Magical Sri Lanka
We were considering different destinations-for the family vacations - Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Thailand and even Bali. As it turned out that in from May till August they do have a rainy season in South East region... So I was thinking that if its raining in Maldives , we will have nothing to do with the kid. Mauritius needed pre- arranged visa for my hubby and we didn't have much time. Seychelles and Thailand we have already visited ( very good option by the way) but we wanted something new. Bali was quite far- 9 hours flight with the kiddo was a-bit too much..
Then it clicked - Sri Lanka- green jungle, fresh air, Indian Ocean, yoga and retreats, yummy seafood ( local crabs and lobsters.. mmm). Moreover my daughter loves wildlife and animals - roaring all the time like a lion ( her favorite). So we decided to open this amazing just jungle book for our toddler. Good thing that from Dubai its only 4 hours flight, which really matters when you are traveling with your child.
We took direct Emirates Flight to Colombo airport. 4 hours flew very fast. Good we arranged hotel transfer in advance. It was a nice minivan with car seat for the baby, water, and even Wi-Fi.
Our first stop.
Anantara Kalutara. The luxurious resort hidden in the jungle. I was so impressed that these lovely people greeted us with traditional Lankan dance and led us to the Lobby area. We were lucky to get upgraded to the Private Garden Villa with the swimming pool. Honestly the best place to stay with the little one as you can swim together all day long and whenever baby is tired, you can put him to sleep in the bedroom ( by the way hotel provides very comfortable wooden baby cot). We were anxious to go and to discover that property.
The hotel is beautifully decorated in rustic style with a natural touch, great swimming pool, few restaurants and a kids club. Kids club accepts kids from 4 yo, but our girl is just 2yo so we could arrange babysitter there. Kids club is well- equipped with different toys, games and cartoons. So our kid was happy to spend some time there while my hubby and I enjoyed famous Anantara SPA.
Next day we decided to spend outdoors. Concierge arrange for us Turtle Sanctuary visit, where we learned about turtle rescue, cuddles small water turtles and eventually let them go to the ocean ( very touching experience) Another great adventure was Yala National Park. We went on a real safari with our little one and had a time of the life Yala National Park is the most visited and second largest national park in bordering the Indian Ocean. Really Huge!!
It is situated in the southeast region of the country, and lies in Southern Province and Uva Province. The park covers 979 square km. Yala is best known for its variety of wild animals. It is important for the conservation of Sri Lankan elephants, Sri Lankan leopards and aquatic birds. Safari guide told us that we will be extremely lucky if we see leopards but they are hiding all the time and was not easy to catch them. We seen them TWICE! wow!
My kid was fascinated with such a wonderful wildlife as she saw elephants, deers, peacocks, buffalos and much more!! It was 2 hours drive in high 4x4 Toyota car but we didn't even notice the time!! ( baby had a car seat for the safety) Awesome family experience!! Super happy!
Our second stop
Anantara Tangalle Peace Haven. The idyllic place for the family vacation. Wonderful resort overlooking Indian Ocean. The area of the hotel is green and blossoming. You can spot lots of animals there like monkeys, peacocks, parrots and much more. Our Private pool villa was a dream come true. Spacious rooms, fabulous interiors and of course cherry on the top was a private swimming pool with the ocean view, where we spent most of the time. Butler service was exceptional. Our butler went extra mile to exceed our expectations. Even he as per my husband's request arranged for us a traditional Sri Lankan show inside our villa area. It was unforgettable - dancers in Traditional costumes, fire show, drumming and delicious food that Chef was preparing specially for us at the live cooking station that they set up on a site. It was a magnificent show!
Overall Sri Lanka is a beautiful country , full of wonders. It can suit any budget and satisfy even the most demanding traveler. Would definitely recommend it for the family vacation for around 7-10 days. You will enjoy!