Sir John's Bungalow, Knuckles World Heritage Nature Reserve, Sri Lanka

Offering sweeping vistas of the North Eastern Knuckles mountain range, an area that is celebrated for its striking peaks, pristine waterways, bewitching cloud forests, and diverse flora and fauna, Sir John’s Bungalow is situated at the threshold of a land before time.

Built by the British during the colonial era as a residence for the Superintendent of the 1,300 acre Laggala tea estate, the Bungalow was once the holiday home of Sir John Kotalawala, the third Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. As the area is within the Knuckles conservation zone tea cultivation was abandoned thirty years ago allowing the jungle to reclaim its bounty.

The planter's misfortune has thus become a dream come true for trekkers, wildlife enthusiasts, and all seekers of the sublime. During the dry months of June to September, elephants from the plains of the nearby Wasgamuwa National Park roam the estate in search of water and food. Wild buffaloes are in abundance, with leopards and fishing cats making occasional nocturnal visits, and the sounds of the timid barking deer echoing in the surrounding forest.

Committed to an ethos of environmentally sustainable hospitality, Sir John’s Bungalow is carbon-neutral, harnessing solar energy for electricity and recycling all waste matter. 
 Accommodation

Tastefully appointed with modern conveniences, Sir John’s Bungalow also retains its old-world charms and comforts, including roaring fireplaces in the living and dining rooms. All bedrooms feature king-sized beds, elegant teak floors, and attached bathrooms with hot water showers. Both the Riverstone suite and Sir John's suite have four-legged cast iron bathtubs that can be filled for a long, relaxing soak.


Rooms

Gonamade standard room : Double (17' x 11') which opens out to the veranda.

Laggala standard room : Triple (17’ x 15') opens out the verendah which can be expanded to accommodate four guests by placing an extra bed.

Wasgamuwa standard room: Triple (17' x 15') which can be expanded to accommodate four guests by placing an extra bed.

Riverston Suite: Triple room (19 'x 15') with a window seat (6' x 2'6") which can be converted into a night bed.

Sir John's Suite: Two double beds (23' x 15') with a window seat (6' x 2'6") which can be converted into a night bed.


Facilities

The facilities at Sir John’s Bungalow allow you to explore the majesty of Sri Lanka’s most beautiful backyard. The drawing room and veranda overlooking the gardens have an unrestricted view of the North Eastern plains, and offer plenty of spaces to relax and unwind. A natural rock pool in the landscape garden, fed by a burbling mountain spring, beckons bathers with crystal-clear waters. The sprawling 5-acre garden, with its carefully preserved tea bushes, is perfect for morning walks or for children to romp.

Flat screen TVs, with satellite channels and a DVD player, have been installed in both the Riverston suites and Sir John’s suite, giving guests an array of entertainment options. Those who are keen on continuing to journey, albeit in the comfort of a plush armchair, can leaf through a well-stocked library of fascinating books on old Ceylon. A wide selection of board games is also available. Guests who wish to try and capture the Bungalow’s inimitable views in painted form can request an easel, canvas, and oil paints for a nominal amount. Our delicious meals can be enjoyed by guests in the main dining room, which has a fourteen-seater dining table set by a fireplace, or in the smaller private dining room, the veranda, or the garden beside the stream.

Cuisine

At Sir John’s Bungalow, local is always the focal point of our menus. Passionate about both Sri Lankan and Western cuisine, Executive Chef Manoharan insists on using fresh herbs and vegetables from our home garden and purchases other produce from Rattota town daily. He will discuss your meals in advance and will endeavor to satisfy individual requirements, such as vegetarian meals or low sodium dishes.


Excursions

For in-house guests on full board basis, we organize three trekking excursions and a mountain bike ride through stunning scenery, where you can view birds, insects, and plants that are endemic to the Knuckles Conservation Area.

Trek One: A 45 minute to one hour unguided trek along the horse-riding trail built by the British on the one thousand acre estate.

Trek Two: A three hour, four kilometer trek through the charming, rustic village of Rathkinda in the Knuckles valley, which will take you along terraced paddy fields and irrigation waterways, and conclude with a refreshing river bath and a hearty picnic lunch.
Cost per guest: US$ 15 (minimum of two guests)

Trek Three: A four hour, seven kilometer trek which extends Trek Two to include a hike through lush montane forest and a five hundred meter climb up the Manigala mountain range. Unbeatable 360 degree views of the Knuckles mountain range.
Cost per guest (including park entrance ticket): US$ 30 (minimum of two guests)

Mountain bike downhill ride: A 45 minute to one hour cycle on paved roads from the Bungalow to the villages of Rathkinda followed by a river bath and a picnic lunch. For the extra-energetic, there is an optional uphill climb back to the Bungalow.
Cost per guest: US$ 10(minimum of two guest)

Wild Life 4WD Safari- Half day excursion to Wasgamuwa National Park famous for sloth bear, commencing from the Bungalow after lunch at 1.30 pm with a three hour drive through the Park.US $ 100 for two guests.

So what are you waiting for? Come enjoy Sir John's Bungalow!

Giants of the Great Sea........

Giants of the Great Sea.........

Sri Lanka is probably the best destination for whale watching, both blue whales and sperm whales. Particularly Blue Whale watching can be done all year around. There is a resident population of blue whales in Sri Lanka; though they are few in number and hard to spot one can always get lucky under the right weather and the sea conditions.

 

Blue Whales are shy but elegant creatures and the largest mammal in the whole planet. Best time to go whale watching is from November to April which is the blue whale season. January to March is the peak season.

Blue whales migrate through Arabian Sea from the Bay of Bengal. Blue whales feed on krill, though they also take small numbers of cope pods. An adult blue whale normally eats up to 40 million krill in a day.

 

The best places in Sri Lanka for blue whale watching are Mirissa and Trincomalee where during March to April blue whales come as close as the Trincomalee harbor.

It may intrigue oneself the small fish clinging to the tail part of the blue whale; they are called Remora fish also called a suckerfish about 3ft long. 

Loolcondera - A Walk- In –Montane Forest with Horn Lizard, Bear Monkey, Highland Endemics and Tea Plantation

Loolecondera is in Deltota, Hewaheta, bordering the district line of Kandy and Nuwaraeliya. It’s about 35 km from Peradeniya on the Galaha road. Loolecondera is well-known as the first ever tea estate established in Sri Lanka. In 1867 a Scottish cultivator, James Taylor, who is regarded as the founder of Sri Lankan Tea, was the first to plant tea in Loolecondera. Before that this area was used for coffee and cinchona plantations. There was a Museum build with the equipments and the remains from that era to commemorate the efforts of James Taylor to the Ceylon Tea. But now it’s no more there. The exhibits have been moved to the Tea Museum at Hanthana, Kandy. Still, you'll find several landmarks of James Taylorin the upper part of the tea estate. "Taylor seat" (a stone chair which he has used to admire the beauty of nature), "Log Cabin" (ruins of his bungalow), "Taylor's well" (well which he used to take water) are among them.

Planting tea has done a huge damage to the natural environment of the hill country in Sri Lanka. Comparatively the damage done to the forest is low here in Loolecondera where James Taylor designed The Tea estate in such a way that the effect on the environment was minimized. The virgin natural forest on top of the estate is evidence of his great work. 

 

The special feature of this forest is the forest type which it belongs to and its rich bio-diversity. It belongs to a unique forest type called “Mid –elevational- lower -montane forest”, which is one of the thirteen different forest types that can be found in Sri Lanka. Forests of this type are seen only in Knuckles and Rakwana, except Loolecondera, which represent the three major mountain ranges in Sri Lanka. Elevation of this forest type is 900 – 1400 meters from sea level and the temperature, rainfall and cloudiness of the forests vary with elevation. 

 

Access points:

1.      From Deltota town. Approximately 03 km from the town

2.      From Deltota town towards Hewaheta- Deltota road. Approximately 03 km to Deltota town. From there another 02 km.Total distance is about 05km

To go by a vehicle, Loolecondera main access point is situated 12 km from the land via Deltota town. If you go from the other road (Galaha – Deltota adjoining road) it will be only 06km. After accessing from the main accessing point you get a right turn towards the tea plantation. From there through the tea plantation it is about 4.5 km to the Taylor seat. 

 

 

The 4.5 km road is a gravel road. From a car you can come only up to the main access point, there on wards you have to walk 4.5 km, if not you have to have a four wheeled vehicle, cab or a van in good condition to go that 4.5 km. On the way you will get a chance to see one of the richest tea plantations of Sri Lanka. The Tea Pluckers, workers, their life style, houses of the workers can be observed. Further on the way you can see the beautiful view of the Piduruthalagala mountain range and the high level montane forest patches of Loolecondera. At the end of 4.5 km you find the “Taylor seat”(A stone chair which James Taylor had used to admire the beauty of nature)

 

When you go to the Taylor seat you can get a magnificent view of the area and the Mountain range. From that point straight through the tea plantation you can climb upwards. It is a 500 meter climb. There you can see the Taylor well and the remaining of his bungalow.

 

The forest next to “Tailor seat” and upper part of Loolecondera belongs to a unique forest type called “Mid -elevational–lower-montane forest”, with very rich highland bio diversity.

 

Trees of family Dipterocarpacea are dominant in some areas of the forest, specially the Doonaspecies. Occurrence of this type of trees in the hill country is considered as unusual. Rhododendron arboretum Subsp. Zeylanicuma member of Family Ericaceae, an endemic flowering tree, which is a common site in Horton Planes also, can be seen here. It is rare to see this tree in a relatively low altitude like in Loolecondara. 

 

Some of the floral species you can see here is Rhododendron zeylanicum, Gordonia zeylanica, Elacocarpus glandulifer, Cinnomomum litseafolium, Gaertnera walkeri, Psychotria zeylanica, Gordoniya ceylanica, 

In the ground layer of the forest you’ll be able to witness rare ground Orchid species, Anoectocchilus setaceus which is called in sinhala as “Wana raja” and Ipseaspeciosa(Naga-meru-ala).

 

Not only the floral diversity, but the faunal diversity in “Loolecondara” is also prominent. Out of the five lizard species recorded here, three are endemic to Sri Lanka.  You have a great chance of finding Rhino-horn Lizard (Ceratophora stoddartii)an endemic lizard  to highlands of Sri Lanka that has a high abundance in “Loolecondera” forest. Among other reptiles Taylorge bend gecko

(Cyrtodactyaus edwardtaylori) on of the rear gecko species only recorded in few forest patches in  mountain areas in Sri Lanka can be seen here.

 

Over 100 bird species have also been recorded in this forest including some rare highland endemic species such as Ceylon Dull Blue flycatcher, Yellow -eared- Bulbul, Ceylon White-eye, Ceylon Wood Pigeon. 

 

Generally when you go to high hills you don’t see much Butterflies, But Loolecondera has good butterfly diversity over 40 species recorded. It includes few rare endemics such as Ceylon Tree Brown, Ceylon Tiger, and some gorgeous colorful Butterflies like Indian Fritillay , Blue Admiral

 

“Loolecondera” is a heaven of amphibians and other small vertebrates. There are several amphibian species recorded including endemic amphibians species. Ramanella obscura, Fejervarya greeni, Fejervarya kirtisinghei,Lankanectes corrugatus,Rana temporalis and some Shrub Frogs(Philautu.ssp)

 

The largest predator in Sri Lankan forests, Sri Lankan leopard (Panthara pardus kotiya) is also found here. On the top of Loolecondera rock plains you can find leopard dung commonly which indicates that the area has a good diversity of leopards. Highland Bear Monkey is another rare Primate that you can see in Loolecondera.

 

After visiting the remaining of the Taylors’ bungalow, there is a steep incline 200meters upwards through the thicket which will lead to Loolecondera rocky plains. A breathtaking view of the mountain top called “Kondagala” 1514 meters.  In the other side you get the Levalan tea estate and from the rocky plains, the mountain range from Hanthana to Piduruthalagala can be seen very clearly. Sometimes that area is completely covered by the mist where the average temperature drops to 10° -20°.

 

Once you walk 500 meters on the rocky plains, you have to climb down a steep slope to come to the other side of the Loolecondera. There is a tea estate again and500meters from that again you will find a curved road. You will have to walk 04 km from the curved road with a panoramic view of the mountain range. At the end of the 04 km you will see a Pines Plantation. From there when you go down ½ km, the road leads to Deltota town.

Mannar - Unpoluted Beauty

Mannar is located in Mannar Island in the Indian Ocean & 312km from the International Airport.

Mannar has one of the best beaches in Sri Lanka that is unpolluted & unexplored.

The medium sized island is surrounded by many small islands. It is also believed to be once a part of India connected to India by the Adams Bridge, the natural sand bunks formed along the Gulf of Mannar.

Mannar Island has Sri Lankas oldest Dutch fort & port (1560) also the only place in Sri Lanka where the famous African dry zone tree Baobab tree is found.

The bio diversity of Mannar is a Hidden treasure to be discovered. 

 

Dutch fort & portBuilt on the island of Mannar by the Portuguese in 1560, it surrendered to the Dutch on 22 February 1658 and was rebuilt by the Dutch in 1696. On 5 October 1795 the Dutch surrendered to the British. The fort has four bastions and it’s still in good condition although the building inside the fort have not been properly maintained.Currently the Sri Lankan Police occupy this fort.

Baobab trees
The baobabs in Sri Lanka is believed to have been brought by Arabian Traders. According to a study done in 2003, there are about 40 Baobab Trees surviving in Sri Lanka, out of which 34 has been identified and measured in Mannar. Most of the trees were calculated to be 300-400 years old. The tree is also referred in Sri Lanka as the Ali-Gaha ( Elephant Tree) since the bark of the tree resembles a skin of a Elephant and the Tamils refer to it as ‘Perukka’.

Thirukketishvaran Hindu temple, Rameshwaran Hindu temple
an ancient hindu temple overlooking the ancient period Tamil port towns of Manthai and Kudiramalai, the temple has lay in ruins, been restored, renovated and enlarged by various royals and devotees throughout its history. The temple has been administered and frequented by Sri Lankan Hindu Tamils. Its famous tank, the Palavi tank, is of ancient antiquity and was restored from the ruins.

Adams Bridge
Adams Bridge, the natural sand bunks formed along the Gulf of Mannar. The bridge is 18 miles (30 km) long and separates the Gulf of Mannar from the Palk Strait. Some of the sandbanks are dry and the sea in the area is very shallow, being only 3 ft to 30 ft deep. It was reportedly passable on foot up to the 15th century until storms deepened the channel: temple records seem to say that Rama’s Bridge was completely above sea level until it broke in a cyclone in 1480 CE.

(Photo credits - Wikipedia)

Fisheries
Fishing is a major contributor to the local economy of Mannar District. The district has a marine coastline of 163 km, fresh water area of 4,867 ha and a brackish water area of 3,828 ha. The marine fishing area in the district stretches from Thavenpiddy to the north to Mullikulam in the east and Talaimannar to the south. In addition, although the majority of anchorage facilities are damaged or destroyed, there are 29 separate, small fishing harbours spread around the coastline.

Boat riding

With its beautiful coral reefs mannar is the ideal place for Snorkeling, Scuba diving, Coral exploring (cup corals & pearl oysters)
Sanctuary of Madhu and the churches are great places to visit for those who wants to vitness the great architecture of the dutch and the Portuguese.The ancient Madu Church is one of the ancient churches in Asia and located near Murunkan.
Wild horses are truly amazing and a beautiful sight at any time of the day

Marine life

Gulf of Mannar is known to harbour over 3,600 species of flora and fauna, making it one of the richest coastal regions in Asia. 117 hard coral species have been recorded in the Gulf of Mannar. Sea turtles are frequent visitors to the gulf as are sacred sharks, dugongs, and dolphins.

Last few years Mannar was discovered as one of the best birds paradises in Sri Lanka specially the migratory birds & with some rare resident birds, recorded only in the northern part of the country.

According to the Ceylon Birds Club records during the migrant season, some lagoons around Mannar, more than 1000 flamingos are spotted in a flock which will be a breath taking view & a great attraction. At the moment these attractive birds can be seen only in Mannar & Jaffna during the migrating period.  

  

Ferrier services to India will be starting soon. Oil excavation projects are also taking place in mannar.