SRI LANKA – 8 DAY LUXURY BEACH RESORT HOLIDAY

Hotel

Shangri-La Hambantota

The luxury resort spans 58 hectares, making it the largest in Sri Lanka, its beachfront location is an adventurer’s dream, with a mosaic of activities and unique curated expeditions to help you absorb the diversity of the island at its best, it offers a memorable golfing experience.

It boasts 274 spacious rooms, including 20 suites, all surrounded by stunning tropical gardens. Flat screen TVs with cable channels, complimentary broadband internet and Wi-Fi, glass-enclosed shower, deep soaking tub, designer bath amenities and plush linens provide luxurious interior comforts to create an elegant and private resort haven.

Opened by the President of Sri Lanka in 2016 it is the first and only beach resort golf course in Sri Lanka. The 18-hole golf course with spectacular views of the Indian Ocean, was designed by world-renowned golf architect, Rodney Wright. Spreading across a vast coconut palm plantation, a sapphire quarry, lakes, and sand dunes, with distinctive challenges for both beginners and seasoned players.

The resort has 3 swimming pools and a health club, for non-golfers and for those seeking relaxation, the Chi Ayurveda Spa is a place of personal peace that offers ancient healing therapies and personalised Ayurveda consultations with the resident expert doctor. Amongst its unparalleled recreational activities are a 7-metre high trapeze, an outdoor water park and many more fun-filled activities. The unique Artisan Village gives you an opportunity to explore and interact with local artists and craftsmen. The Village is a space dedicated to supporting and preserving the treasures of southern Sri Lanka’s artisan communities and comes alive with regular traditional dance and music performances in the evening.

Golfers and guests can take a gastronomic stroll across its dining destinations. Indulge in the finest Sri Lankan cuisine at Bojunhala, take in the Southeast Asian flavours, inspired by the famous hawker stalls, at Sera, and enjoy international fare in a lush, green setting, at Ulpatha. The Gimanhala lounge, with its magnificent Indian ocean views, in the Golf Club House offers specially crafted cocktails, and many golfers cap off the day there, with a sundowner.

The Golf Course

Designed by world-renowned golf architect, Rodney Wright, the 18-hole golf course spreads across a vast coconut palm plantation, a sapphire quarry, lakes and sand dunes, offering distinctive challenges for both beginners and seasoned players. The abundance of nature and wildlife, framed by lakes and the beautiful Indian Ocean, sets the scene for an incredible golfing experience.

The clubhouse overlooks the 18th green and welcomes all golfers and guests. Inspired by Sri Lanka’s colonial heritage, Ulpatha (watering hole) is the right place to unwind after a game of golf, with a fine selection of beers, malt whiskies, cocktails and other beverages and snacks. It serves international fare and comfort food, for a relaxed lunch in cool settings overlooking the golf course. There’s a pool table
and a TV to catch up on other sports.

A wide range of products is available from the Pro Shop with a selection of premium golf equipment, caps, polos, shoes and sunglasses, for total comfort and elegance. You can also hire sets of clubs and shoes and there is a locker room with changing and shower facilities.

Regular golf attire is required: shirts with collars, tailored trousers and Bermuda shorts. No denims, beach wear, tennis wear or training shoes are permitted on the golf course at any time. Golf shoes with soft spikes are compulsory on the golf course.

Other Notable Golf Courses

Royal Colombo Golf Club
Founded in 1880 as the Colombo Golf Club, it moved to its current location which was a model farm originally owned by Sir Charles Henry de Soysa, a Ceylonese philanthropist in 1896. In 1928 the privilege of using the prefix “Royal” was bestowed upon the Club by His Majesty King George V, making it the second oldest Royal Golf Club outside the UK. This 18 hole, 5770 yard long, par 71 course is located in the capital city of Colombo at The Ridgeway Links also known as the Anderson Golf Course.

Victoria Golf Course, Kandy
This golf course is set in over 517 acres of lush green land of the Victoria Golf & Country resort, a 45 minute drive from Kandy. Designed by renowned golf-course architect Donald Steel in 1997 and opened in 1999, it’s surrounded by the blue waters of the Victoria Reservoir against the backdrop of the Knuckles mountain range, and is listed as one of the top 100 golf courses in the world. The 18 hole, 6945 yard long, par 73 course with narrow tree lined fairways offer challenges to golfers of all standards.

Nuwara Eliya Golf Club
Founded and constructed in 1889 by a Scottish soldier of the Gordon Highlanders for the British servicemen and officials who were posted at Nuwara Eliya course is situated at the foot of Mount Piduruthalagala which provides a spectacular backdrop. This 18 hole, 6075 yard long, par 70 course, with a scorecard in metres and yardage markers to the edge of the green in yards, is set in approximately 100 acres of what was originally a tea plantation in the highland region 6,000 feet above sea level.

Places to Visit

During your golfing holiday in Hambantota, which is known for its natural beauty, our clients may wish to see and visit some of the cultural, and historic sites, take a wildlife safari, or join a city or evening tour. Below we have picked out some of the more notable places to visit, all within relatively easy distance of the hotel. In collaboration with our local travel partner, we can arrange to include some of these experiences in your holiday. We can also offer suggestions if you have any interests or things, you would especially like to do or see.

Places of Historical, Cultural or Wildlife Interest

Galle
Considered to be the most perfectly preserved colonial town in Sri Lanka, the streets around the historic Fort in the old Dutch town, a Unesco World Heritage Site, are full of little boutique shops, cafes and hotels owned by local and foreign artists, writers, photographers, designers and poets.

Kataragama
The extensive collection of shrines and temples is and considered one of the holiest sites on the island being held sacred by Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims alike. Pilgrims come all year round to worship at the shrine of the god Kataragama.

Mahamodara Sea Turtle Hatchery
We rescue turtles who are in danger of losing their lives to the fishing industry whether they are caught in nets or hunted for meat. We currently have 40 turtles, including 4 types of turtles. All are welcome to come and visit to see and learn about Tara turtles here in Sri Lanka.

Marissa
This little village with its crescent shaped beach blanketed with coconut trees is one of the safest beaches along the southern coast and has now found fame as the whale-watching capital of Sri Lanka where Dondra Head is one of the best places to see these magnificent creatures.

Mulgirigalla
Sri Lanka’s finest southern ancient monument, the seven, beautifully decorated ancient cave temples are carved out of the flanks of an enormous rock outcrop and are connected by paved granite paths and around 500 steps up to the Dagoba Terrace with wonderful views of the surrounding area.

Sithulpawwa Rock Temple
Sithulpawwa Rajamaha Viharaya “Rock Temple” is a temple complex of very historical significance. Identified as one of the greatest Buddhist 2nd-century sites, the large number of stupas, cave temples, Buddha statues, a stupa house, and image houses are spread over a large land area. Amongst these is a cave temple with ancient paintings, done on a thin layer of plaster on the rock surface in red and yellow colours, they are thought to belong to the 3rd century BC.

Tissamaharama
Home to a string of remarkable historic buildings including the 55.8 metre high Tissa Dagoba, which stands majestically against the backdrop of the night sky and Tissa Wewa, a magnificent man-made reservoir with its wonderful bird life that provides the scenic backdrop for the town.

Udawalawe National Park
Established as the fifth national park of Sri Lanka in June 1972. Covering almost 31,000 hectares, which includes the huge “Walawe reservoir”, it is one of the most expansive parks in Sri Lanka. The dry grassland and scrubland, extensive regions of tall grass, scrubs, and trees are favourite environmental conditions for Elephants who spend a substantial portion of the year at Udawalawe. When on safari in this wonderful game sanctuary you can expect to see multiple elephants, exotic creatures, such as the Sri Lankan leopard, and large numbers of endemic bird species.

Yala National Park
This has the world’s highest concentration of leopards and whilst much of the nature reserve is parkland, it also includes jungle, beaches, freshwater lakes, rivers and scrubland making it home to a wide diversity of wildlife.