Sri Lankan Odyssey
From resorts to plantations that beget culture and tradition, Sri Lanka delivers a rich experience for everyone.
The multi-faceted Sri Lankan landscape teems with activities that will charm even the most jaded of travellers. We experience the best
the country has to offer at the two Aman resorts in Galle and Tangalle.
A COUNTRY OF countless spoils, Sri Lanka offers a little bit of everything for every type of traveller. From tea plantations to national parks, temples to white-sand beaches, it’s teeming with culture, adventure and respite in equal measure. Covering it all in one trip is nigh on impossible, but the experts at Aman will craft an itinerary that allows travellers to pack as much or as little as they wish in one trip.
I embarked on my Sri Lankan adventure with Aman in late November, when I was invited to stay at its two luxury properties in the country. Amangalla (in Galle) and Amanwella (in Tangalle) were established in 2005 (even before the end of the civil war in 2009) and are distinct in character, allowing guests to experience a taste of all the treasures that
Sri Lanka has to offer.
I start my trip in Amangalla, a former 17th-century Dutch colonial building within the UNESCOprotected Galle Fort. Located a three-hour drive away from Colombo, the building has been reincarnated multiple times, the most recent being the 2005 renovations that saw it transform from the locally owned and managed New Oriental Hotel to an Aman entity. The Aman touches are present from the get-go: as soon as I disembark from the car, the Amangalla team, led by general manager Petar Krstic, welcomes me “home” and greets me by my first name.
The hotel’s colonial past is apparent in its facade and design, with arched doorways, timber divans, planter chairs and almirahs. It’s an aesthetic that’s reminiscent of Singapore’s black-and-white bungalows, but with that signature Sri Lankan restraint and austerity. There’s no chair out of place or any fanciful objets d’art – it’s utilitarian chic, with a healthy dose of nostalgia and homeliness injected into the design. The library, for instance, is where guests are encouraged to read up about the hotel’s legacy and its previous owner.
The hotel is home to 29 rooms, a spa with a sauna, and an outdoor pool that’s framed by cosy pavilions and that urges me to while the afternoon away with a cocktail and great book in hand. But there’s no rest for the wicked as the surrounding historical Galle area beckons to be explored. Accompanied by my butler, I step back in time as I take a stroll around the fort and discover the legends behind the centuries-old buildings and structures. Funnily, it’s not just the hardware that’s been preserved: I walk past a lawyer’s office, where I find old ledgers and the staff typing away on ancient typewriters. There’s a nostalgic charm to the area, one that’s elegantly preserved at the hotel as well.
Polar Opposites
Two days later, I’m whisked to the second Aman resort. Amanwella sits on a cliff near Tangalle and is a two-hour ride away from Amangalla. The journey takes longer as I stop by tea and cinnamon plantations on the way and learn about the country’s agricultural heritage. I also pay some locals to get a picture of that iconic ‘fishermen on sticks’ photo for the ’gram – it’s not expensive, but the contrived nature of the transaction leaves me unsatisfied.
Both resorts might be completely different in character, but the experience is pure Aman: attentive, personalised service is unsurprisingly the highlight and the general managers are adept at gauging guests’ passions and interests, astutely engaging them
The experts at Aman will craft an itinerary that allows travellers to pack as much or as little as they wish in one trip.
in activities curated for their tastes. For instance, in Galle, my group is taken on a tour of renowned
Sri Lankan brother-architects Geoffrey and Bevis Bawa’s plantations. They pioneered the ‘tropical modernity’ movement in Sri Lanka and were catalysts in introducing the ‘bringing the outdoors in’ design language to the country.
The design of Amanwella was directly influenced by Geoffrey’s work. The purpose-built structure embodies Aman’s ethos of laid-back, barefoot luxury, and with its muted tones and floor-to-ceiling windows, there’s no clear distinction where the indoor ends and the outdoor begins. This is especially apparent at the restaurant, lounge bar and pool terrace, all adjacent to one another. The open-plan structures look out onto the infinity pool, which seems to be dipping its toes in the Indian Ocean.
There’s a similar view from the 13 Ocean Pool suites (the hotel has just 30 villas); each suite comes with floor-to-ceiling doors that look out to the Indian Ocean on one side and the pool on the other. Latticepanelled doors ensure privacy and you’re treated to the same view from the outsized bathroom too.
A charming touch is the tuk-tuk that takes us around the resort (instead of the usual golf buggy). This being an Aman, no two guests will have the same experience. The team can curate a number of different activities at the resort, from local, cultural shows to romantic dinners on the beach.
But there’s also plenty for guests to do if they want to venture out. We wake up at 5am to start our two-hour drive to Udawalawe National Park, which is home to indigenous plant and animal species, but the highlight is the sighting of elephants. Post-safari, the Aman team surprises us by setting up a picnic on an open plain in the middle of the sanctuary. A six-seater table has been laid out, with a proper tablecloth and cutlery. Breakfast is traditional Sri Lankan string hoppers and curry, and is up to par with the culinary standards we enjoyed at both Amans.
On the night of our departure, Aman arranges a dinner at a local home, where we’re hosted by the family. It’s intimate, the food is traditional and it gives us an authentic insight into the local culture. Here, we see how tourism and resorts like Aman play an important role in bolstering the economy. It’s a nascent industry in Sri Lanka, following the end of the civil war just 10 years ago. It’s also been badly impacted by last year’s terrorist attacks, but given the many treasures that Sri Lanka has to offer, and the warm hospitality of its people, we’re certain that travellers will succumb to its charms once again.
Post-safari, the Aman team surprises us by setting up a picnic on an open plain in the middle of the sanctuary.