FOR THE NEWLY HITCHED, SRI LANKA CAN BE AN IDEAL HONEYMOON DESTINATION - PRESENTING THE OPTION OF JUST PURE RELAXATION (and recovery!?) OR COMBINING THAT WITH SOMETHING ADVENTUROUS TO KICK OFF MARRIED LIFE

HERE ARE A COUPLE OF IDEAS…

HIGH PLANTER STYLE - LUX SAFARI - AMAN IDYLL

12 nights - from USD 12,500

This trip is about as plush as it gets in SL, taking in the quintessential planter bungalow experience of Tea Trails before the most gorgeous of safari stays at the South-Eastern edge of Yala and then on to Aman style on the Southern tip of the island.

Tea Trails pioneered boutique Hill Country hospitality in Sri Lanka and continue to lead the way with beautifully considered experiences across their five stunning estate properties. It’s very much throwback stuff - croquet lawns, afternoon tea, log fires - but gloriously put together in simply stunning locations, impeccably served up.

From the hills to the ocean and a property entirely different in architecture but equally well thought out. Stay at Wild Coast which boasts prime position adjacent to the Southern block of Yala National Park. From the lodge enjoy game drives into the park and private sunset dinners on the beach.

Complete the honeymoon with a serene 4-night stay on the seemingly untouched and well-named Silent Beach; almost certainly our favourite beach here. The Amanwella of course boasts impeccable style and immaculate attention to detail. It’s the perfect spot to end a celebratory trip in Sri Lanka

AN ALL-ISLAND CELEBRATION (or pretty much)

12 nights - from USD 9,400

We think this is a real beauty of a trip around Sri Lanka. The places to stay are unique, interesting and beautiful and it pairs up a good dose of action with a fair amount of time to relax and do nothing at all.

We start off a little outside Kandy, the old Hill Country capital. An old and wonderfully restored manor house is home for 2 nights. We particularly love the pool here, gorgeous in a lush tropical garden looking over paddy fields a little below. Drop into Kandy (perhaps the Temple of the Tooth and the Botanical Gardens) or just decompress fully for adventures ahead.

From Kandy, a drive up over the mountains, heading east and to the fringe of Gal Oya National Park. Three nights at probably our favourite lodge in Sri Lanka to enjoy boat safaris (swimming elephants perhaps!), mountain climbs, cooking classes and jungle drives.

From Gal Oya on and up to Koslanda - for our money one of, if not the most striking part of Sri Lankan Hill Country with incredible views down towards the South Coast. An adventurous arrival by jeep on a considerably bumpy (fun) estate road and to what feels almost a miracle of a house - so beautiful and remote and pristine. So great are the views here that just sitting, by the pool or the lawn, is a pleasure in itself but a good day’s hike up to Lipton’s Seat is really worth the effort.

Finally down to the coast and one of Sri Lanka’s first really great boutique beach hotels; a Geoffrey Bawa design at the far Eastern end of really lovely Mawella. The feel and style here is wonderfully romantic, a perfect finale for a honeymoon on a gorgeous golden beach just ideal to fully unwind.