Luxury Two Centre Holiday

Sri Lanka Cultural Triangle And Tropical Beaches

Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle contains some one the wonders of Asia, including two ancient cities, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa with fascinating temples and palaces as well as the jungles of Minneriya National Park that contain a great variety of wildlife.

Ulagalla Resort is a deluxe boutique hotel set in large landscaped gardens occupying a strategic location close to most of the sights of the Cultural Triangle. From here you can make daily visits to the area’s top attractions while relaxing in sublime forested surroundings close to the idyllic Nachchaduwa Tank at Thirappane.

From the Cultural Triangle you can transfer south to a luxury beach hotel of your choice on the beautiful Deep South or South West Coast of Sri Lanka. A visit to the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage makes a welcome break on this journey.

Options for a beach stay include Reef Villa at Wadduwa, Club Villa, Saman Villas or The Taj Exotica near the resort of Bentota and Aditya further south near Galle.

Recommended For: Anyone wishing to experience Sri Lanka’s culture and history combined with a beach stay.

Day 01

Depart UK

Depart UK – Overnight flight

Day 02

Ulagalla

Ulagalla Resort

Pick up from Colombo and travel through rural countryside of the island to reach Ulagalla Resort at Thirappane.

Day 03

Ulagalla

Ulagalla Resort

Anuradhapura
One of the original ‘Lost Cities Of The Jungle’ with a history going back well over 2000 years. Anuradhapura is an important place of Buddhist pilgrimage throughout the world on account of The Sacred Bo Tree - planted from a sapling of the tree under which the Buddha attained Nirvana. It is the oldest historically documented tree in existence.

Other highlights of Anuradhapura are enormous stupas such as the Jethawanaramaya Stupa (3rd Century) which was the tallest structure of the Ancient World (400 ft) after the Third Pyramid at Giza.

There are also some beautiful Moonstones - elaborately carved stone ornaments that are usually placed at the entrance to important buildings. The rock temple of Isurumuniya (260 B.C.) contains famous ancient sculptures and a lovely sleeping Buddha statue.

Day 04

Ulagalla

Ulagalla Resort

Colossal Buddha Of Aukana
Near the immense lake of Kala Wewa at Aukana Temple is a remarkably beautiful 42ft high standing statue of the Buddha (5th Century) carved out of a single rock that is the most celebrated in Sri Lanka.

Sigiriya Rock Fortress
The so-called 8th Wonder Of The Ancient World is easily the most impressive sight in Sri Lanka. There is a fabulous new museum at the base of the rock that is highly recommended.

You enter via a water-filled moat through The Royal Pleasure Gardens that are one the oldest in the world and make the ascent of the rock fortress through a series of dramatic staircases.

Half way up the rock, a hidden cave reveals The Sigiriya Frescoes. This is Sri Lanka’s premier artistic treasure and is a must for all visitors. If you have a head for heights, you can reach the top via the gigantic Lions Paws, which are the remnants of a huge stone lion that used to guard the entrance. There are stunning views of the forested plains below from the top.

The Golden Cave Temple At Dambulla
The 5 Cave Temples Of Dambulla are a series of rock temples that have been hewn from a gigantic boulder that contain a very beautiful collection of sculptures, paintings and frescoes from various periods of the island’s history. Cave No 2 – The Temple Of The Great Kings is the biggest and most spectacular cave temple with over 150 statues and 1500 paintings! The ceilings and walls are covered by the finest murals to be seen in Sri Lanka.

Day 05

Ulagalla

Ulagalla Resort

By Private Jeep To See ‘The Gathering’ Of Wild Elephants At Minneriya National Park
One of the Great Sights Of The Natural World happens each year during July – August when huge herds of Asian Elephants are observed by the large lakes of the Cultural Triangle during the Dry Season. This event is called The Gathering Of Elephants and up to 300 elephants can sometimes be seen together – the largest number of wild elephants gathering in one place on the entire planet!

Day 06

Ulagalla

Ulagalla Resort

Polonnaruwa
Polonnaruwa was the Medieval capital of the island and is the best preserved of Sri Lanka’s ancient cities. Ruins of royal palaces, stupas and monasteries are scattered over several square kilometers around a vast lake known as the Sea Of Parakrama.

The Quadrangle area contains the most exquisite
historical remains in the whole of Sri Lanka such as the Thuparama image house and the Vatadage with its 4 seated Buddhas. Look out for ancient guard-stones, sculptures and stone inscriptions among these ruins. The amazing Palace Of 7 Stories is a unique ziggurat in a South East Asian architectural style.

The highlight of any visit to Polonnaruwa is The Gal Vihare (Temple Of The Rock) consisting of 4 rock cut Buddhas that are among the masterpieces of Buddhist Art, and one of the world’s great artistic treasures.

An interesting and well maintained Archaeological Museum has a collection of bronze statue and other artefacts that have been excavated.

Day 07

To Sri Lankas Beaches

Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage
Pinnawela is Sri Lanka’s most visited attraction, but is actually still very un-commercialised and is a great place to spend a few hours watching elephants. It is home to the largest group of orphaned Elephants in the world! Most of the 70 animals have been found injured or abandoned in the wild. The whole herd can be seen either bathing in the river or grazing in a field with misty mountains in the background. A not to be missed experience!

Luxury Beach Stay On Sri Lanka’s South West Coast
For the second part of this holiday you head off to the island’s South West Beach resorts that contain a selection of luxurious boutique and resort type hotels.

We feature the folowing beach properties for this holiday:
Reef Villa – Wadduwa: A designer boutique beach hotel with interiors filled with Rajasthani and Asian antiques.

Club Villa – Bentota: An old Dutch mansion converted in to an intimate beach property in lovely palm gardens.

Saman Villas – Bentota: The ultimate romantic getaway in Sri Lanka perched on a rocky headland between idyllic beaches.

Taj Exotica – Bentota: Sri Lanka’s most luxurious resort hotel with international facilities and superb cuisine.

Aditya – Galle: Spacious suites on a private beach near to the historic town of Galle.

There is also the possibility of a stay on the amazing East Coast of Sri Lanka which is easily accessible from Ulagalla. Accommodation options are however somewhat limited for luxury clients.

NOTE: You can choose as many beach nights as you require.

NOTE: If you do not require a beach stay, you need to add a stopover night at Colombo or near the Airport prior to your departure.

Day 07

Depart Sri Lanka

Depart Sri Lanka – Daytime flights arrive back to the UK in the same day.