Luxury bespoke holidays and tours to Calamansi Cove Villas by Jetwing, Balapitiya
Facts in brief
Official star rating Luxury boutique
Location On the coast, two minutes' walk from the beach, approximately 25 miles north of Galle
Closest airport Bandaranaike International Airport
Distance from airport 83 miles
Hotel facilities and services
Restaurant, Babysitting on request, Guest parking, Bar, Terrace, and Swimming pool.
Complimentary
Wifi and Personalised butler service.
Out and about nearby
Balapitiya is an excellent beach resort, but also has much in the way of cultural attractions for guests to enjoy. Perhaps take a boat trip beneath the twisted branches that canopy the river, travelling past island temples, mangrove forests, and abundant wildlife. Kothduwa Raja Viharaya is a temple that sits upon an island, with a 130 year old Bo tree at its centre, and reputedly once housed the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha. Ambalangoda is a town known for its mask-making tradition, so makes an excellent place to gain further insight into Sri Lankan culture. Galle Fort is also within driving distance.
Sports nearby
Walking, Swimming, and Water sports.
Absolutely loved it. Bespoke sense of the trip is very good. Very pleasant and efficient service.Mrs H, Sep 2023
Holiday price guide Sample prices are per person based on two people sharing a Garden view villa for 7 nights
From about
£1,730
Holiday Code EXH1886
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke holidays and tours to Calamansi Cove Villas by Jetwing, Balapitiya
A boutique hotel near Balapitiya on the South West Coast of Sri Lanka, Calamansi Cove Villas by Jetwing is a strikingly modern take on the traditional luxury accommodation offered by many Sri Lankan resorts. Calamansi Cove was named after a citrus fruit native to South Asia, and has been designed with a creative zing befitting this inspiration. A complex network of white-washed walls and polished concrete terraces separate the rooms, ensuring they have the ultimate sense of privacy. Divided into three clusters of four rooms, the hotel has the convincing feel of a village. The individual set up of the rooms, with bedroom, garden, and roof terrace orchestrates a sense of self-sufficiency and exclusivity, but within just a few minutes' walk of the hotel's main facilities. Large single-pane windows look out onto interior courtyards, securing ample fresh breeze, light, and space, but with the peace and seclusion of your own private villa. Inside, the rooms seamlessly make traditional furnishings chic and give modern minimalism character. White linens are brought to life by lime green signature pieces, and the rooms gain depth from polished wooden floors. When covering two of the four walls, these windows bring the sunshine and colours from outside in. The refined, simplistic frames of the four poster beds contribute to the Asian flair of the rooms, along with the predominance of the colour green, and the charming, wonky trees in the gardens. Each of the private residences also has an open outdoor lounge with sitting area on which guests can choose to dine. The modern restaurant at Calamansi Cove is open for three meals a day and set right in front of the beach. Tangerine Restaurant receives its ingredients fresh from traders in nearby villages, and aims to craft them into a selection of dishes that will have wide appeal, but also reflect the Sri Lankan culture. Above the restaurant, the Xango Bar is situated on the mezzanine floor; or, drinks can be enjoyed at the highest point of the hotel, on the Canopy Terrace. This unique hotel, offering a style and standard of accommodation unlike anything else offered by Sri Lanka's collection of boutique hotels, is a must on any tour of Sri Lanka that ventures into the south of the island. Spend a few nights in total luxury at Calamansi Cove beside the beach, before moving on to a city hotel or a villa further inland.
Absolutely loved it. Bespoke sense of the trip is very good. Very pleasant and efficient service.Mrs H, Sep 2023
Holiday price guide Sample prices are per person based on two people sharing a Garden view villa for 7 nights
From about
£1,730
Holiday Code EXH1886
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke holidays and tours to Calamansi Cove Villas by Jetwing, Balapitiya
The journey and how you get there
For a holiday to Calamansi Cove by Jetwing in Sri Lanka, our clients fly to Colombo, usually with Sri Lankan Airways on a direct flight from London Heathrow (or with Emirates from other UK airports via Dubai). This hotel is 2 hours and 20 minutes' drive from Colombo airport and is either a stay in its own right, in which case you will have a car transfer to the hotel and back, or it is stayed at as part of a tailor-made touring holiday with a driver-guide, in which case the hotel is usually approached from Tea and Hill Country to the north or from Yala National Park.
Additional information
Children: All rooms can accommodate children on request.
Special offers
Call to make your booking and save an extra £50 per adult Call us instead of emailing us when you are thinking of booking a holiday and save an extra £50 per adult (in addition to any special offers that might be available). We want to talk to you to discuss your requirements and a phone call is usually the best way for you to define what you want enabling us to respond more accurately. We want to talk to you and you save an extra £50 per adult.
Absolutely loved it. Bespoke sense of the trip is very good. Very pleasant and efficient service.Mrs H, Sep 2023
Holiday price guide Sample prices are per person based on two people sharing a Garden view villa for 7 nights
From about
£1,730
Holiday Code EXH1886
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke holidays and tours to Calamansi Cove Villas by Jetwing, Balapitiya
About Galle and south coast
A stay in Galle and southern Sri Lanka uncovers a world of historic Dutch forts, beautiful beaches and fishermen fishing on stilts, where sleepy villages lie hidden in palms behind the wide sandy bays and sheltered coves. The further east you go, the less populated and the more naturally wild and remote the landscapes become. The lush inland forest reserves in the south-west contrast sharply with the arid south-eastern national parks of Yala, Uda Walave and Bundala, where wild elephants and migratory birds flock around the water ‘tanks’ and where leopards and sloth bear have been known to roam. Between December and April, the south coast is popular for whale and dolphin watching, in the waters off Weligama Bay. Galle, on the south-west tip of Sri Lanka, is a reminder of the Dutch presence on the island. The new town may have the usual urban bustle, but the Dutch Fort, built in 1663, retains a timeless air. Constructed by the Dutch East Indian Company as a fortified town, Galle Fort is a UNESCO world heritage site which is still intact with a thriving community living and working within its walls. You can walk along part of the ramparts with views out to sea on one side and the famous Galle cricket ground on the other. The region around Galle is fascinating and incredibly beautiful with its rainforest reserves and indigenous wildlife, as well as fishing villages and palm-fringed, sandy coves. We have selected hotels in Galle and along the South Coast which are ideally located to visit the many places of interest in the area. These hotels include Jetwing Lighthouse, a classy hotel designed by Geoffrey Bawa; The Fortress, an outstanding deluxe resort hotel; Amangalla, a splendid colonial-style hotel; Kahanda Kanda, a small and elegant countryside hotel; and Taprobane Island, a private island retreat.
Highlights of Galle and the south coast
Fascinating Galle has plenty to offer the visitor: Galle Fort – UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the few living fort cities in the world; Walk around the ramparts of Galle at dawn or at sunset; Arts & crafts shopping – jewellery, lace, rush & reed, home décor, furniture, antiques, batik and boutiques; The Dutch Reformed Church; Galle Literary Festival in January; National Museum; Maritime Museum in the Dutch warehouses of Galle Fort, just re-opened; Galle Markets; Galle Cricket Stadium; Hot-air balloon ride (December to April); River boat trip. A little way inland from Galle/Koggala: Hiyare Nature Reserve (volunteering possible); Kottawe Nature Reserve; Kanneliya Forest; Samakanda (organic farm, visit, walks and lunches available upon request); Village life bike rides; Handicrafts in the villages e.g. lace-making, rush & reed, woodcarving; Yatagala Temple. On the way from Galle to Yala you can enjoy: Stilt Fishermen; Cinnamon plantations; Unuwatuna beach; Martin Wickramasinghe’s house – museum (literary and 20th century life); Koggala Lake; Hinduangoda White tea factory and estate; Lace-making – Weligama, Dickwella; Surfing – popular surfing beaches from Unuwatuna to Mirissa; Weligama Bay; Coastal villages and fishing harbours; Whale Watching and Dolphin Watching (from Mirissa); Diving (from Mirissa); Deep-sea fishing trips (from Mirissa); Provincial town of Matara (Dutch heritage – fort and church); Dondra Head and Dondra Lighthouse; Kudawala Blow Hole; Mulkirigala Buddhist temple (inland); Uda Walawe National Park and Elephant Transit Home (inland); Sea Turtles laying their eggs on the beach, usually February to July (Rekawa Turtle Project); Kalametiya bird sanctuary; Bundala Nature Reserve (bird-watching mainly); Yala National Park; Kataragama – centre for Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim pilgrimages; Tissamaharama - ancient ‘tank’ and dagobas.
Cultural highlights of Galle and the south coast
There are many places to visit in Galle and the area along the south coast of Sri Lanka. In Galle itself, Galle Fort is home to a national museum housing Dutch and Singhalese exhibits of historical interest as well as a newly-opened Maritime Museum, a lighthouse and a 17th century Dutch Reform Church. The narrow streets within the Fort are fascinating for their architecture, lined with official buildings, shops and old town houses, some of which have been converted to stylish villas and boutique hotels. Outside the ramparts, Galle functions busily as a provincial town and port - brightly painted fishing boats line the shore and there is a lively market area with a whole pavilion dedicated to fish. Galle and the surrounding villages are full of artisans – lace makers, jewellers, woodcarvers, painters and people making things out of coir, rush and reed. The National Crafts Council has a centre by the old entrance to Galle Fort and there are plenty of small shops selling crafts, jewellery and antiques, as well as a few designer boutiques. Slightly further afield, there are numerous beautiful beaches and fishing villages including Thalpe, Unuwatuna, Matara, Koggala, Weligama Bay and Tangalle, as well as a number of National Parks with plenty of wildlife.
Festivals in Galle and the south coast
January: The Galle Literary Festival - this 4-day festival brings together Sri Lankan and international authors from around the world for writing workshops, talks, exhibitions and more at various locations in Galle. Past guests have included Vickram Seth and Gore Vidal. July: Unuwatuna Perahera - a 7-day festival commencing on full moon day. Matara/Dondra Perahera - with dedications to Lord Vishnu. Kataragama Esala Festival - a 10-day festival when pilgrims give penance to the Hindu war god, Skanda. July to September: Kite flying on the ramparts of Galle
Climate in Galle and the south coast
The average temperature on the South coast is 32° C with 65% humidity, though it is cooler and more humid in the west, getting progressively hotter and less humid the further east you go, especially the east of Tangalle. The evenings are a little cooler and the coasts enjoy sea breezes. Rainfall is experienced mainly during the south-west monsoon from May to August. The ‘calm’ season is December to April, when the seas are general calm and there is little rainfall. Whilst the sea appears calm out of the monsoons, there are still undercurrents and riptides.
