Who doesn’t love Kandy?
Kandy is a peaceful city and the people there have strong ties to the area’s culture and history. Being one of the smaller cities in Sri Lanka, it’s very easy to get around and see all the wonderful sights. Visit one of Sri Lanka’s holiest shrines, see elephants roaming freely in an elephant orphanage or wander through the serene Royal Botanical Garden.
Romance blossoms when you stay at The Kandy House with private gardens and elegant rooms. The Mansion is literally an old mansion broken up into private rooms that make you feel like royalty. You can also spend your nights at the Elephant Stables hotel, which as the name suggests has actual elephants on the property.
The beach city with a cultural twist
Galle is the fourth-largest city in Sri Lanka and sits on some prime real estate at the south-western tip of the country. The light blue waters are perfect for swimming and you can see turtle hatchings along the coast, depending on the time of year. The Galle Fort provides a great place to purchase gems and antiquities, or to enjoy an ocean sunset.
Like many coastal destinations, the hotels in Galle have a relaxed vibe, plus all the luxuries you’d expect and even some you wouldn’t. Set within the Galle Fort, Deco on 44 keeps you close to culture while pampering you into utter serenity. The Sun House, Tamarind Hill and the Amangalla also make sure your holiday is memorable for the right reasons.
One of Sri Lanka’s ancient kingdoms
Part of what is commonly referred to as the ‘cultural triangle’, the city of Polonnaruwa is a place of ancient history, having been the country’s capital between the 11th and 13th Century. There are plenty of wildlife reserves to see local animals, or you can visit the 10th-Century ruins of ancient Polonnaruwa.
The city offers a variety of hotels that come with their own unique styles. The Lake Hotel puts you right on the shore of the picturesque Bendiwewa Lake, the Seyara Holiday Resort features landscaped gardens and cosy rooms, and the Deer Park Hotel sleeps you in cottages with outdoor showers under the stars.