Connect with Sri Lanka’s rural roots

A stay at Jetwing’s hotel in Wellawaya promises eco-friendliness, a glimpse of the past and a great base for exploring some of the country’s top sights…

On our adventures, we’re increasingly searching for ways to make our travels greener. Sometimes, though, going eco-friendly can compromise on quality accommodation – but that doesn’t always have to be the case. At Jetwing Kaduruketha in Sri Lanka, you get the best of both worlds. Nestled among lush paddies in Wellawaya, it combines a blast of luxury with immersion in local rural life, as it works alongside the communities that live nearby. It’s the perfect blend for the green-minded traveller.

Village people

Your accommodation comes with a roll call of deluxe amenities: private verandah, personal butler and even complimentary bicycle hire should you wish to explore the verdant foothills on two wheels. But it’s the design of each of the dwellings that’s particularly striking, their aesthetics taking inspiration from the Kandyan farming communities.

The bamboo and wood panelling replicate the ancient village feel and also add natural ventilation, the latter meaning there’s no need for energy-sapping artificial air conditioning. Its premier chalets (Wel Vidana and Arachchi) are also crafted with an open-plan layout, to plunge you deeper into a surrounding landscape of rippling paddies, thick forest and the rugged Poonagala mountains. Everything at Kaduruketha has been created with green energy in mind, from the biogas stoves used to cook meals, to the seed money paid to local rice farmers that goes towards their cultivation expenses.

Loving local life

A big part of our travels are the experiences that we have, and Kaduruketha offers a range of activities, all of which take full advantage of its traditional setting. With a focus on a rural agri-lifestyle, there are many chances to absorb the immediate environment. Try a spot of organic gardening on the hotel’s own farm, or spy the colourful celebrations of the harvest festivals during the Maha and Yala seasons, when the first batch of rice is offered to the gods. Hikes to the Poonagala peaks offer refreshing dips in the Elle Wala and Diyaluma falls, too; the former offers exciting cycle routes while the latter boasts some wild climbs through the savannah grasslands.

Further afield, Uda Walawe National Park is renowned as a premier elephant-spotting destination, while the Weheragala region of Yala NP is one of the best places to spot the elusive Sri Lankan leopard. Kaduruketha’s immediacy to Sri Lanka’s Central Highlands also means it’s a stone’s throw from several other of the country’s great sights, too. The hill village of Ella lies in prime tea country, close to a diverse mix of icons such as the conical Adam’s Peak, some great trails for hiking and the cooling Ravana Falls.

All of this makes Jetwing’s Kaduruketha hotel a must-stay on your next visit to Sri Lanka. Eco-friendly, perfectly located and, true to the region’s roots – it’s the ideal way to immerse yourself in local life.