perfect seas. Then, at the end of it all, relax with a spa treatment and your luxury resort’s fine dining.
Stay: Uga Bay, Passikudah (Superior)
Meals: B
Days
10-11
Kandy
Your private transfer will today see you inland, dipping through busy villages and winding up jungle-cladded hills. You’ll arrive at Kandy – a pretty lakeside city tucked away among Sri Lanka’s verdant Central Highlights. It’s a UNESCO-listed treasure and was the last stronghold of the Sinhalese Kings during colonial Portuguese, Dutch and British rule. Home to a royal palace and the golden Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, it’s still among the country’s most important Buddhist centres to this day. Be sure to also take in the colourful dances and crafts scene, before you end each night in a 19th-century palatial manor house, complete with antiques, four-poster beds and private terraces.
Stay: The Kandy House (Deluxe)
Meals: B
Day
12
Colombo
You’ll be brought back to the coast to Colombo by your private driver. Indeed, no trip to Sri Lanka would be complete without visiting its chaotic capital. Here, tree-lined boulevards lead between landmark colonial buildings, frenetic markets and a spread of welcoming gardens. You’ll be able to explore it all with a grand Victorian townhouse as your base. It’s a storybook of chandeliers, Belgian rugs and well-stocked wine cellars.
Stay: Maniumpathy (Deluxe)
Meals: B
Day
13
Depart for UK
After breakfast, your final private transfer will see you to the airport for your flight home, arriving the same day.
Map
Pricing
Any element of this itinerary can be adjusted to suit your needs. Just contact us to find out more.
Accommodation rating:
13-day tailor-made holiday
from £3,995 pp incl. flights
Superior
Low Season
from £3,995 pp. incl. flights
High Season
from £4,300 pp. incl. flights
Includes:
- Complimentary UK airport lounge access
- Return flights between the UK and Sri Lanka
- Private transfers and private guided touring throughout
- 11 nights accommodation in a mix of 4* (Superior) and 5* (Deluxe) hotels on a B&B basis
Terms & Conditions
Prices are per person based on two people sharing a twin/double room; prices are subject to availability and possible change; normal booking conditions apply.
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