Villa Ahangama

A set of stairs leads to the top of the hill where you enter the property’s open-plan living space. There’s a pantry to one side with a coffee machine and fridges, then a living room, dining table, a comfy sofa and a secluded library if you need to work on the computer.

Directly in front of the living space is a 40-foot swimming pool with sun loungers. A few stairs lead down from here to the master suite and one of the bedrooms, both with private balconies. On the other side of the pool are the remaining rooms. Number three and four have a shared lawn while number five is the most private room, with a balcony that offers a different aspect from the others.

We have pretty much everything guests need — good Wi-Fi, TVs in the rooms and toiletries in the bathrooms. Our villa manager is usually always on-site, as is our chef and gardener. We also have a housekeeper and a handy man/IT guy, as well as a security company that is around at night. One of the staff members always stays overnight too.

A hearty breakfast is included in the stay and includes fresh fruits and juice, toast and jam, plus eggs in a style of your choosing. For lunch and dinner, there is an a la carte menu that guests can select from and we can do barbecues in the garden with fire lanterns. We also have bikes that guests are welcome to use and the area is fairly flat, so you can easily cycle around the paddy fields and visit the local village or the nearby tea estate.

We have a good relationship with a local transportation company and they can easily come with a car or a few tuk-tuks to take guests where they want to go. In addition, we can arrange for masseuses and yoga instructors to come to the property or host small events (a maximum of 30 people).

In addition to everything that is included in the standard package, we have plenty of optional extras as well:

• Lunch and dinner available
• Torchlit BBQ in the garden for a special occasion
• Massage therapist onsite
• Yoga instructor onsite
• Doctor on-call if needed

FACILITIES/AMENITIES

• High-speed Internet connections throughout the property
• 24/7 security
• Safes in all rooms
• Beans to cup coffee machine
• Cool drinking water
• Washing machine and dryer for guest laundry
• Air-conditioned rooms
• Ceiling fans
• Uninterrupted power supply
• TVs in each room
• Projector
• 2 extra single beds can be added to any room
• UK plug sockets
• Mobile chargers
• Hairdryers in all rooms
• Choice of pillow
• Sunloungers
• Transportation
• Airport pick up and drop off

It’s all about nature. You can pop down to the beach for a cold beer and a pizza, then go swimming with the turtles in the lagoon. The continental shelf is close to the south coast of Sri Lanka, which means that cold water from the Antarctic meets the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, making the area a great feeding ground for whales. You can also go on safari to see elephants and leopards in Udawalawe or Yala National Park.

There is so much to see and do nearby, we couldn’t possibly list it all, but some of the things we’d recommend are:

• Cycling around the Thiththagalla area with Tharindu
• Surfing at Kabalana beach
• Whale Watching at Mirissa — arrange public or private boat tours to see whales and dolphins
• Deep Sea Fishing — for those that would like to catch their own tuna!
• Elephant Safari at Udawalawe — don’t forget to head to the orphanage for feeding time in the evening
• Yala National Park Safari — a little further afield to go in search of the elusive leopards
• Ask the team to arrange for Asiri to come over to provide yoga lessons for individuals or small groups by the pool
• Visit the Handunugoda White Tea Estate — a hidden gem just down the road
• Kogalla Lake Safari Tour — explore the wildlife around the lake or have some fish therapy
• Cooking Classes — learn how to make some Rice and Curry
• Swim with the turtles at Wijaya Beach — there are almost always turtles in the lagoon
• Visit the turtle hatchery at Habaraduwa
• Kanneliya Rainforest tour
• Stilt Fisherman photos
• Jungle Beach visit — great for snorkelling or just sunbathing
• Cinnamon plantation and factory visit