Pearl of the Indian Ocean

As Sri Lanka celebrates its 70th year of independence, it’s the perfect time for an exotic escape, discovers Charlotte Pasha

Our first Shabbat as husband and wife was always going to be memorable. But lighting the candles among tea plantations in Sri Lanka is something I’ll never forget.

After making a quiet Kiddush, we sat down to dinner on the terrace of our room at Ceylon Tea Trails in Hatton, looking down from our 1,250 metre high viewpoint across the rolling hills and rows of tea bushes. It seemed right that this special moment should take place during our favourite stop of our honeymoon on this fascinating island.

It’s an exciting time to visit Sri Lanka, currently celebrating its 70th year of independence, with our trip taking us from the beach and colonial style of Galle to the hills and Unesco World Heritage site of Sigiriya.

Despite comparisons to its neighbour India — it’s often described as a more sanitised version — the island, predominantly Buddhist, with smaller Hindu, Muslim and Christian populations, has its own unique charms.

Our first stop of Galle has its own colourful history, belonging to the Dutch, the Portuguese and the British over the years. Famous for its historic fort, amazingly everything inside the original walls survived the 2004 tsunami unscathed. Taking a guided tour, it reminded me of the Old City of Jerusalem, with shmutter sellers aplenty.

At the palatial surroundings of our resort just outside town, Cape Wel- igama, it was all about some serious R&R. Wine and chocolate cake awaited our arrival, along with a sunken tub in the vast bathroom, before seizing the chance to wallow in the pool, drink cocktails in the bar and look in wonder at the starry skies.

Then on from the coast to the hills. While the people are charming, the culture welcoming, I soon discovered the roads are treacherous. It takes only minutes upon landing to realise that the concept of staying in lanes is nonexistent, and overtaking is done entirely at whim, often swerving to make way for an animal. Drives are long too: each seemed to be exactly four hours, no matter where we went.

Happily Ceylon Tea Trails was the perfect place to unwind. The hotel’s five bungalows each have four to six bedrooms, offering a real private home experience complete with board games, little nooks and crannies, roaring log fires and help yourself drinks.