The ttgluxury Experience
drives were brilliantly done, and the team did a great job of taking us away from main routes to avoid the crowds.” On the morning safari, we
pulled into a quiet spot at 9.30am when cakes, snacks and tea were magically produced for a peaceful breakfast. Later on, while I and a couple of others chose to rest and enjoy Chena after many early starts, those who opted for a second afternoon safari were lucky enough to see a leopard, thanks to the eagle eyes of Roelofsz. Other highlights at Chena included the
Bandaranaike International Airport Colombo The Residence
Jungle Beach
Ulagalla
Uga Bay Sri Lanka
Valley Travel and first-time visitor to Sri Lanka, says: “The drive down the coast to get there was stunning and our signature meal on the beach was brilliant, with exceptional seafood and I loved touches such as the sand raked into patterns and the simple little
Chena Huts
beach bar.” After a lot of driving, Uga Bay provided the perfect spot for some downtime. Along the way, we stopped off at Jungle
Beach, a charming hotel that
afternoon tea and an atmospheric beach BBQ accompanied by cultural dance performances around the fire. BBQs would become a theme of the trip – with
another of our stays, Uga Bay, offering a wonderful evening as we sat with toes scrunching into the sandy beach. Located in the east of Sri Lanka in Batticaloa and set on the beautiful bay of Passekudah, Uga Bay is a larger and livelier affair than Chena, with 48 rooms and a large infinity pool. Gill O’Leary, senior travel consultant with Meon
lives up to its name; it’s a sleepy 10-acre reserve where an elaborate treehouse structure acts as the reception area and leads you down to its restaurant where we ate dishes including traditional crab curry. Its simply furnished rooms are secluded
among the jungle, from which all paths lead to the three-mile beach. Close to the village of Kuchchaveli on the east coast, Jungle Beach was the first resort of its kind in the area and is also close to Trincomalee – or “Trinco”, a popular stop on Sri Lanka itineraries – while other options here could also include whale watching. Abercrombie & Kent personal travel consultant
Jonathan Dunne says: “Jungle Beach is isolated, but for those clients who want a few days away from sightseeing and just want to relax, this is the perfect place. No doubt the area will change in the next few years as more hotels open up, so for now this is a real hidden gem.” Sweet touches at Jungle Beach include how
the hotel floats as many frangipani petals as there are guests in a bowl at the entrance and we start to recognise each hotel offers its own
Getting there: Oman Air “While most of our clients do prefer a direct flight, Oman Air’s connections to Sri Lanka via Muscat
are seamless and they have fantastic connections to India too. I am confident on the product and feedback has always been positive, but now having experienced both business class and economy, it’s great to know that I can sell the airline with greater confidence. As it flies twice a day from Heathrow to Muscat now, this offers greater flexibility, but be aware it currently operates from Terminals 3 and 4 – that’s especially relevant for clients parking at the airport. Business class is a great product – the seats are comfortable and for tall people like myself, plenty of space when fully reclined, while the onboard service was excellent and attentive without being impersonal. In Muscat the transit was smooth, although quite short compared with some other transit stops. Our next leg was in economy, which again was comfortable, although the leg room could be bit more generous. Returning from Colombo was quick and efficient, but getting through the airport to check-in is a bit like Fort Knox, but of course, this is the airport authorities’ procedures not the airline’s and we had allowed plenty of time.” Jon Dunne, platinum sales consultant, Abercrombie & Kent, Harrods
DESTINATIONS SUMMER 2016
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