A Beach or the Hills? – the choice is yours.
Where should I go on my holiday to Sri Lanka? - I want experience something different and new.
A beach resort or hanging out in the Hills? Different options in Sri Lanka
The idyllic image that comes to mind of Sri Lanka is pristine beaches edged by Palm Trees looking out onto the azure sea with gently rolling waves.
My early experiences of visiting this wonderful Paradise Island reflected the normal pattern of tourists spending their holidays.
The usual tourist thing.
We would arrive at Bandaranaike Airport which is situated on the West Coast of the Island and, after reacquainting ourselves with my wife’s family, we would hug the coastline and visit some of the beach resorts of the West such as Negombo, Bentota, Kalutara and on the South such as Hikkaduwa, Matara or Galle.Â
In later trip we ventured towards the splendid East Coast visiting Arugam Bay, Passikuda and Trincomalee.Â
We stayed at Maalu Maalu Hotel in Passikuda and enjoyed a pristine beach with very few other tourists https://www.themeresorts.com.
Each beach has its own unique personality and vibe. Some are great for surfing, some are great for swimming and some are just a place to lie on a subbed and soak up the sun.
A word of warning
It is important that you are aware of the timing of the North Eastern and South Western Monsoons which hit the Island annually so that you can plan what side of the island you should visit on your holiday. The weather and waters are not that friendly depending upon what time you visit.
The Centre of the Island, Cultural Sites, Safaris, National Parks, Hiking, Tea Plantations and Waterfalls
If you are not a sun worshipper and want to wander away from the beaches Sri Lanka has an abundance of things to see and do if you venture inside the Island.
Around 60% of people that visit the Island do not explore the interior.
Do something different!
What people normally do (which is just fine).
Typically a tour would be clockwise around the Island and enjoy a mix of reconnecting with nature, enjoying spectacular scenery and visiting cultural sites.
The itinerary would normally be as follows:
Land at Bandaranaike Airport and stay at one of the beach hotels in Negombo.
Travel towards Kandy and stop at the Pinnawella Elephant Orphanage.
Stay in Kandy and visit the Temple of the Tooth.
Head towards Dambulla and visit the rock temple.
Travel to Polonnaruwa and then Anaradhapura to visit the many ancient temples.
Travel to Nuwara Eliya and visit the tea country and take in a tea factory tour to see how the worlds favourite beverage is made.
Go South and do a safari at Yala National Park.Â
Visit the former Dutch port of Galle and then head back to Colombo.
It sounds quite exhausting does it?
I have known friends who did this type of trip as part of their honeymoon and then went on to the Maldives for a week of doing nothing on one of those beautiful Islands.Â
Perhaps it’s my age and energy levels but I always thought that I would need a week of doing nothing if I was going to endure this trip.Â
Sri Lanka may be a small island however it can be quite exhausting travelling around as it can take quite a while to get from one place to the next.
A stay in the Hills
Being from the UK and experiencing a week or two (if we were lucky) of weather of 25-30 degrees celsius during the summer where we would be complaining about the heat after a few days I am pleased that we ended up in the Hill country.
A pleasant temperature.
I can handle a day or two at a beach resort but I find that I need to get to a place where the temperature is a bit more comfortable for me.
Where we live at GlenMyu Estate the temperature ranges from around 22 degrees to 30 degrees during the day. It can get cooler at night and we provide a duvet for our guests.
Our neighbours advise that we are living in the closest thing to a Mediterranean climate and that is really soothing.
I read some reviews of other hotels in the area before we built GlenMyu where the guest wished that they had stayed there for more than one night as they loved the scenery and climate.
So - do something different and visit the Hill Country
GlenMyu Estate is located in the Hill Country of Sri Lanka. The Hill Country is also commonly known as Up Country.Â
The nearest town is Beragala which is located on the main A4 road towards Welawaya.Â
The nearest larger town is Haputale which lies 400 plus metres above Glenmyu.
If you enjoy peace and relaxation we believe that there is no better place to be.
Stay at GlenMyu Estate to explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country
A stay at GlenMyu Estate as you explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country and see sights like Horton Plains National Park is a unique experience.
We only have three bedrooms and you will need to book early during the peak holiday season.
The estate is usually within an hours drive of the major sightseeing locations such as Nine Arch Bridge, Ella Town, Upper Diyaluma Waterfall, Lipton’s Seat, Bambarakanda Waterfall and many more,
GlenMyu Estate is listed on Booking.com and Airbnb.
Contact us by the WhatsApp button on our website for direct booking rates.
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