Its winning position on a hilltop, fringed by a 3.5-acre estate of bird-filled tropical gardens and rubber trees, assures Uda Kanda superlative privacy. Show-stopping views aside (across treetops and towards the fabled Rumassala Headland and Indian Ocean, in case you’re wondering), we were most struck by the villa’s beautiful indoor/outdoor style, and its intimacy despite its generous size. An enviable collection of antique furnishings (some dating back 300 years) graces each room, whilst shelves stacked with well-thumbed novels, family photos and artefacts from London, India and Morocco are reminders that this is a much-cherished family home, when it's not being let out to guests.
The atmosphere is uber-relaxed and will appeal to families and groups of any age craving tranquility and seclusion. The open-plan interiors marry well with the lush heliconia and hibiscus-fringed garden, and there are plenty of spots for socialising or sneaking away with a book. A team of 4 staff, including a clever cook, discreetly take care of cooking and cleaning, and can make arrangements for guided bicycle rides, hot-air ballooning and tea plantation tours. Whilst Galle’s beaches, eateries and Unesco-listed Dutch fort are close (10 minutes' drive), they really feel worlds away.
Highs
- Chilling out in the shaded cushion-plumped poolside pavilion, gazing across treetops and being serenaded by occasional temple chanting in the distance
- The garden is a hotspot for wildlife; by day we spied kingfishers, a pair of yolk-yellow golden orioles and playful purple-faced langurs swinging through the trees, then fireflies visited us at night
- A good set-up for families, with 1 master, a twin and a double bunk room, plus a baby cot, heaps of space and baby equipment to borrow
- We loved the food, especially the herb-encrusted coral fish
- Estate life is fun - watch the morning milking of Cassie the cow and study the slitted rubber trees oozing white latex into coconut husk cups
Lows
- No air con, but the villa’s location on a hilltop is breezy and the ceiling fans kept us cool
- Strict payment and cancellation policies
Best time to go
December-April is the most popular time to visit Galle, when the region is ‘in season’ and at its sunniest and driest. Calmer seas and skies also enable you to go whale watching. May and June are the region’s wettest months, with October and November a close second. Peak times include Christmas, New Year, Chinese New Year, Easter and the annual Galle Literary Festival in October. Note that occasional yoga retreats are arranged, enquire as to dates
Our top tips
The artily inclined should pack watercolours for capturing the gorgeous garden, wildlife and treetop views. Binoculars are another useful bit of kit as the pavilion, verandas and even the bathrooms double up as worthy hides for spying on the prolific birdlife, monkeys and other small mammals visiting the garden
- Boutique Villa for 4-6
- 3 bedrooms
- In-house cook included in the rates
- All ages welcome
- Open all year
- Outdoor Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Car not necessary
- Parking
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
- Daily Maid Service
- Towels & Bedlinen
- Concierge Service
- Laundry Service
- Full-time staff to clean and tidy
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.
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
Babysitting:
Available for an additional fee
Baby equipment:
- Baby cot with a mosquito net and bedding
- Pushchair
- High chair
- Potty
- Microwave for bottle warming
Remember baby and child equipment may be limited or need pre-booking
Children's meals:
There's no specific kids' menu, but the cook is happy to tailor meals to children
Kids Activities on site:
- The pool
- Extensive gardens for hide'n'seek and wildlife spotting
- Kids' books and toys
- Family DVDs
- Friendly dogs and a cow!
Kids Activities nearby:
- Beaches
- Playgrounds
Families Should Know:
- The pool is unfenced and there are occasional unprotected drops around the property
- There are 4 loveable dogs on site who are used to having kids put their fingers in their eyes, mouths, ears etc! They do bark, and quite loudly, but are not only child-friendly, but also very protective of children
- All bedroom doors are external, leading off the veranda, but this is common in Asia. The external doors are lockable and there are 5 security guards (4 of whom have 4 legs and bark!) so the property is very secure
- As a tropical country, Sri Lanka is home to snakes, scorpions, monitor lizards, mosquitoes etc. Apart from the mosquitoes, they generally stay away from humans
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
Airports:
- Colombo Bandaranaike International 150.0 km CMB
Other:
- Beach 4.0 km
- Shops 2.0 km
- Restaurant 2.0 km