279 326
SRI LANKA
279
October14
Lantern is a 90-minute drive
from Colombo International
Airport. Multiple airlines fly
direct from Singapore; the flight
takes around 3.5 hours. Visit
www.thelanterngroup.cofor
more information about the
hotel or to make a booking.
daybeds overlooking the sea will
definitely make it hard to leave. But
those guests who do tap into their
adventurous spirit will be rewarded.
Here are five trips that can be arranged
during a stay at the hotel.
Elephants
Yala National Park has been the most
celebrated wildlife park in Sri Lanka
for over a century. It’s an ideal place to
spot the “big four” of Sri Lankan wildlife:
the elephant, the sloth bear, the elusive
leopard and the wild buffalo.
Diving
The ocean off the village of Weligama
is known for its fantastic shallow reefs
and spectacular underwater rock
formations and marine life; snorkelling
is ideal here, as is diving – especially
for first-timers, as the bay is protected
by the reef.
Tea
Handungoda is a 200-acre estate
comprising tea, rubber, cinnamon,
pepper and coconut plantations. It’s a
15-minute drive from the coastal town of
Koggala; in fact, Handungoda may be
the closest tea plantation in the world
to the sea.
Whales
Situated between the cities of Galle and
Matara, Marissa is the best place for
watching blue whales, sperm whales
and spinner dolphins. April to November
is considered the peak viewing season
for these animals.
Mangroves
A boat safari on picturesque Koggala
Lake provides a chance to view a huge
array of plant and animal species,
including lotuses and lilies that are highly
prized in local Ayurvedic medicine,
along with kingfishers and eagles, and
purple-faced leaf monkeys.