Serendipitous Sri Lanka

Arrive in Sri Lanka. Upon your arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport, you will be welcomed and assisted by a representative of Sayang Holidays. You will then be escorted to your vehicle and introduced to your chauffeur to be transferred to the hotel. Check in to the hotel for your overnight stay.

Meals: None
Overnight in Negombo

After breakfast, check out of the hotel and proceed for a city tour of Negombo (180 km/4 hrs).

Located close to the international airport, Negombo is the principle beach resort north of Colombo. It has a picturesque lagoon, numerous Catholic churches and an impressive network of canals built by the Dutch which are currently being restored.

The true life of Negombo can be easily observed at its fish markets. These markets are always full of life and are at their peak with much action taking place in the early hours of the day when the fresh catch is brought in, as the vendors voice their prices at the top of their lungs and the buyers bargain for the best deals. Walking through a fish market is always an experience! Make sure not to wear your best shoes, and have a handkerchief, just in case.

Proceed to Habarana to visit the Cave Temple Complex in Dambulla.

Dambulla is renowned for its cave temples, built by King Valagambahu in the 1st century BC to show his gratitude for the shelter he sought in the caves when fleeing from Indian invaders. Sited on a gigantic granite outcrop, which towers more than 160m above the surrounding land, the caves are completely covered by ancient frescoes depicting religious and secular scenes. Protected within the caves are hundreds of statues of Buddha, many carved out of the rock itself, of which the largest is the 15m long Dying Buddha.

Arrive in Habarana and check in to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight in Habarana

After an early breakfast, proceed to visit the ancient city of Anuradhapura.

Anuradhapura, aptly appointed the heart of the Sri Lankan history and Buddhism, is the largest and oldest of Sri Lanka’s ancient cities and dates back to the 6th century BC. It was made capital in 377 BC, and remained an important centre of power until the 12th century AD. Most memorable are its gleaming white dagobas – large bell-like structures some 60 meters high, which house Buddhist relics. However, it is best known for the Sri Maha Bodhi, the oldest documented tree in the world (2,200 years), grown from a cutting of the Bo tree under which Buddha achieved enlightenment.

The tour of the ancient kingdoms is very enlightening. To best enjoy it, remember to take along a hat, a bottle of water, and some sun lotion!

Return to Sigiriya, visiting the Ritigala Medicinal Forest on your way.

Set deep in the jungle around a large hill, formed of huge sculptural granite monoliths, lies the ancient and now abandoned hermitage of Ritigala. Today, the visible remains are those of a Buddhist monastic congregation which used to practice meditation in total austerity. Rarely visited by tourists, this mystical place is incredibly beautiful and untouched, with shady forests filled with streams, pools, granite boulders, elegant ancient stone pathways that lead to ruins of various meditation platforms, and ayurvedic hospitals. Ritigala can be visited at any time of the day since it is wonderfully cool and usually free of tourists.

Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight in Habarana

After breakfast at the hotel, proceed to visit the Medieval Capital of Polonnaruwa.

Polonnaruwa was the island’s medieval capital between the 11th and 13th century. Built alongside a large ancient artificial lake, there are well-preserved ruins of palaces, bathing pools, stupas, and exquisite rock sculptures of Buddha at the Gal Vihara. Start with a visit to the museum which, although small, is excellent.

Later in the afternoon, visit Minneriya National Park by jeep.

Located between Habarana and Polonnaruwa, the 8,890 hectares of Minneriya National Park consists of mixed evergreen forest and scrub areas, and is home to favourite animals such as sambhur deer and elephants.  The central feature of the park is the ancient Minneriya Tank, built in the 3rd century AD by King Mahasena. During the dry season (June to September), this tank is an incredible place to observe the elephants who come to bathe and graze, as well as the huge flocks of birds (such as cormorants and painted storks) that come to fish in the shallow waters.

Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight in Habarana

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, then visit the rock fortress of Sigiriya in the morning.

The legendary sky citadel of Sigiriya, the “Lion Rock”, famous for its frescoes of ‘Celestial Maidens’ is arguably the most impressive site in Sri Lanka. Built by King Kasyapa in the 5th century on top of a vast 200m granite rock, it took 7 years to build and was abandoned after 10 years of occupation when the King, defeated by his brother, committed suicide. Although it is a steep climb, the views and frescoes are definitely worth the effort. Sigiriya is best visited first thing in the morning or just before sunset, when it is cooler and less crowded.

Return to the hotel, then the rest of the day is free to relax at your leisure until dinner.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight in Habarana

After breakfast, check out of the hotel and proceed to Kandy (96 km/3 hrs).

While continuing to Kandy, stop enroute in Matale, where you will have the chance to visit the spice plantations that grow a variety of spices such as cinnamon, pepper, and nutmeg, for which Sri Lanka was renowned and initially colonized by the Portuguese, Dutch and British. You could also visit a batik factory and watch the production of the artistic fabric.

Continue to Kandy and visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha.

Ever since it was founded in the 16th century, it has housed one of the most sacred relics of Buddhism – a tooth of Buddha collected from his funeral pyre, which is now protected within the gold-roofed Temple of the Tooth.  Witness the blessing ceremony with all the fanfare, drums, trumpets, and brightly coloured Monks performing their rituals.

Check in to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight in Kandy

After an early breakfast, proceed to Pinnawela to visit the Elephant Orphanage. You will arrive at the orphanage by lunch, in time to witness the afternoon feeding.

The Elephant Orphanage provides a good chance for people to get up close and personal with a pachyderm. It is recommended to go and have lunch by the river because after feeding, they are all brought down to bathe. Watching the elephants from a vantage point with a cold drink is an unforgettable experience.

In the afternoon, take a guided tour of the city of Kandy.

Kandy is the old capital of Ceylon and the seat of the last Singhalese kingdom. It is a charming city with the most important Buddhist temple in the country. It lies near an ancient artificial lake, amongst rolling hills that are covered by forests and tea plantations. Set in the mountainous area of the island, there are fantastic views of the city from some of the hotels.

Wandering about in Kandy is a fun experience, with crossroads and interconnecting byroads – all forming an intertwined complex. Most pavements are dominated by vendors selling garments, lotteries, toys, and various fancy items – making passing through look almost impossible, especially during the festive seasons. The main market area in the heart of the town is often frequented for its array of fresh fruits, vegetables, fish and meat stalls, sweets, clothes, fancy goods, and what not.

Kandy is a great place to buy gemstones. Sapphires of all colours, rubies, tourmalines, and spinnels can all be found here. Visitors are invited to have a look around their workshop, where you will be able to see the design, cutting, polishing, and setting processes.

There is also local dance performance which you will enjoy in town in the late afternoon. It is a little touristy, but entertaining nonetheless.

Check in to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight in Kandy

After breakfast, check out of the hotel and proceed to Nuwara Eliya (80 km / 2.5 hrs).

On your way, you will visit the Royal Botanical Gardens of Peradeniya in the morning.

Initially a royal park, it became a botanical garden in 1821 under British rule. Here, exotic crops such as coffee, tea, nutmeg, rubber, and cinchona (quinine) – all of which were to become important to the country’s economy, were first tested. The botanical gardens are fantastic, with an excellent orchid house and a wide variety of plant species from all over the world. For keen gardeners, a full morning is recommended to visit the gardens, possibly longer.

Proceed to Nuwara Eliya. Just outside Nuwara Eliya, you will visit a tea plantation and factory. Here you will learn the process how two fresh tea leaves and a bud are converted in to that fine brown dust we call “tea”.

Check in to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight in Nuwara Eliya

Breakfast at the hotel, then time to relax before enjoying a guided tour of the city.

Set in the cool, misty, hilly interior at an altitude of 1800m is the colonial hill station of Nuwara Eliya. Built by the British in the 19th century as an escape from the sweltering heat of the lowlands, it came complete with half-timbered mock-Tudor houses with inglenook fireplaces & billiard tables, a golf course, race track, gentlemen’s clubs, and botanical gardens. Now a bustling town and the vegetable garden of Sri Lanka, it nonetheless gives you a glimpse into life during the colonial heyday.

Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight in Nuwara Eliya

After breakfast, checkout of the hotel and proceed to Bentota (256 km/7 hrs).

The drive along the south-western coast of Sri Lanka unveils breathtaking views of living in harmony with the mighty Indian Ocean.

Arrive in Bentota in the late afternoon and check in to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight in Bentota

After breakfast at the hotel, enjoy the sun, sea, and sand at your leisure.

Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight in Bentota

After breakfast, check out of the hotel and proceed to Colombo (65 km / 2 hrs).

En route, visit a turtle hatchery on the beach, set up to save and conserve the turtle population.

Upon arrival in Colombo, take a guided tour of the city.

Facing the Indian Ocean and stretching along 14 km of the island’s western shores, Colombo used to be called the Garden City of the East. Things have changed, overcrowded buses and minivans have replaced the bullock carts, and the once quiet roads are now bustling with people and traffic. Yet, the city still has its charms, with its complex assortment of tree-lined boulevards, colonial buildings, parks, open air markets, temples, lakes, churches, and now even skyscrapers. Colombo is the natural entry and exit point for the country, and its excellent shopping, great restaurants, and thriving art scene make it an enjoyable stop.

You will also visit the famous Gangarama Temple and the Historical Museum of Colombo.

Check in to the hotel in the late afternoon. Relax and enjoy dinner.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight in Colombo

Check out of the hotel and transfer to the airport for your departure flight home.

*Please note that you are required by the Airport & Aviation Authorities to be at the airport 3 hours before your flight.

Meals: Breakfast