Sri Lanka’s south coast is a beguiling mix of historic towns and laid-back surfing spots, and one elite hotel brand manages to offer the best of both in one magical combined escape
Isabella Craddock
The memories of Sri Lanka stay with you long after you leave – the sweet smell of frangipani, the rugged waves lapping mashed potato sands, and fascinating architecture – a mélange of cultures harking back to the days of Ceylon and pioneering tropical modernist designs. The most popular of Sri Lanka’s destinations is its south coast, home to enchanting historic towns, ramshackle surf spots, cool cafés, beach resorts and more. It’s here, that one of the world’s most elite hotel brands, Aman, has two properties – perfectly primed for travellers to experience the best of both worlds. Amangalla, an ode to period splendour, sits in the walls of the Galle Fort, a UNESCO-protected old town and one of Sri Lanka’s most popular attractions.
The second, Amanwella, is a tropical modernist dream on a stretch of rugged coastline, where towering palms willow in the breeze and crashing waves lull guests into their deepest slumber yet. At just a 4.5-hour flight from the UAE, an escape to Sri Lanka is one of the most enchanting, encompassing and rewarding: perfect for a long weekend or Eid escape.
The most luxurious Sri Lanka south coast itinerary
Sri Lanka south Coast itinerary: Galle, the UNESCO-protected fort town
Something comes over you when you enter Amangalla – a rare feeling of complete and utter joy. It could be the sweet smell of frangipani in the air, the ice-cold cinnamon tea and cold towel on arrival, the gentle whirr of ceiling fans and the trundle of tuk-tuks as they pass the veranda. All of the tired, stickiness from the flight and drive ebbs away, entering another worldly feeling that engulfs us for the next three days.
The Galle Forte encompasses a rocky walled promontory in the Bay of Galle, a UNESCO-protected heritage site built by the Portuguese in the 16th century and conquered by the Dutch in the 17th century before falling to the British. Amangalla sits in a 17th-century building that served as both Dutch and British military headquarters before becoming the New Oriental Hotel, catering to European passengers travelling between Europe and Galle. Modern-day Amangalla opened in 2005 – and is a Victoriana-meets-Sri Lankan time machine where guests feel like they’ve stepped into a fairytale.
For a few days, the hotel becomes our home. We wander in the thick tropical gardens, swim in the emerald-tiled pool and retire to our old-world bedroom (opened with a weighty metal turn-key), with charmingly creaky floorboards, lofty ceilings and antique furniture. We relax in rattan chairs on the veranda – peeking through the balustrades onto the tuk-tuks on the street below – and waft around in our bathrobes to the Victorian-style baths and the Aman Spa. The lower floor is like a movie set, with its polished teak furniture, ceiling fans, potted greenery, memorabilia and more, and guests casually float around – taking breakfast and cocktails on the veranda, afternoon tea in the drawing room, dinner under candlelight.
We take off each day on foot, walking past old mansions now housing artisan coffee shops, boutique hotels, jewellery stores, bars and more, and heading to the coastal ramparts – where we enjoy sundowners at cool new cocktail bar Charlie’s. Outside Amangalla’s entrance is a coastal wall and a popular spot for photographs, so there’s always a buzz, along with a constant flurry of tuk-tuks. Listen for the ruby red tuk-tuk bakery loaded with Sri Lankan bread bakery that moves to the tinkle of Beethoven’s Fleur De Lis.
Amangalla is one of the most exclusive stays in the country, with just 29 doubles (including some twins) spread across the main historic building and a contemporary garden annexe. Our suite sits on the top floor, up four flights of stairs and is a complete dream: whitewashed walls, the same 150-year-old wooden floors, a four-poster bed, crisp white cotton sheets, roll- top bath, a walk-in shower with vintage white tiles, twin antique basins and arched windows. Period touches include a rattan chaise lounge, the writing desk filled with postcards, and a delicate (and much-need on a sticky summer’s day) Palmyra fan. Fruit bowls are replenished daily with juicy Sri Lankan mango and pineapple, and three complimentary items are pressed a day: a small but incredibly welcomed touch.
Days start with waking up to the Sri Lankan sun pouring through the arched windows, pottering down the stairs and taking a seat on the sun-dappled terrace for Sri Lankan egg hoppers, coconut water, fresh fruit platters and pots of steaming coffee. The feasting continues all day: lunch poolside – Sri Lankan curries in the heat by the emerald waters – a complimentary daily cream tea with pots of delicate Ceylon tea and scones loaded with jam and cream. For a taste of old Ceylon, dress up and enjoy a cocktail in the ‘zaal’ (salon) or on the same veranda, complete with a live Sri Lanka duo (order something with arrack for a truly local taste). Or supper in the dining room where dim flickering lights creating an otherworldly ambience. We finish nights in the library playing backgammon, overlooking the jungly gardens, sunken into antique furniture and surrounded by vintage memorabilia.
While the chirping, birds and whir of tuk-tuks send you into a lull, there’s nowhere like the Aman Spa – accessed down a garden path into a whitewashed, arched hall complete with flickering candles and rattan chaises. There’s an in-house Ayurvedic physician, and the staff deliver treatments that render you so woozy and relaxed almost incapable of standing – using fragranced lotions and potions with cinnamon and lotus. A retro-style men’s barber by the library also takes you back in time, and all guests get once-daily access to the private hydrotherapy suites, with a warm vitality pool, cold plunge, sauna and steam – charmingly done up like a Victorian bathhouse.
Tempting it is to never leave, Aman’s experiences allow you to explore Galle and southern Sri Lanka – all organised by Aman with the premium car (loaded with drinks and snacks) and simply added to your bill – no need
for the currency of time-consuming research. Your butler is on hand for a complimentary walking tour of the Galle Fort, sharing insider stories and facts. Other experiences, including Geoffrey Bawa architecture tours, temple visits and traditional mask painting. There are no TVs in the room, no speakers and no real technology, allowing you to sleep completely disconnected and appreciate the soul and quirks of the property, the odd creak of floorboards, and the whistle of the warm wind.
Sri Lanka South Coast itinerary: The beaches of Tangalle
Sri Lanka is intrinsically linked with tropical modernism thanks to ones of its most famed residents, architect Geoffrey Manning Bawa, a driving force in the movement. Today, the design style influences resorts and residential homes across the island, and on the south coast, on the thick tide-worn sands of Tangalle, is where the most luxurious example of a tropical modernist retreat lies – Amanwella. Located on an untamed palm-strewn beach, where the sound of crashing waves permeates the air, just 27 near identical earth-hued minimalist villas hide in the hillside between frangipani trees. Wild vegetation is juxtaposed with stripped-back clean lines, glass, stone, and indigenous materials – and everything pointed towards the ocean. After two nights in vibrant Galle, Amanwella is the time to switch off, loll in the sunshine and enjoy beach resort life – just 1.5-hour drive from Galle.
Sri Lanka’s south coast is dotted with fishing towns, and the coast of Tangalle is a short drive, or tuk-tuk, from the resort. The arrival is typically Aman – exclusive and out of the way –down a rocky, dusty side road leading to the coast. What slowly appears before the car is a 30-acre property on the hillside and an 800-metre beach of the sea deep and blue, not for swimming, but a haven for surfers. Most guests come to Amanwella to hide away in their villa and on the beach – but one evening we venture out to a local beach shack to enjoy fresh fish and chips and Sri Lankan beer to the sound of waves. Smoke & Bitters, the only Sri Lankan-owned bar in Asia’s 50 Best Bars, is 30 minutes by car and well worth the journey.
With an unimaginable sense of calm, peace and intimacy, Amanwella is best suited to couples, but we encounter families and a lively group of friends on our stay, who laugh and enjoy beers on the beach. Breakfast is peaceful, served to the soundtrack of crashing waves on the terrace, and we start each day with king coconut water –the perfect post-sleep, pre-day hydration – Sri Lankan hoppers, and platters of vivid tropical fruits. As with Aman’s Sri Lankan sister property, Amangalla, a complimentary afternoon tea is served each day – lovely in the late afternoon sunshine. As is dinner at the Beach Club – a chic, slate grey, open space on the sands where guests can enjoy barefoot moonlit dinners of local rock lobster and seafood platters to the tune of a Sri Lankan trio.
27 nearly identical villas are dotted in staggered tiers across the hillside, tumbling down onto the beach. Separated by frangipani and palms, villas are enclosed within beige stone walls and all the same in layout but vary in size and proximity to the ocean. The back courtyard contains a private jade-green plunge pool that gets a few hours of sun but offers total privacy, the front is a sea-view terrace with loungers.
We spend the days with the French doors open to hear the crashing waves, and are lulled to sleep by their gentle nightly roar. These waves anchor experiences: the soundtrack to treatments in the spa – two repurposed guest villas –, surfing (and surf lessons) and fishing with local fishermen are all available. Experiences are bookable with your private Aman butler and give an authentic glimpse into the beating heart of this stunning destination. There are options to head out to the not-so-far Yala National Park to spot Sri Lankan leopards and elephants, as many guests do, but we choose to savour this stretch of coast instead. All the more reason to return to the spellbindingly beautiful Sri Lanka.
How to get there
Amangalla is a two-hour drive from Colombo International Airport, while Amanwella is a three- hour drive. The drive between them is around an hour.
This Sri Lanka south coast itinerary originally featured in NEAR+FAR Volume II
