Uda Kanda

Rooms

The 3 ensuite bedrooms open onto a deep wraparound veranda that's scattered with easy chairs for surveying the neighbours - birds, mongeese and squirrels (although we chose to watch them more lazily from bed!).

We stayed in the Red Room, whose double doors looked out through the boughs of a sacred bo-tree. Furnished with a kingsize four-poster bed, it also had an antique chest of drawers and a built-in mirror-panelled wardrobe. The grey-cement bathroom had twin washbasins and a star-shaped rain shower. Lullabied by crickets and cooled by ceiling fans, we slept incredibly well.

At the opposite end of the house is the spacious Master Bedroom, which gazes onto the pool and garden. Taking pride of place is a kingsize bed positioned between a 17th-century dresser (topped with a silver heirloom brush set) and an eye-catching marquetry bureau. The sand-coloured bathroom has a sunken rain shower, Victorian mother-of-pearl mirror and twin glass washbasins.

The Green Room is a mirror image of the Red Room, with a Queen Anne chest-of-drawers, a walnut bureau and a mirror-panelled wardrobe; it's attached to a similarly designed grey-hued bathroom with twin sinks and a shower. Ideal for children as it opens directly onto the breezy, open-plan living room, it can be configured with 2 four-poster single beds, or with two sets of bunk beds for four kids, or set up as a kingsize double to cover all bases.

Communal spaces include a lounge with sofas and stacks of books, indoor and outdoor dining areas, a poolside pavilion, and a TV lounge with a vast library of films and board games.

Features include:

• Fan
• In-room treatments available
• Mosquito net
• WiFi

Eating

The villa’s English-speaking cook, is on-hand to make breakfast, lunch and dinner for a complete holiday! All groceries are priced at cost and meals are served family-style, with everyone sharing dishes. The cook buys fresh produce at Galle’s markets daily after taking your orders for lunch and dinner.

Breakfast (included in the rates) can be Western or Sri Lankan, accompanied by buffalo curd and honey (which also makes a great dessert), tropical fruits and cereals or museli. We woke to a cooked breakfast of eggs, toast and bacon washed down with special mixed tropical fruit juice. The Sri Lankan option includes yummy vegetarian curries, a fish or chicken curry and string hoppers (steamed vermicelli-like rice flour nests).

Lunches and dinners can be as light or as indulgent as you’d like; the menu lists plenty of local fish and seafood, plus veggie options. Expect plenty of delicious Sri Lankan curries, along with Western options if you prefer. For lunch, we had a delicious herb-encrusted coral fish with a lightly dressed salad. In the evening, deep fried fish balls (very moreish!) were paired with pre-dinner drinks, and our 3-course dinner included a delicious coq au riesling (with crispy roast potatoes) and a wicked chocolate mousse.

Within a 10-15 minute tuk-tuk drive are many excellent restaurants; ask staff for their tips. Take-out options include Lime Leaf, a nearby Indian, whose big menu of spicy dishes includes tandoori chicken and fresh garlic naan.

Features include:

• Barbecue
• Dinner by arrangement
• Food blender
• Fridge
• Full kitchen
• Hob or stove
• In-house cook
• Kids' meals
• Lunch by arrangement
• Oven
• Shopping service
• Toaster
• Vegetarian options

Activities

• Grab a book from the shelves and laze by the pool, soaking up the sun and those incredible views
  
• Wander the estate to seek out fruit trees and see how rubber is tapped
  
• Take a guided bicycle ride through Galle’s verdant hinterland, passing temples, paddy fields and wildlife hotspots before ending up at the beach for a sunset cocktail
  
• Golden beaches are 10 minutes’ drive away; Unawatuna’s shallow waters are kid-friendly, whilst Wijaya Beach is a much quieter, more intimate affair
  
• Explore Galle’s 16th-century Dutch fort, whose narrow cobbled streets are flanked by ochre-coloured colonial abodes, cafés, gelaterias, boutiques, churches and museums
  
• Learn about tea production at the nearby Handunugoda Tea Estate, which grows (and lets you sample) traditional black-leaf tea as well as an expensive variety of white ‘silvertips’ tea
  
• Take a half-day trip to Galle’s lush bird-filled rainforests and reserves; local company Rainforest Rescue’s great-value eco-tours visit Hiyare, Kanneliya and Sinharaja
  
• Other good day trips are leopard-rich Yala National Park and the elephant playground of Udawalawe
  
• Between November and April, go on a whale- and dolphin-watching cruise off the coast of Mirissa, a 30-minute drive away

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Birdwatching
• Cycling
• Historical sites
• Museums / galleries
• Plantlife / flora
• Private guided tours
• Safaris
• Shopping / markets
• Surfing
• Swimming
• Traditional cultures
• Whale watching
• Wildlife

Kids

Children are warmly welcomed and Uda Kanda is great for kids of all ages, although toddlers will need supervision around the pool area, which is unfenced (as is common in Sri Lanka). Staff will happily take kids on little tours of the estate and local village, and past young guests have loved having the run of the tropical garden and watching the morning milking of Cassie the cow. There's lots of baby equipment and toys to borrow. The villa works well for two families with two kids each, or an extended family of 3 generations as there are 3 bedrooms and it can sleep up to 8 in total (6 adults OR 4 adults + 4 kids).

Best for:

All ages

Family friendly accommodation:

The villa has a baby cot with a mosquito net, which can fit in any of the bedrooms. The third bedroom can be set up with twin four-poster beds for 2 kids, or with two sets of bunks for 4 kids (or even an adult single plus a set of bunks) to cater for all sizes of family party.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available

Distances:

• Airport: 2-3 hours' drive (Colombo)
• Shops, including a pharmacy: 2km
• Hospital: 6km

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Uda Kanda sits on a hilltop, 4km inland from Galle and the south coast of Sri Lanka, in Kaduruduwa. It's a 1hr45min drive south (or a 45-minute flight) from the capital Colombo. The Colombo-Galle Expressway is a 5-minute drive away.

By Air:
Colombo Bandaranaike International (150km away) is the closest airport - click on the links below for a list of airlines serving it.

From the Airport
It takes 1hr45mins by car to reach this region from Colombo airport. The owners can arrange a transfer for you. Alternatively, Sri Lankan Airlines runs a convenient air taxi service from Colombo airport to Koggala Lake. From there you can ask for a pick-up (20 minutes' drive).

By Train:
Jump aboard the daily (except Thursday) Rajadhani Express from Colombo, an air-conditioned carriage plying the picturesque ocean-fringed southern rail line. Arrange for a pick-up from the station in Galle.

Getting Around:
If you want to hire a driver and car for your whole holiday, enquire through our Tailormade Tour Operator; they can collect you at the airport when you land, take you down to Galle and drive you onwards to your next destination after your stay. For getting around locally, Sri Lanka’s iconic tuk-tuks are lots of fun.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

More on getting to Sri Lanka and getting around