Client Blog: Allan and Maria’s spectacular Sri Lanka Adventure
- jetsperling22
- Jun 2
- 3 min read
When a destination is as magical as Sri Lanka, the stories write themselves. But when the travellers are Allan and Maria, it becomes even more special. This tailor-made adventure was built around a string of brilliant boutique properties, weaving in wildlife, culture and a bit of beach time at the end. From wild elephant sightings to fireflies in the forest, Maria’s words and videos say it all...
We’d been dreaming of a special trip somewhere exotic, when I received an email from a different travel company featuring a Sri Lanka itinerary. It looked just right but the price didn’t sit well, so we asked Jenny if she could do better. Of course, she came up trumps.
This was our first time in Sri Lanka, and it completely won us over. We loved everything: the gentle kindness of the people, the landscapes, the birds, the curries and egg hoppers, the weather and the sheer variety.
The trip spanned 17 nights and took us across the country with a private driver-guide throughout. It was so well-paced, and every place we stayed had real personality. Hidden gems, not big hotels – exactly what we love.
Click links below for our honest YouTube reviews of each place we stayed at...
Our journey started in Negombo at Villa Hundira, before heading up to Wilpattu for a stay at a tented safari camp.
From there, we continued to Sigiriya (staying at Roo Mansala), then on to Villa Rosa in Kandy, followed by the magical Living Heritage Koslanda after a scenic train ride through the tea plantations.
Our final stops were at Flameback Eco Lodge in Wirawila (great for birdwatching) and then a few days relaxing on the south coast at Lantern Boutique in Mirissa.
Every hotel or camp was in a location more dramatic than the last – often down rough, pot-holed tracks that made our poor driver very nervous about his car! It became a running joke that he would call ahead to check the state of the road each time. But it was always worth it.
Highlights? So many. Especially the wildlife.
Seeing elephants bathing with their calves in Minneriya National Park.
A rare encounter with a mother and baby sloth bear in Wilpattu (note: not as cuddly as they look!).
Watching baby turtles being released into the ocean at the Lantern Hotel, willing them to survive the waves.
An impressive volume and range of colourful birds.
Waking up in our open-air Forest Pavilion at Koslanda to flashing fireflies inside our bed net - followed by a visit from a very noisy rodent (possibly one of the island’s giant squirrels!).
The Roo Mansala Panoramic Pool Suite (wonderful upgrade!) with its private plunge pool and views of both Lion Rock and Pidurangala Rock was another stand-out.
And the tuk tuk rides to and from remote hotels were half the fun (and incredibly good value). We were very glad we weren't driving ourselves in Sri Lanka, given the need to navigate around dogs, cows and elephants, as well as the usual cars and bikes!
We were looked after beautifully throughout by our driver-guide, Kosala, who couldn’t do enough for us. From pre-prepared snack bags – including spicy cassava chips, biscuits and juices – to suggesting offbeat stops like a lighthouse at Sri Lanka’s southern tip, tea tasting in the highlands, or the chance for Allan to try out being a stilt fisherman, he brought the whole journey to life.
Jenny helped us shape the final version, spot the right tweaks and upgrades, and as always, made sure the admin (visas, plane seats, documents) was all seamless. We wouldn’t book this kind of holiday with anyone else.
Maria
