family holiday Archives - GlenMyu Estate Luxury Bed and Breakfast

Best Holiday Destinations for 2023

Holiday, Sri Lanka / By Mikeez

Where are the Best Holiday Destinations for 2023?

According to Audley Travel, Sri Lanka is one of the best holiday destinations for 2023.

No 5 on their list, Sri Lanka and headed “Relaxation, jungles, safaris and beaches.

Find out more about what they say for their 21 day tour at Highlights of Sri Lanka.

What do we, at GlenMyu Estate, think?

A Stay in the Sri Lankan Hill Country

GlenMyu Estate is located on the Beragala – Koslanda Road in the Sri Lankan Hill Country.

We are a more peaceful alternative to the busy tourist town on Ella and we are within reach of many of the main sights of interest in the area.

3 Kingsize Double Bedrooms with Spectacular Views
2 Spacious Lounges with views over the hills below the house
A Natural Spring-Fed Infinity Swimming Pool
5 Acres of land to explore
Delicious bespoke meals freshly prepared by the host
A selection of places to dine
A place to relax and be closer to nature

Places to visit whilst at GlenMyu Estate

Diyaluma Waterfall and Upper Diyaluma Pools

Horton Plains National Park – Mini Worlds End, Worlds End and Bakers Falls

Adisham Bungalow

Lipton Seat

Dambetenna Tea Factory

Bambarakanda Waterfall

Thangamale Bird Sanctuary

Ella Town

9 Arch Bridge

Little Adams Peak

Ravanna Waterfall

There is so much to see and experience

Audley Travels Highlight Tour is for 21 days which includes a stay in the Maldives.

What we have experienced at GlenMyu Estate is that visitors don’t realise how much there is to see on this small island. 21 days may not be enough and we consider that Sri Lanka offers so much that you should visit the island again and again and again.

In order to get the full experience of Sri Lanka you should take your times travelling around the island and visit at different times of the year on each trip.

The island has two major monsoon seasons and therefore parts of the island are good to be seen at different times of the year.

What are the Monsoons and When Do they Occur?

The Monsoons

The monsoons are ….

The main South West (Yala) Monsoon brings rain to the West and South West coasts and the Hill Country from April or May to September.

It is the wettest during April through to June.

The less harsh North East (Maha) Monsoon affects the East Coast from November to March. It is is wettest from November to December.

And the Inter-Monsoon

There is also an Inter-Monsoonal period of unsettled weather preceding the Maha Monsoon in October and November .

During this time heavy rainfall and thunderstorms can occur across the island.

What about GlenMyu Estate?

Well, although we are in the Hill Country we are located outside the Central Hills and are at an elevation of around 1,000 metres.

We miss the brunt of the Yala and Maha Monsoons.

Travelling around the Island takes longer than you can imagine.

Although the size of the Island is similar to that of Eire it takes a lot longer to get from one place to the next due to the levels of traffic, lack of by-passes and the small windy roads.

There have been some highways developed over the last 10 years which can speed you from tourist site to tourist site.

However, they do not cover the whole island by travelling this wa means that you will miss some of the beautiful and scenic places that are off the main tracks.

Consider spending 3 days at each Hotel/Guest House/Homestay

We have found that most travellers do not realise how exhausting it can be travelling around Sri Lanka.

Most people book 1 or 2 nights at their lodgings and then speed on to the next place.

We feel that you don’t get value for money doing this as you can’t experience what your stay fully offers you. Also you don’t have time to rest in between sights.

Most visitors come from cooler climes and it is tiring travelling in the heat in conjunction with taking in the colours, smells and experiences you will find in Sri Lanka.

Lots of our guests go on hikes around the country and it can be physically tiring when most of your life at home is sitting at a desk (despite all your best efforts at the gym!).

Audley Travel’s itinerary includes stays of 2 or 3 days in one area which is good.

We have found that the guest that stay for 3 nights at GlenMyu Estate get the best value and experience out of their stay.

There are lots to see near every place that you stay

Sri Lanka packs a large punch for things to do on a small island.

Sri Lanka has

Temples

Safaris

Elephant Orphanges

Whale Watching

Turtle Sanctuaries

Surfing and snorkelling

Fishing

Sailing

Hiking

Historic buildings and architecture

Great railway journeys

A variety of wildlife

Different cuisines around the Island

Sri Lanka is a Paradise Island - Take your time.

Coming to Sri Lanka on holiday should be a change from what you experience at home. Holidays are also about having some rest and relaxation from your busy lives.

So, relax, kick back and take your time travelling around this paradise island and get a full experience of tropical life.

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Relax by the Natural Spring Fed Swimming Pool at GlenMyu Estate, Hotel and Bed & Breakfast, Haputale, Sri Lanka.

Where can I relax in Sri Lanka?

Holiday, Travel / By Mikeez

Where can I relax in Sri Lanka?

We have found that travellers exploring Sri Lanka want to do too much in a their limited time on the Island. Instead of ticking off as many sites as you can we would recommend setting aside a day or two to relax whilst in Sri Lanka.

Starting with the beach

Several of our guests in 2022 have started with a trip to the southern beaches such as Tangalle, Mirissa, Hireketiya, and Hikkaduwa.

Coming from a European winter it is a good place to start and work on a tan. And also getting some much needed vitamin D.

A Safari, a Hike, a Temple, a Train Ride, a Waterfall, a Tea Factory Tour, Whale watching and so on.

There are so many things to do on this small island that you can get exhausted trying to for too much in during a short holiday.

Although Sri Lanka is a small island (similar in size to Ireland), it does take far longer to travel around than you would anticipate.

A recent guest compared travelling 160 kilometres in Australia to Sri Lanka. It would be around two hours in Australia and around four and a half to five hours in Sri Lanka.

This really does take a large chunk out of your holiday.

We experienced a similar challenge when we did a camper van holiday around South Island New Zealand. It too far longer to get from one place to another and we were quite tired from the travelling.

The Heat and the Activities

It is amazing what energy tropical heat can sap from a visitor who is used to a Northern hemisphere climate.

Ambitions of doing so much in a climate one is not used to can be quite tiring.

I remember when I used to ski in Canada every year and I should have exercised those muscles that I needed before attempting the slopes. Well, I never did and it took a while for my body to get conditioned to the environment. It turned out that I was exhausted at the end of every day – thank goodness for apres ski!

Perhaps working on those muscles that you will be using for a hike in Sri Lanka should also be conditioned before coming on holiday? Sitting behind a desk on a computer for most of the day (and evening) and doing a few kilometres on the treadmill at the gym won’t do it!

Who would enter a marathon without doing some training working your way up to the 26 miles?

It’s not just the hiking that saps your energy. Even being driven around when there is so much to see and take in is also very tiring.

A lovely couple arrive who admirably had completed the hike up Adams Peak the previous evening and enjoyed the sunrise. They had ambitions of going to Horton Plains National Park the next day and seeing some of the Waterfalls nearby.

The next morning they had trouble even walking!

After accepting that they had planned to do too much they changed their plans. Instead they had a fabulous few days at GlenMyu Estate relaxing, exploring the five acres. They also enjoyed dips into the waterfall and also our Natural Spring Fed Infinity swimming pool.

Where can I relax in Sri Lanka? Well, GlenMyu Estate appears to be a good place according to our guests.

Here are a few comments from our guest from Booking.Com

This was by far the most beautiful and spectacular accommodation we have ever stayed at. The house itself is striking and the garden is like a patch of paradise.

We immediately felt at home here. Aside from the AMAZING food, the rooms were so comfortable and clean. And the views were outstanding. The pool and gardens are just so beautiful (Ruwanthi gave us a tour and explanation of all the plants). There’s also a short walk to some lovely secluded waterfalls at the bottom of the garden.

The estate only has a maximum of three rooms making it very easy to enjoy the peaceful surrounding but also get in touch with the other guests which I really enjoyed.

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2022 – A good start!

Holiday, Sri Lanka, Things to do on holiday in Sri Lanka / By Mikeez

I’ll always remember that look on your face.

The start to 2022 at GlenMyu Estate has really been fantastic.

The worst time to open!

Opening in 2021, in the middle of a global pandemic, with very few tourists coming to Sri Lanka and interprovincial lockdowns. It made it difficult for local tourist to discover us, was a real challenging start.

We were delighted however to host the guests that were able to come.

And we learned a lot from the experience that they had.

A place for families

We originally didn’t think that the Estate would be a place for children.

How wrong we were!

The families that have stayed with us have just loved the freedom of space. Our guests also loved, the animals (primarily our seven dogs and varying number of ducks), and how comfortable that they have been here.

People are starting to get it

The Estate is a place where you can get away from busy lives. A place to take time out to spend with people you love and are great friends.

An exciting new offering to discover and explore.

We have lots of seating areas around the five acre estate. There are great places where you can just sit, enjoy the surrounding nature and spend time with each other. It will be a place of tranquility without the distractions of everyday life.

Swimming in the refreshing Natural Spring Fed Infinity Swimming Pool. It is a great place to create memories with the family.

Ru’s food has been wonderfully received and there have been plenty of compliments from our guests.

It’s really hard to explain what we have here - you only really get it when you stay a few days.

We have had several guests that have stayed one night. They wished that they had stayed longer. We also have had guests that have extended their stay as they have enjoyed it so much here.

Ru and I are also pleased that we have already had some returning guests despite having only been open for a short time.

It just makes us feel so good and puts a smile on our faces.

We even did Christmas

We had originally decided to close over Christmas so that we could spend some time together.

However, we had a call from a returning guest who wanted to book Christmas at the Estate. We are so pleased that we received the call. Both of us had a great time looking after two families for the festive period. It made the end of 2021 very special for us and will remain in our memories for many years to come.

New guests in 2022

We had a great start to the New Year!

Ru and I consider ourselves were blessed to have a couple who just got the vibe of the place so quickly. Ru and I just love having guests who love GlenMyu Estate and get what we are trying to do here. A 2 night stay was extended to 3 and we were so happy to spend more time with them.

New Countries for us to learn about.

We received our first bookings on booking.com and were so happy that people have started to find us through this platform.

We had our first guests, spread over the first ten days of January from Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Russia.

Ru and I learnt so much from these guests who just loved it here.

Our knowledge of these countries were limited before they came and we were so much better informed when they left for their next destination.

There was political issues in Kazakhstan when our guests arrived. It was heartbreaking hearing how it affected them personally and the challenge that they would find getting home as airports started closing down.

We found them to be a lovely couple. I will always remember the husbands face as we took him down to our hidden waterfall and he was able to jump into the cold, cold water delivered from the streams around the Estate.

The other guests were more relaxed and also loved it here.

When the couple from the Ukraine left there were (almost) tears in ours and their eyes. They just loved it here so much and really bonded with our dogs.

The Russian couple stayed for three nights and had a great time, really appreciating the surroundings and the view.

A highlight for us was when a French couple made a late booking. Both parties bonded and friendships were started when they did a trip together to Horton Plains National Park.https://amazinglanka.com/wp/horton-plains-national-park/

We now have a brief respite before a busy holiday weekend.

It is a long weekend as Thai Pongol https://www.sangam.org/CULTURE/pongal.htm is on Friday and there is a Poya (Full Moon) day on Monday.

We had so many enquiries about the holiday weekend. Unfortunately we were disappointed that we were not able to host as we already are fully booked.

Book early... or you may be disappointed.

We are recommending guests to book early if there is a National Holiday. There tends to be a large demand for these dates from local tourists.

You can find the National Holiday dates for 2022 on the following website. https://www.officeholidays.com/countries/sri-lanka

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How did I get here?

Birds, Holiday, Our dogs, Sri Lanka / By Mikeez

I sit on the balcony and just wonder “how did I end up here?”

It is a December morning with Christmas fast approaching.

About an hour ago I was woken up by the early morning light that washes over hills below our bedroom window which has a view towards the Southern coast of this Paradise Island.

My balcony sits below a glorious Sri Lankan Fig Tree which is bathed in a kaleidoscope of light.

Music is provided freely by the winged visitors that whistle, tweet and call to each other appearing to be saying “Good morning World!”.

My peaceful start is disturbed by three of my four legged friends that want to join the party.

Mans, and my best friends, are acknowledged by a gentle pat on their heads and then they settle at the balcony end to also enjoy the view.

I look at my temperature gauge and smile as I see the digits twenty three point nine degrees celsius.

Not many years ago I would be fighting my way through the throng of London’s Underground network targeting arriving in the office on time.

I would be wrapped up tightly to ward off the icy blasts of that the European Winter would throw at me.

Approaching the box that would be my coffin for the coming eight or so, hours I automatically pick up a generic coffee which is encased in a ,less than environmentally friendly, disposable cup and my blood pressure would eventually settle after being tormented on the start to a traumatic day.

My coffee today has been picked from the Estate, processed and roasted on a skillet over an open fire. Bean to cup has travelled about two hundred metres.

However I got here, I am just thankful.

To experience a relaxing morning listening to birdsong and being surrounded by a blanket of green come to the beautiful Sri Lankan Hill Country and spend some deserved vacation at GlenMyu Estate, Hotel and Bed & Breakfast, Haputale, Sri Lanka.

Please click on the following link to find out more details.

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Making Memories

Holiday, Natural Swimming Pool, Sri Lanka / By Mikeez

Making Family Memories

I sit and listen to the screams of the three young girls that are braving the swimming pool early in the morning.

They are screams of delight and bravery as they contend with the fresh water that flows into our pool which is sourced from an underground spring.

The wind is making it a bit more of a challenge however I glance at the parents overseeing their daughters at play.

I have a feeling of great satisfaction that we have created an Oasis at GlenMyu Estate where this family can create these memories that they may well talk about in years to come

Earlier in the morning the family had walked to the lower part of the property to feed the monkeys with left over or spoilt papaya. It’s not a practice that I agree with however my wife appears to be committed to the cause and the guests certainly enjoyed being closer to nature.

I watched momentarily from the kitchen and saw the family sitting on the rocks enjoying the sound of the stream. Then the father was guiding his daughters holding a hand over the rocks in the stream. This is what family memories are made of. Just a simple thing, but so important for that close bind between parent and child.

I think back to my younger days in England where the family holiday was a long trip to Devon or Cornwall to a Caravan near the coast. We would spend our time trying to catch fish with our small inadequate nets in the streams or at the seashore. We would jump and leap from rock to rock as it we were mountain goats with nothing to fear.

(My steps are a lot more considered at this age!).

These were joyous simple times that are a warm memory of a childhood.

Yesterday evening the guests arrived at around five in the afternoon and experienced the sunset as a family standing in a row on the balcony. The stunning view and light provided by mother nature did not disappoint.

There were family photographs and a number of selfies taken that will be despatched around the country and the world to family and friends so that they can be part of the experience also.

A special place.

We didn’t expect that what we had created in the Sri Lankan Hill Country would be such a special place for families and we are delighted to be educated by our guests on what we have really provided.

The family were a little nervous of our pack of seven dogs however it did not take any time for introductions and friendships to be made. Within a couple of hours there were selfies and more photographs with the dogs. An unplanned benefit of getting nervous individuals more comfortable with mans best friend is an added bonus from spending time here.

"The House with the Seven Dogs"

We are known as the “House with the seven Dogs” by a previous family that loved the experience so much that they came back for another holiday here within a couple of months. The families two daughters were delighted to reacquaint themselves with the dogs and they had remembered all their names.

Make your own family memories at GlenMyu Estate, Hotel and Bed & Breakfast, Haputale, Sri Lanka.

We have three double bedrooms (one can be converted into a triple room), which have stunning views of the Sri Lankan Hill Country below the house,

There are lots of walkways around the five acre estate to explore and enjoy.

There are rocks to climb and streams to wade in.

Food is freshly prepared by Ruwanthi and the menu is adapted to the guests requirements.

Reconnecting with nature, relaxing and having some time together to strengthen relationships throughout the family are something that appears to come naturally here

Please visit our website, Instagram and Facebook page for more information and to read some guest reviews.

We are also on booking.com and you can also contact us directly via WhatsApp or on telephone 0094 0752999272

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