Sri Lanka Hotel Guide

Minneriya Wildlife Park close to Habarana

Habarana
Habarana, though a village in the wilderness, is a transportation hub in the Cultural Triangle of Sri Lanka with eco-oriented luxury hotels. Habarana, the eco destination
Although considered a base for the famous tourist destinations surrounding the village, well set with a rainwater reservoir, Habarana is an attraction in its own right: it’s an ornithologist’s paradise and birder’s dream.

Location of Habarana
Habarana is located at a distance of 173 km away from Colombo in the North-central province of Sri Lanka.

Routes to Habarana
From Colombo: Colombo, Kurunegale, Dambulla, Habarana; Colombo, Kandy, Matale, Dambulla, Habarana.

From Kandy: Kandy, Matale, Dambulla, Habarana
From Negombo: Negombo, Kurunegale, Dambulla, Habarana.

Habarana, a base for Cultural Triangle

Habarana, the transportation hub
Habarana village is situated where A6 Dambulla-Trincomalee road meets A11 Anuradhapura-Polonnaruwa road in the district of Anuradhapura nearly on the border of adjoining district of Polonnaruwa. Habarana’s central location within the cultural triangle has made it one of the preferred bases of those who visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Dambulla, Sigiriya and Polonnaruwa as well as Minneriya National Park & Kaudulla National Park.

Distances from Habarana to cultural attractions of the Sri Lanka Cultural Triangle
Habarana – Polonnaruwa: 46km; Habarana – Ritigala: 21km; Habarana – Dambulla: 25km; Habarana – Sigiriya: 30km
Distances from Habarana to wildlife attractions: Habarana – Minneriya: 28km
Distances from Habarana to alternative locations for hotel accommodation: Habarana – Kandalama: 37km; Habarana – Giritale, Polnnaruwa: 07km.

Hurulu Eco Park at Habarana
Hurulu Eco Park spreads an area of 10,000. With a drive of around 22 km from the Habarana end. The four streams that run through the park wind their courses to the Hurulu Wewa rainwater reservoir that sustain the wildlife in the area. Hurulu Eco Park is carved out of the Hurulu Forest Reserve, a dry zone area that has also been declared a “Man and the Biosphere reserve” (MAB) by UNESCO. Sri Lanka has four (International) Biosphere Reserves: Bundala, Hurulu, Kanneliya-Dediyagala-Nakiyadeniya Forest Complex and the UNESCO World Heritage Site among the 30 wild life and nature reserves of the Island.

Luxury Hotels at Habarana
Habarana has earned quite a reputation for its eco-oriented high-end chalet-styled hotels set in the wilderness. Cinnamon Lodge, Chaya village and Habarana Rest House are the most famous luxury hotels at Habarana. Tree Houses in some of the lodges afford the opportunities to enjoy the sights of herds of Wild Elephants at close quarters.

Chaaya Blu Trincomalee, Sri Lanka by bunpeiris

The location
Chaaya Blu Trincomalee luxury beach hotel is located at the lovely Uppuveli beach of Trincomalee of North-eastern coastal belt, at a distance of 257km from Colombo of western coast, the capital city of tropical Island of Sri Lanka. Trincomalee is a mythical, mystical, legendary, historical and colonial sea-port fortress city; the beaches at Trincomalee are abundant with marine offerings for snorkelers and divers; Trincomalee Sea is a Whale watching tourist attraction.

The setting
Chaaya Blu is a beachfront hotel at a loveliest beach.

Chaaya Blu Sri Lanka Holidays Sustainable tourism (Green i.e., eco) credentials: to be edited.

Architecture and interior deco of Chaaya Blu Trincomalee, Uppuveli beach, Trincomalee

81 rooms set up in unique themes bring about an ambience of illumination and air, light and space with expanses of hues of white streaked with tones of blues with splashes of orange thrown in, cutting a scintillating contrast and brilliance. The neat straight lines and arches, beams and pillars in hues of white of the luxury beach hotel is spiced up with a blue pillar here, blue panel there.
The rattan furniture, denim trimmings in tones of blue and bright orange cushions and pillows complements the wooden decks and cut cement floors.

Captain’s Deck
The spacious main restaurant called Captain’s Deck spreads a sumptuous buffet.

The Crab
The Crab, the aptly named, open air Á La Carte restaurant serves an array of spicy dishes of crab and sea-food

The Rum Hold
The Rum Hold is not hidden as in the vessels of colonial era; at this retro-chic hotel, with no one to play spoilsport, “The Rum Hold” is all in the open to serve all sports, all the spirits, local as well as imported. So are Cocktails, fruit juices and signature Chaaya blu cocktail.

The Excursion counter
The Excursion counter at Chaaya Blu Trincomalee takes great delight to arrange all your excursions to surrounding of Trincomalee as well as Dolphin and Whale watching tours. No opportunity is spared to showcase the beauty of the Island: my Sri Lanka; your Island. Waterspouts such as snorkeling, scuba diving, deep sea fishing, wind surfing, canoeing too are organized by the hotel.

Excursions

Fort Fredrick
On a cliff in a small peninsula jutting out of the town of Chaaya Blu Trincomalee is the Fort Fredrick built by the Portuguese in the year 1675 and occupied by the Dutch and the English in succession. Within the Fort are numerous colonial buildings and the Hindu shrine called Koneswaram Kovil. Fort Fredrick is also home to herd of deer that has become domesticated and live freely devoid of fear, amidst the inhabitants therein.

Koneswaram Temple
At the northern tip of Fort Frederick is a cliff called “Swami Rock” (Rock of the Hindu priest) which drops straight down 110 meters into the sea below. The location affords breathtaking view of the natural harbor of Trincomalee and the Indian Ocean.

On the summit of Swami Rock is the Tirukonesvaram Hindu Kovil where colorful “Poojas” or religious services are conducted at dusk. The Shrine is dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva. In the year 1622 the temple was destroyed and the revered Shiva Lingam, the symbol of God Shiva was thrown off the cliff by the Portuguese. The building blocks, bricks and stones of the shrine were used to construct the Fort Fredrick by the Portuguese. The shrine was rebuilt albeit on a modest scale, from scratch on a later day. In the year 1962, while taking the underwater shots of the Sinhala movie Ran Muthu Duwa (Golden Pearl island), the revered Shiva Lingam was miraculously discovered in the sea bed off Trincomalee, by the legendary marine photographer of Ceylon, Mike Wilson. Mike Wilson restored same to the shrine and went onto become Hindu priest by the name “Swami Kalki” in search of God Skanda, the much adored deity of Kataragama.

Kanniyai Hot Water Springs
Hot Water Springs is situated 12 Km from Chaaya Blu Trincomalee and can be reached in 45 minute’s drive.

The water temperature of seven hot wells in Kanniyai varies from very hot to hot. It is believed that the water at these wells is of therapeutic value and bathing there help get cured of rheumatism and arthritis.

The Pigeon Island
The Pigeon Island, declared a national park on 1963, by the Department of Wildlife Conservation in Sri Lanka, as its name suggests, is home to hundreds of blue rock pigeons. A short boat ride from Trincomalee would land the guests at one of the two small beaches of the island. To the southwest of the island is a large coral reef 200 meters in length and 100 meters in width. Island is a pleasant place to go on swimming, snorkeling, diving and sun bathing.

The Velgam Vihara
The ancient Buddhist temple of Velgam Vihara is of history running as far as the era of King Devanam Piya Tissa, whose reign saw the arrival of Buddhism to Sri Lanka from India.