A Luxury Journey Through Sri Lanka: Tea Trails, Safaris and Beaches
SRI LANKA IN STYLE: A LUXURY JOURNEY THROUGH ELLA, YALA & TANGALLE
Explore Sri Lanka in style – from tea plantations in Ella to wild safaris in Yala and secluded beach bliss in Tangalle.
Heading to Sri Lanka for the second time, I wasn’t planning to visit its Cultural Triangle, I was here for the tea, the nature and the beach. When the plane touched down at Bandaranaike International in Colombo, although I had arrived, there was a further four-hour journey in an air-conditioned minibus. As it began its slow climb into the emerald folds of the highlands toward Hatton, my tired eyes scanned the trees for monkeys swinging through the canopy.
Easing Into Sri Lanka: From Negombo to the Highlands
If the flight and transfer are a bit too much, a stopover at the recently opened Uga Riva in Negombo is a great way to ease in. It’s a chic, colonial-style boarding house (pictured above) that offers the perfect reset from the long flight before the four-to-five-hour drive to the tea country.
A train rides through Ella – Image by Michele Ricucci
There are landscapes that are beautiful, and then there are those that feel like they were crafted by an artist’s talented hand. Sri Lanka’s tea country falls firmly into the latter. Stretching across the Central Highlands – from Nuwara Eliya to Haputale and Ella – this region is a living painting of jade-green plantations, swirling mist and gentle, old-world charm.
Tea Country Escapes: Life in Ella’s Lush Highlands
My base was the impressive Uga Halloowella (pictured above), near the historic town of Ella. Unlike the colonial bungalows scattered across the region, Halloowella is a modern love letter to the past. With an estate dating to 1880, the current home was erected in 1912 and was home to Major Elton Lane, a Royal Air Force pilot who lived here for 50 years. Keen to retain this charm, Uga restored the property with the help of famed Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa’s protégé, Channa Daswatte, ensuring every beam and floorboard honours the estate’s soul while embracing contemporary elegance.
The Pekoe Suites
The Lane Suites echo the bungalow’s original heritage, boasting wood-burning fireplaces, four-poster beds and clawfoot tubs overlooking endless hills. The Pekoe Suites (pictured above), overlooking the Pekoe Trail that passes nearby, offer romantic, garden-fringed serenity. And the Planters’ Suites provide cosy, rustic-luxe charm without sacrificing a single ounce of indulgence.
On my first morning, I slipped into the hot tub just before dawn, watching mist unravel across the valley before enjoying a fresh ginger tea. Later, the Afternoon Tea Experience delivered a curated selection of hand-poured Sri Lankan teas with savoury bites like prawn moju and fluffy pink cupcakes, followed by pre-dinner cocktails beside a crackling fire in the drawing room peppered with antique curios, vintage board games and opera posters.
It would be remiss not to try the region’s newly opened Pekoe Trail. This cross-country walking route that weaves through the region in manageable sections and was advisable with a guide, who also recommended glamorous “leech socks” — a jungle fashion essential for the rainy season! The walk was moderate, and the guide was informative as we passed tea pluckers, railway bridges, and shrines bright with flowers. For the more adventurous, there’s also the Rolling Through the Tea Hills guided cycling tour, a scenic ride through fog-draped plantations that’s equal parts cardio and eye candy. Or you could, as I did more than once, simply unwind in the hillside hot tub beside the infinity pool.
Wild Beauty in Yala: Safari Adventures at Chena Huts
Two nights here were a deeply welcome initiation into Sri Lanka’s slow rhythm. But the wild was calling, and so I boarded a seaplane from Castlereagh Reservoir, bound for the jungle coast of Yala.
I arrived at Uga Chena Huts (main image) just as the rains had passed, with the landscape shimmering in that ultra-saturated shade of green that seems almost made up. Here, the jungle quite literally meets the sea, and calling my accommodation a “hut” was quite the understatement. Each thatched-roofed villa is a private sanctuary complete with a garden, plunge pool, freestanding tub, and a balcony shaded by elephant grass and swaying palms.
With just 18 villas (pictured above) nestled between bush and beach, Chena Huts feels like an uncharted outpost. Peacocks strolled by as I ate breakfast. A monkey watched me from a nearby tree. I didn’t catch the elephant which sauntered casually past the dining pavilion, but I saw the video, so I knew it was true.
Yala National Park – Image by Krivinis
Here, it was all about nature, and I was excited to be heading out on a bush safari. Riding in Uga’s custom jeeps, our small group ventured into Yala National Park (pictured above) with Chena Huts’ in-house ranger, Naguelle, who was a fountain of knowledge about every creature and could name a bird and spot a croc from a very wide berth! These drives are not the Big Five equivalent; they bring all passengers together in an immersive and slow experience, with long silences punctuated by the snap of a twig or the warning cry of a sambar deer. During my experience, we spotted elephants cooling themselves in the dust, langurs leaping from tree-to-tree, and crocodiles sunbathing like ancient dragons. There are over 200 species of birds to spot – including the rare, black-necked stork.
Back at the Huts, we returned dusty and exhilarated to enjoy candlelit dinners under a blanket of stars, with the Southern Cross turning overhead and the distant sea whispering in the background. A big bucket list tick.
Fisherman in Galle – Image by Ozbalci
Beach Bliss in Tangalle: Slowing Down at Uga Prava
From jungle to coastline, there’s a noticeable shift in Sri Lanka. The light grows warmer. The scent becomes saltier, layered with frangipani and woodsmoke. Colours return in full: bougainvillaea in neon bloom, sea that shimmers between turquoise and ink. The final stretch of my journey led south to Tangalle – but not the surfy part, the laid back and off the beaten track part.
My sanctuary was Uga Prava, the brand’s newest property, discreetly tucked down a quiet lane yet moments from the shore. Opened in May 2025, Prava is a masterclass in barefoot luxury. Just seven suites, each angled toward the sea and all with private terraces, there’s a ginormous open-air infinity pool, a fully functioning Spa and gym and a signature restaurant where you can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner.
This was the most relaxed part of the trip – activities in the morning or dusk, such as a guided cycle through local villages or kayaking through mangroves as the sun set a burning red while the air buzzed with bird calls. Galle was just close enough for a cultural fix: its Fort filled with gift shops, batik boutiques, and gem stores whose treasures glittered like the nearby sea. However, the middle of the day was for relaxing by the pool or beach. One night, I savoured the Ocean Feast—a beachside BBQ of the freshest catch grilled to perfection, all enjoyed with bare feet in the sand and a cold glass of crisp local white wine.
For explorers, Mulkirigala Raja Maha Vihara, a 2nd-century rock temple carved into a monolithic boulder, is worth checking out for its saffron-robed monks who still light oil lamps, and centuries-old murals which glow dimly in the cave chambers. Nearby, at the Wewurukannala Temple, the towering 50-metre seated Buddha looms serenely over visitors. But the most surprising natural wonder here is the Hummanaya Blowhole, about 25 minutes from Tangalle. It’s the second largest in the world, formed by millions of years of geological erosion. Stand back (safely behind railings) and wait for the ocean to spit out a pressurised column of sea spray.
My favourite place, however, was Godellawela Beach (also known as Silent Beach). Secluded, peaceful and fringed by a palm tree jungle it was the epitome of tropical paradise. Sri Lanka doesn’t demand your attention with spectacle; it earns it with subtlety. In the filtered light through tea mist, the hush of jungle trails, and the stillness of a nearly empty beach.
SRI LANKA IN STYLE: A LUXURY JOURNEY THROUGH ELLA, YALA & TANGALLE
FIND OUT MORE
The Uga properties offer 2 nights at Uga Halloowella in Hatton, all-inclusive, 2 nights at Uga Chena Huts in Yala National Park, all-inclusive, and 2 nights at Uga Prava in Tangalle, inclusive of dinner from £3,950 per person. This includes a private chauffeur guide and car, game drives, The Pekoe Trail, and kayaking in Tangalle. Includes international flights departing from London Heathrow.
Enquire with Red Dot 01937 228 844 or (+94) 117 895 810 www.reddottours.com
Sara Darling
