Sri Lanka Cultural Triangle - OutboundHolidays

At one with nature…Heritance Kandalama

While searching for Sri Lanka’s lost kingdoms, Margaret Turton finds five-star digs hidden among the treetops.

As soon as our vehicle turns onto the rough gravel entrance road, I know we are up for something unusual. This totally unexpected encounter with grit comes at the end of a day spent exploring central Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle – lost kingdoms, cave temples and now, lush jungle and a sense of entering unknown territory. Our five-star base will be no ordinary abode.

When the hotel’s entrance lobby finally swings into view, it appears as a cavernous space beside great granite boulders. Rock emerges from the floor like a primal lava flow. Smooth-plastered corridors feature boulder walls and walkways create the impression of traversing the jungle canopy.

COMPARE AND BOOK HERITANCE KANDALAMA – 30+ TRAVEL SITES

Rather than dominating, the Heritance Kandalama hotel displays sensitivity to context. From certain viewpoints it is barely visible at all as it presses against a rocky outcrop on one side and succumbs to the consuming embrace of thick jungle vines and tropical forest on the other.

I fall for these natural charms immediately. It helps, of course, that we’ve just come from the calmness of the cave temples of Dambulla.

These lie 12 kilometres away and mark the central point of the Cultural Triangle, a region of UNESCO-listed sites that include old-kingdom locations Anuradhapura, Sigiriya and Polonnaruwa. Dambulla’s fame stems from the deeds of an exiled 1st-century king from Anuradhapura. After regaining his kingdom, he established a Buddhist shrine beneath Dambulla’s great granite ledge. Subsequent kings added shrines and the site remains a pilgrimage spot to this day.

We’ve reached Heritance Kandalama in time to see the sun slip from Dambulla rock and, on a far horizon, Sigiriya, the magma plug of an extinct volcano, upon which a paranoid king built a fortress-palace long ago. Beneath them, the sunset streams across Kandalama Tank, a vast reservoir built by yet another ancient king.

Later irrigation networks sent these waters rolling to the edge of the tropical forest at our doorstep, creating one enormous lake.

When the hotel’s architect, Geoffrey Bawa, saw this landscape from the air, he elected to run with the topography, famously stating that you shouldn’t push nature out of a building.

Less than two decades later, thick jungle runs right up to the hotel’s windows, bringing giant squirrels and monkeys with it. Such natural disorder outdoors creates a suspension of time and an impression of absolute seclusion.

Only a visit to the buffet illustrates that Heritance Kandalama is a sizeable hotel, and full. It’s February, peak season. Post-monsoon, the weather is warm-temperate.

Post-civil war, visitors are flocking to Sri Lanka. Tonight, the buffet, known for its excellent quality (at US$31 a head), resembles the crush of mealtime at a boarding school.

These are several in-house options: dinner in a natural cave ($US400 [$414] a double); dining with the chef ($US350 a double); the Bawa degustation dinner ($US600 a double) — prices at wild variance with those in the airy Cafe Kachchan or, for that matter, the Kalu Diya a la carte restaurant, which proves an excellent choice, with attentive service, great ambience and fine fusion food (for about $US50 a person, three courses).

As for the guest rooms, I love them. They are spacious, use natural products and are clutter-free. Should you prefer chintz over texture, they might seem austere.

There is also the issue of the wildlife. Giant squirrels eat jungle fruits but monkeys eat everything, so we stare at them through closed windows while the air conditioner or ceiling fans go into overdrive.

Hopefully, the hotel’s recycling centre — they recycle everything, apparently — offsets some of this wasted energy.

In any case, Heritance Kandalama consistently wins awards, receiving EarthCheck silver certification for environmental practices in 2010.

The hotel also boasts a Six Senses spa. Anyone familiar with Six Senses philosophy knows it pays more than just lip service to environmental matters. But it’s a visit to Sigiriya and Polonnaruwa that completely wins me over to the Bawa philosophy.

Heritance Kandalama’s natural features evoke Sigiriya’s boulder garden and ancient polished-plaster mirror wall.

COMPARE AND BOOK HERITANCE KANDALAMA – 30+ TRAVEL SITES

And of the hotel’s three swimming pools, two recall the ancient sites. Kachchan, Bawa’s signature infinity pool, creates the impression of merging with the Kandalama Tank.

Kaludiya, a natural rock pool, evokes the water garden and the rock-cut storage pool at Sigiriya. The same goes for the so-called Sea of Parakrama, a vast water reservoir at ancient Polonnaruwa.

In short, the hotel forms part of the larger Cultural Triangle picture. That’s its great strength, really.

And, like any aesthetic concept, you either get it or you don’t.

For those who do, this experience can be profound.

The writer was a guest of Travel Indochina.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Oh what a beauty…

EARLY morning on Kandalama Lake in central Sri Lanka and an elephant is sloshing through the shallows, while around him iridescent kingfishers plunge dart-like into the water.

This lake is an artificial creation, the origins of which date back perhaps 1000 years. Rising from the jungles in this relatively dry part of the country are the ruins of cities that were once wonders of the ancient world. Complex and extensive irrigation channels, reservoirs and water gardens were an integral part of these.

It was the British who coined the term “tank” for these lakes, although that hardly does justice to some of them, which can extend over 2000 hectares.

Today the tanks remain vitally important to this region – providing water for agriculture and resources for fishing as well as being havens for wildlife, from elephants to a myriad of bird species.

Children duck and dive in the tanks, women crouch in the shallows washing clothes and people sometimes still bathe and shampoo in the water.

Much of the credit for the creation of these tanks goes to Parakrama Bahu, a 12th century king who declared: “Let not even a drop of rain water go to the sea without benefiting man.”

What makes Kandalama special is that on its shores is an extraordinary hotel that has won awards for not only its architectural design but its environmental policies and practices.

Heritance Kandalama was built by Sri Lanka’s most illustrious architect, Sir Geoffrey Bawa. His mission at Kandalama was to design a hotel that would settle into its natural environment and in time be almost invisible under a curtain of vegetation.

Enormous rocks from the hill behind the hotel are incorporated into the building which stretches a staggering 1.8 kilometres along the lake shore on seven levels.

Entry to the hotel is through a cleft between the smooth, golden flanks of a giant boulder that also serves as the back wall of the main reception desk.

The hotel is set on pillars so that rain and spring water from the hillside can flow unimpeded into the lake and so that animals too can move about freely.

Infinity edge pools were one of Sir Geoffrey’s signature features. The main pool at Kandalama seems to flow seamlessly into the tank beyond. I swam in it at dusk as the lake began to glow with sunset colours and langur monkeys bounded along the pool’s lip.

The hotel prides itself on its environmental awareness and has its own resident ornithologist who takes guests on jungle treks and on early morning lake cruises. Even on the way down to the shore we saw golden sunbirds darting through the trees. Out on the lake it was a flurry of avian activity: herons, egrets and storks sat perched in trees or flapped lazily overhead. They were watched imperiously by several pairs of fish eagles.

Sir Geoffrey practised architecture for nearly 40 years, his career being ended by a stroke in 1998. He died in 2003 and is now regarded as one of the most important Asian architects of the 20th century.

I am sure that if he could see how his beautiful hotel is now, almost totally engulfed in plants that are teeming with birdlife and monkeys, he’d be delighted.

Although it’s tempting just to stay at the hotel, watch the birds, swim in the pool and indulge in the food (I became happily addicted to having a chef prepare me a hot crispy dosa rolled up with potato masala each morning), Kandalama is also at the heart of Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle. Within this are several World Heritage Sites (and some which are on Unesco’s tentative list for consideration as heritage sites), which include some stunning examples of Buddhist art.

If you are approaching Kandalama from the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo, one of the first sites you will encounter is the rock fortress of Yapahuwa. During the 13th century a Sinhalese king, on the run from invading Indian armies, set up his capital here on top of a 90-metre-high granite outcrop.

Each time the kings moved their capital, they took with them Sri Lanka’s most treasured relic, the Sacred Tooth of the Buddha and the Bo tree (under which the Buddha achieved enlightenment).

Today, little remains of this short-lived capital apart from a beautiful stone staircase which would have once led to the king’s palace and temples.

However the staircase is worth a visit on its own. It’s guarded by two stone lions and is decorated with carvings of musicians and dancers. It’s extremely steep – in fact almost vertical – but the reward for puffing to the top in the tropical heat is the view over the plains below and being able to study the amazingly well preserved carvings on the way up.

It’s also good training for the climb to the top of the much better known and more spectacular rock fortress of Sirigiya. More about that next time…

– Jill Worrall, writes for Central Queensland News

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Sri Lanka

Amaya Lake | Eco Spa Resort | Dambulla |…

DELUXE NATURE RESORT | 92 FOREST VILLAS | 4 CLUB VILLAS | 11 ECO VILLAS

The raban drum heralds your arrival. Four older women, flashing beautiful Sri Lankan smiles, encircle a large barrel drum where they pound out a hearty rhythm. Flowing white vesak lanterns hang from the high ceilings of the open air lobby. Meander down a forested path to discover your villa, or continue to the Warichchi Village and begin a weeklong journey at the Ayurvedic Spa.

An early morning trip takes you to the wonders of the Sigiriya Rock Fortress or any of the numerous Cultural Triangle sites. Spend the first half of the day exploring the terraces and views from atop. Then return to Amaya for a light lunch. Relax your muscles with an Ayurvedic massage, incorporating fragrant oils, followed by an herbal bath and herbal steam. A nature walk takes you on a leisurely stroll, encountering birds, flowers, giant squirrels, rice paddies and local fishermen. After nightfall, dine poolside as you watch local dancers performing to Dambulla’s indigenous music.

Graceful lines of an ancient statue. Temple ruins. Palace ramparts. Monasteries. Royal gardens. Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle offers visitors a glimpse into ancient kingdoms and enduring monuments.

Amaya Lake is situated within easy reach of numerous UNESCO World Heritage sites within the Cultural Triangle which are a major attraction for tourists to the region. The closest major sites are the Dambulla Cave Temples and Sigiriya, but many guests staying at Amaya Lake enjoy visiting sites throughout the entire area including Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa.

Many guests plan daily morning visits to cultural sites followed by afternoon spa treatments. Feel free to follow the resorts suggestions. And of course, guests can also experience Amaya Lake according to their own desires.

Encounter the forest as it comes alive, with a night safari to Minneriya or Kawudulla. Explore nature with a daytime jungle trek or elephant safari. Hike / mountain bike through the local countryside. Enjoy a boat ride on the lake. Hop on a bullock cart to tour the local village area and observe birdlife alongside the river.

As an eco resort, Amaya Lake lets you experience nature throughout your stay. Around the grounds you will find labels on plants and trees identifying each species. An amazing variety of birdlife calls the resort home and the resorts naturalists are happy to lead you on a bird watching expedition. Certified as a ‘Bird Friendly Resort of Sri Lanka’, Amaya Lake, under the supervision of Prof. Sarath Kotagama, acts as a haven for the wealth of birdlife. During your stay, enjoy the opportunity to view graceful white egrets, bright emerald Alexandrine parakeets, golden orioles, colourful orange-breasted green pigeons, bright yellow Oriental white eyes, the tickles-blue flycatcher, the scarlet-coloured flamebacks and the dozens of other species that share Amaya with its guests.

Transportation to/from the resort, individual excursions or a daily chauffeur-driven car can be easily arranged by the hotel.

Ayurveda Spa

Cross through the entrance and find yourself in an open-air courtyard. Thatched roofs top wattle and daub dwellings. Antique kohomba wooden pillars and 200-year-old medicine cupboards grace the consultation area. Baskets of drying Ayurvedic herbs sit immersed in the sun or tucked away in the shade. Incense and oil lamps burn by the statue of Sri Dhanvantari, the patron deity of Ayurveda.

For purifying, aromatic steams, the spa houses two kohomba wood steam baths, while Ayurvedic herbal baths are enjoyed in two special outdoor tubs. One, hollowed out from a Diya Labu vine, accommodates single guests or couples. The Gal Oruwa, carved out of rock, is used for therapeutic baths with milk and herbal oils.

Experience Ayurvedic therapies such as herbal body massages and facial treatments, offered in seven treatment rooms. For guests on Rejuvenation Programmes, two Shirodhara rooms provide this powerful treatment, directing a continuous stream of warm oil on the centre of the forehead.

Book each Ayurveda treatment individually, or embark on a 7-14 day Rejuvenation Programme. Dine on Ayurvedic cuisine in the spa restaurant – Wewe Kade – and pick up Ayurveda oils and powders to continue the benefit of your treatments at home.

Ayurveda healing promotes overall wellness, purifying and restoring the optimal balance for each individual.

Benefits of Ayurveda treatment include :
– Preventing and counteracting the aging process (jara)
– Helping to overcome fatigue (srama) and stress
– Preventing and correcting disorders of the nervous system (vata)
– Promoting the healthy functioning of the five sense organs as well as
other vital organs
– Nourishment (pushti) of the body
– Promoting longevity (ayus) of the individual

ACCOMMODATION

Chalets: Set on 12 hectares bordering Kandalama Lake. Paths wind through the natural forested grounds with 92 Sri Lankan villas scattered amongst the trees. A terrace fronts each villa, with a traditional long seat moulded into the patio. Enjoy the view as you sit next to a tree-trunk column supporting the red-tiled roof. A full-size image of King Kasyapa in the region’s local painting style graces the door. Inside, find more examples of local artistry – wall sculptures and murals. A moulded sofa, with comfortable cushions allows you to relax in the sitting area while steps lead to a slightly raised bedroom area and a spacious bathroom.

Two-and four-unit chalets (double and quadruple villas connected through a common passageway with separate entrances) are available for families and interested groups.

Club Lodges: Four adjoining villas accommodate guests seeking a luxurious space of their own. Spacious. High wooden ceilings. Contemporary décor, with architecture inspired by the local area,and furnishings in elegant dark wood panelling. Plasma screen televisions for modern luxury.

Warichchi Village / Eco Lodges: The culture of central Sri Lanka. A village lifestyle for guests who seek an experience found nowhere else. Eleven traditional-style dwellings face a central pond. Like an authentic village, houses face inwards towards each other, expressing the notion that inner appearance and ties within the village are more important than the outside world.

Nearby, the Ayurvedic Spa and Wewe Kade Ayurvedic restaurant complement the indigenous experience. Each house is unique in design and possesses its own name, for example, Kalundewa Gedera – House at the Water Tank of the Village of Black Bamboo.

The temporary materials used at Warichchi and local villages reflect the Buddhist doctrine of Aniththaya, which states everything is impermanent. Cadjan, the local form of thatch, composes the roofs. Walls are made of warichchi (wattle and daub) construction; naturally pigmented mud covers an internal structure of criss-crossing wooden supports. While the four yellow, red and brown earth tones found in the walls of the houses appear at first glance to be paint, these are actually the natural colours of the mud used in construction. The bright red comes from nearby Kandalama Lake . A pilla, or raised platform fronts each villa as a verandah with built in seat. Many components of the décor, including doors, windows and lamps, are original antiques. Viyagaha and poruwa, tools used in farming rice paddy, double as mirror frames within the Warichchi villas. Every villa has its own individual layout and unique furnishings.

CUISINE

Samara Open Air Restaurant: High wooden ceilings tower overhead, providing room for fresh breezes and views of the surrounding nature. A buffet of Sri Lankan delights with rich spicy aromas sits alongside a wide selection of international dishes. Fresh local fruits grace a table of Sri Lankan and European style sweets.

Open Air Bar: A local beer or favourite cocktail. A view of Kandalama Lake. A comfortable chair to sit back and take pleasure in the evening. The open air bar is located on the lower deck of the hotel lobby and is open from 10:00 am to midnight. The nearby pool-bar serves a full range of tropical juices, cocktails, beers and spirits from 10:00am-6:00 pm.

Wewe Kade Ayurvedic Restaurant: Healthy, flavourful foods selected to restore the body’s well-being. Home-grown vegetables harvested by the Warichchi Village gardeners. Ayurvedic herbs grown throughout the resort. Vegetarian cuisine prepared on a wood-burning stove.

The Wewe Kade Ayurvedic restaurant caters to guests immersing themselves in a full Ayurvedic experience with a stay at the village-style accommodation. On weekends Wewe Kade also welcomes guests from throughout the resort. You are advised to talk to the staff for more information on Ayurvedic dining experiences.

Nightly Herbal Drinks: Native Sri Lankan herbs grown at Amaya and boiled as an herbal ‘tea’. An infusion Ranawara flowers to purify the body, reduce fatigue and help digestion. A light brew of coriander leaves and seeds, serving to cool the body, reduce cholesterol and stimulate the senses as an aphrodisiac.

Each night the open air restaurant offers guests a different warm herbal drink prepared according to the guidance of the doctors at the Ayurveda Spa.

Placards in the lobby announce the name of each herbal drink and its medicinal properties. It’s custom to sample a glass after dinner. Ayurveda porridges made with local roots and herbs are also available as a complement to your evening meal.

Special Events

A mystical evening encircled by the winding branches of a forest glade. A lakeside barbecue with Sri Lankan drumming. A cocktail hour by the pool.

Amaya Lake helps create spectacular events for groups who wish to have a special afternoon or evening to themselves. Ask the resort about arranging your next event.

Resort Facilities

Tennis and badminton is available on site. A cricket pitch. [Not the Dambulla International stadium] Volleyball. Children’s playground. A centrally located swimming pool. Shops. Nature trails. Ayurvedic Spa. A yoga ashrama, situated at the lake’s edge. Wi-fi access for wireless Internet at any location of your choice – by the pool, en-suite or the shade of the forest.

Relax. Energise. Work out. Chill out. Massage therapy. Retail therapy. Enjoy a variety of on-site facilities to suit your interests and needs.

Products & Services :107 A/C Luxury chalets, 24-hour Room Service, Foreign Currency Exchange, Same-day Laundry Service, IDD Facilities, Safety Lockers and Left Luggage Facilities, Tennis and badminton, Cricket, Volleyball, Children’s playground, A centrally located swimming pool, Shops, Nature trails, Ayurvedic Spa, A yoga ashram, Wi-fi access.

Check-in/Check-out Time: Normal Check-in Time is 12.00 noon and Check-Out time is 11.00 a.m. Earlier Check-in Time or later Check-out time could be requested on a case by case basis and the hotel may agree depending on availability.

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