Luxury bespoke holidays and tours to Rainforest Edge, Sinharaja
Facts in brief
Official star rating 3
Location In the countryside, in the rainforest. Approximately 75-miles from Galle
Closest airport Colombo airport
Distance from airport About 4¾ hours drive
Hotel facilities and services
Restaurant, Bar, Swimming pool, Ayurvedic centre, Mountain bikes are available at no charge, Ambalama snack house is open from 7am until 6pm.
Out and about nearby
Sinharaja rainforest and UNESCO national heritage wilderness area, Bird watching, Kayaking, Mountain biking, Jungle trekking and jogging, Camping in a thatched tree house, Nature trails, Jeep safaris.
Sports nearby
Trekking, Mountain biking, Kayaking.
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 Double or twin room for 7 nights
From about
£1,520
Holiday Code EXH1177
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 Rainforest Edge, Sinharaja
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 Double or twin room for 7 nights
From about
£1,520
Holiday Code EXH1177
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 Rainforest Edge, Sinharaja
The journey and how you get there
For a holiday to Rainforest Edge 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 3 hours’ drive from Colombo airport. However, it is usually stayed at as part of a tailor-made touring holiday accompanied by a driver-guide and you would often approach the hotel from a previous stay in the Cultural Triangle to the north, or from Yala or Galle to the south.
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 Double or twin room for 7 nights
From about
£1,520
Holiday Code EXH1177
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 Rainforest Edge, Sinharaja
About South west coast
An Expressions tailor-made holiday to the south-west coast of Sri Lanka incorporates a popular holiday destination for tropical sun, sea and sand. It offers wonderful beaches and a variety of hotels and guests houses to choose from, with the added attraction of having local life and interesting places to see and things to do nearby. What’s more, facing directly west to the Indian Ocean, visitors are treated to the most magical sunset views. This 100-kilometre coastline between the cities of Colombo and Galle is blessed with miles of palm-fringed golden beaches interspersed with harbours, inlets, mangrove-lined rivers and lagoons. Bentota and Beruwela are the primary locations for restaurants and nightclubs which are mostly found in hotels, and also offer a range of watersports along with Hikkaduwa. Hotels of every size and quality vie with private villas, coconut plantations and fishing villages for a space on the beachfront and those priceless Indian Ocean views. We have selected a range of hotels on Sri Lanka's south-west coast which are ideally located to explore the highlights of the region, including luxurious boutique hotels and resorts such as Saman Villas and Serene Pavilions.
Highlights of Bentota, Wadduwa & the south west coast
In addition to relaxing on the beach, there are plenty of other things to see and do in this region. In and around Wadduwa: Fishing life along the coast; Long beach walks; Kalutara – famous for its historic Bo tree, grown from a sapling of the Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura, and Gangatilaka Vihara Temple - the only Buddhist shrine in the world which is hollow; Kalu Ganga (river) and Bolgoda lake; Richmond Castle – a 19th century spice plantation mansion, built for a regional Governor resembling an Indian Maharaja’s palace design, now open to the public. In and around Bentota/Beruwela: Watersports at Bentota/Beruwela on the Bentota river (there is a well-equipped centre offering a range of motorised and non-motorised water sports, including diving); Bentota mangrove river boat trip; Long beach walks; Brief Garden – home and landscaped gardens created by Bevis Bawa, the artist brother of Geoffrey Bawa. Behind a bamboo hedge lie walled gardens, bowers, lawns, sculptures and a Japanese garden; Lunuganga Estate – the home of celebrated Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa; Aluthgama – shops and market; Galapita Vihara Buddhist Temple - 12th century, 5 km upriver. Inland: Singharaja Rainforest; Plantations, farming and craft villages. Between Bentota and Galle: Kosgoda Turtle Hatchery; Buddhist Temples – e.g. Kumarakanda Vihara; Balapitiya –boat trips on Madu Ganga river and lagoon – birdlife, water monitors, islands; Mask carving and painting in Ambalangoda; Moonstone quarry in Meetyagoda; Beach walks; Hikkaduwa - tourist shops and restaurants, lower budget; Fishing trips, Snorkelling and scuba diving, waterskiing, kayaking, windsurfing and sailing – at Hikkaduwa (12 km from Galle). Wherever you stay on the south-west coast, day excursions can be made to historic Galle, Buddhist temples, Sinharaja Rainforest, Ambalangoda mask factory, the Kosgoda turtle hatchery. The water sports facilities at Bentota/Beruwela (or Hikkaduwa) are within an hour’s drive from any of the hotels.
Cultural highlights of Bentota, Wadduwa & the south west coast
In the small towns and villages that straddle the main trunk road and railway line, Buddhist temples sit alongside churches and mosques whilst livelihoods are gained through a mix of tourism, trading and fishing, farming and skilled crafts. It is fascinating to stroll along the beach and watch the fishermen preparing to launch their brightly-painted boats, later seeing them return with their catch. A venture into the hinterland reveals a world of lush plantations, tropical forests and lagoons. The rural villages are often known for a particular skill such as furniture or mask-making and weaving using dyed reed. Wadduwa, Bentota, Beruwela and the stretch of coast between Bentota and Galle all offer golden sand beaches, small fishing communities and watersports. Further inland, the Sinharaja rainforest is the only large undisturbed rainforest left in Sri Lanka where over 800 of the island’s endemic species of flora and fauna can be found.
Climate of Bentota, Wadduwa & the south west coast
The south-western part of Sri Lanka is the wet tropical zone. It is warm and humid all year round. Sea breezes make the coast a little cooler. The sunny, dry season is between November and March with average temperatures at around 26C. The south-west monsoon brings intermittent torrential rain, winds and rough seas, normally in May, June and July, with temperatures of up to 32C.There is also changeable weather during September and October. Humidity fluctuates between 70% in the day and 90% at night, which can be oppressive in built up areas.
Travel around the region
We include private transfers with all our holidays to Sri Lanka, and a personal chauffer with all our touring holidays. Driving Distances: Colombo International Airport to Wadduwa – 1.5 to 2 hours (56 km), Colombo International Airport to Bentota – 2 ½ to 3 hours (90 km), Colombo International Airport to Galle – 3 hours (150 km), Wadduwa to Kandy – 4 hours, Bentota to Kandy – 4.5 hours (180 km), Colombo to Wadduwa – 45 mins to 1 hour (30 km).
