Hotel Pandanus Beach Resort & Spa

Local excursions

Colombo — transfer to the capital. Program includes, among others a fort, a bazaar with a Hindu temple, Independence Square, the Bandaranaike International Conference Room with a replica of the Buddha. Price - approx. 23-70 USD/person (depending on the hotel/region). Price does not include lunch.

Galle — transfer to Galle in the morning. The city consists of two parts: the historical fort from the 17th century protruding into the sea - a UNESCO site, and the newer part of the city, located on the mainland. Galle Fort is the largest of the preserved fort cities erected by Europeans in Asia. The remaining part of the city is full of historical monuments of Dutch colonial architecture from a period covering the last 400 years. The program includes the hatchery of turtles in Kosgoda and a visit to the workshop where traditional Sri Lankan masks are carved. Day trip. Price - approx. 40 USD/person (depending on the hotel/region). Price does not include lunch.

Kandy — travel to Pinnawala - the elephant orphanage. Arrive in Kandy, lunch and exploring the former capital of Sri Lanka. The last capital of the Sinhalese Kingdom, situated in the Central Province, is a living example of the splendor of the country. The program includes temples together with a building from the late 16th century in which Sri Lanka’s most important item is stored: the sacred relic - Buddha’s tooth and Royal Botanical Gardens located on the shore of an artificial lake. Price - approx. 70-100 USD/person (depending on the hotel/region). Price does not include lunch.

Sigiriya & Dambulla (2 days) — early in the morning, departure to Sigiriya with a 180-metre rock, on top of which there are the ruins of an ancient palace and fortress built in the 5th century. A short climb to the ruins of the fortress. Sigiriya is one of the seven places in Sri Lanka entered onto the UNESCO list. There are remains here of the foundations and reinforcements and well-preserved paintings on the walls of rocks. Transfer to Dambulla, where there are cave temples built by King Walagamba, when after 14 years of exile he took the throne. Overnight stay in 3* hotel. In the morning, transfer to the Minneriya National Park located on an area of over 8000 hectares. Elephant ride as an option (approx. 13 USD/person) Price - approx. 170-220 USD (depending on the hotel/region). The price includes accommodation in 3* hotel as well as dinner and breakfast, does not include lunch.

Kitulgala — about a 3-hour visit to one of the most humid places in the country, located in the west of Sri Lanka. The name Kitulgala originates from the burning caryota which in Sri Lanka is called "kitul". Bananas are cultivated here, both red and yellow, and at higher altitudes - rubber trees. Most species of tropical birds present in the World Biosphere Reserve on Sinharaja occur in Kitulgala. Kitulgala is definitely a place worth visiting! The Oscar-winning film “The Bridge on the River Kwai” was also filmed here. Day trip. Price - approx. 40-70 USD/person (depending on the hotel/region). Price does not include lunch.

Sinharaja — a national park and an area of biodiversity in Sri Lanka, is an official UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site. This place is a treasury of endemic species (occurring only locally), including trees, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. 3 rare elephants and 15 leopards live on the premises of the reserve. The most common mammal is a representative of the species of monkeys - purple langur. Price - approx. 55-70 USD/person (depending on the hotel/region). Price does not include lunch.

Whale watching in Mirissa — Sri Lanka is a place well known among the nature lovers. It is one of the best places in the world for observing whales and common cachalots. This is possible thanks to the hot tropical sun, atmospheric conditions and clean water. Reaching 30 meters in length and over 200 tonnes in weight, blue whales are the largest animals on earth. The first meeting with an animal as large as the plane will certainly be an unforgettable experience. In the period from December to March you can observe the short-tailed whales. They reach the length of only 24 meters, but they look as majestic as blue whales. Price - approx. 70-75 USD/person (depending on the hotel/region). Price does not include lunch.

Yala (2 days) — safari in the Yala National Park, located approx. 300 km from Colombo. The park covers an area of about 1000 km², it was founded in 1938 as a shooting sports reserve. It is the most popular and well-developed national park, where you can observe wild species of animals and birds, including herds of elephants, leopards, Eurasian boars, crocodiles, wild buffaloes and peacocks, jackal, sloth bear. Birds cover about 130 species, including both residents and migrants. The duration of jeep safari: approx. 3 hours. Then, check into hotel, dinner and overnight stay. After breakfast, check out from the hotel. On the return way - visiting the turtles hatchery in Tissamaharama. Price - approx. 125-140 USD/person (depending on the hotel/region). The price includes accommodation in 3* hotel as well as dinner and breakfast. Price does not include lunch.

Local excursions are organized by local travel agencies under the conditions fixed by them. It's possible to disorganize trips due to low number of applicants.