Uga Ulagalla

A small blue bird is tapping at the window of our luxurious eco-house in the trees. ‘Wake up!’ it says, ‘There’s so much to fun to be had – let’s go.’ Soon enough I’m ahead of Mr Smith as we cycle to breakfast; we’re chasing the trailing feathers of a peacock which is weaving through the paddy fields. Butterflies tumble alongside us, and the air is filled with the scent of freshly cut grass. Whizzing past Ulagalla’s archery station, we say hello to a guest out horse-riding, and wave to another who is birdwatching. Arriving at the wallawwa – the Sinhalese word for mansion – we’re at the heart of the hotel.

Uga Ulagalla was built in the Dutch colonial style in 1916 as a family house. It still feels like a home – we rang the original doorbell when we arrived – and as a resort it still feels wonderfully private. Guest have their own chalet on stilts, and like us, are treated to a private plunge pool. The peaceful abodes are dotted around the 60-acre estate so that everyone has their own space, but if you feel more sociable you are invited to gather for meals and relaxation in the wallawwa.

Saranga and Kasun seat us at a table upstairs overlooking the epic swimming pool. A white, linen mechanical fan sways above our heads. It’s friendliness like this that sets stays in Sri Lanka apart from other destinations. Contentedly we eat poached eggs and pastries and drink tea, coffee and sip king coconuts that have been grown inches away from where we are.

Our first adventure is to the ancient sacred city of Anuradhapura where we see the Sri Bodhi Tree, the oldest planted tree in the world. It’s said to have been grafted from the very plant under which Buddha became enlightened while meditating in India. Mr Smith and I sit beside the temple beneath the swaying branches, watching monks and families offering lotus flowers. We listen to the leaves rustling in the wind thinking it’s the same sound that Buddha must have heard thousands of years ago in India. We chat to the monk who takes care of the Sri Bodhi temple, we light butter lamps and explore Jetvana stupa, believed to be the largest structure made out of bricks. (We’re stacking up some impressive stats.)

Back at Ulagalla as we swim we watch a peacock whose haunting call has drawn our eyes to its perch at the top of a tree. Supper is exactly what we crave – an array of spicy curries served in clay pots, savoured by candlelight in our chalet, us cosy in our dressing gowns. By the time we roll to our bedroom there are tiny meringues in boxes on our pillows with a note that bids us to ‘Sleep tight, and dream happy’.

Climbing 1,200 steps up Lion Rock, the ancient palace of Sigiriya, the next morning is worth the exertion to check out King Kassapa’s former home atop the huge peak. We mount the final stairs to the summit through the paws of a giant lion and we look over swathes of jungle, a huge golden Buddha in the distance and the tops of stupas poking out of the canopy. We can’t help but wish the King’s pool could be full of water as it was back in the day – a refreshing swim would feel amazing right now.  

The magical caves of Dambulla are filled with Buddha statues. Here we buy lotus flowers too and place them at different Buddhas, taking in the cool stillness of the caves as we make our offerings. As we head back to Ulagalla our souls are soothed and we’re happy to take it easy for the rest of the day. But who could not get diverted by signs for an elephant safari? Next we’re in an open-top jeep watching families of elephants munching grass. By the time we make it through the carved wooden gates of Ulagalla we’re really ready for that swim. Our splash is under the stars until Mr Sumanaratne – a man with the most wonderful moustache – whisks us back to our chalet in his golf buggy, having given us swimming towels to swaddle ourselves in.

The garden around the wallawwa is by now lit up with lanterns. Our evening segues to us stuffing ourselves with the most tantalising fish curry and crisp salads made from ingredients plucked from Ulagalla’s organic vegetable garden. After such an extraordinary 24 hours, we’re happy to enjoy our last day without a schedule. Happily, we read in the sunshine by the pool as we listen to the birds singing; we watch frangipani blossoms drop from the trees into the swimming pool. We contemplate yoga or a cooking lesson but instead relax with a massage in the Coco Spa grotto care of two amazing Balinese therapists.

Renewed, we head for a bike ride along the reservoir at the edge of Ulagalla, then curl up on a sofa with Nuwara Eliya tea. Tiny birds swoosh in and out of the wallawwa to their nest above the snooker table. I think they are swallows, but Jevan who takes care of the hotel’s guests assures me they are paradise flycatchers – he tells me it’s good luck if they nest in your home. There are 90 varieties of birds here, plus giant squirrels, colourful chameleons and plenty of other gem-bright lizards. Mr Smith and I wish we could remain in our cosy nest at Uga Ulagalla. It’s been a remarkable base from which to explore central Sri Lanka, and we hope, like swallows, to be back next year. We’d love to see more temples, and ancient cities and revel once again in the heavenly grounds of Uga Ulagalla.