The Mirissa Beach is 2 minutes from Talaramba Reef by tuktuk.

Talaramba Reef is one of the rare beachfront vacation rental properties you will find that has a huge tropical garden featuring local tree species. The garden is a really nice quiet place to meditate and is the perfect setting for the two villas – Villa Sulanga and Villa Vatura – located in the property. Both villas can accommodate a large group of people with 4 bedrooms each, featuring fourr-poster beds and en-suite bathrooms. The villas are both designed to let the light and the air in, with meals taken in a verandah overlooking the garden, and huge lounge areas that con comfortably seat a huge crowd. Beautiful french doors and Sri Lankan furniture and art pieces complete the simple yet luxurious feel of the villas.

Garden and Pool Outside Villa Sulanga and Villa Vatura

The main difference of the two villas is perhaps in the target market, with Villa Vatura being more child-friendly with a TV room and a pool specially designed with a shallow end for toddlers. Villa Sulanga’s pool is deeper, and with a bar area in the living room, obviously focuses more on catering to the needs of adults on vacation.

Note that if you interested in staying in Talaramba Reef for your vacation, it will set you back anywhere from $400 to $1500 per night, depending on how many villas you rent (Yes, you can rent just one or both.) and the season when you book it.

Photos via Talaramba Reef Website

A good option for tourists who want a quieter time away from the regular crush of tourists that come with big hotels is to rent private villas. Vacation rental homes, such as villas are great because you either get the entire place all to yourself, or get to share it with only a handful of other guests.

Auraliya, a family holiday home turned vacation rental property, is one such place. Auraliya features 6 tastefully appointed bedrooms surrounding a dining hall and swimming pool, and located right in front of a beach that guests can access anytime via a private gate.

Statue of Ganesh at Auraliya

The Sitting Pavillion at Auraliya 

Auraliya guests find themselves returning to the place not only for the beautiful and serene atmosphere, but also because of the very personalized and excellent service of the staff. In Auraliya, you can have your meals planned for you ahead of time, or even ask the staff to shop for you with them returning with fresh produce and receipts in hand. The staff always on-call, ensuring that guests never lack for anything any time of the day. If there’s one word that will describe Auraliya, that would perhaps be “hospitality”, a luxury that not many hotels truly know the meaning of.

Photos courtesy of Auraliya

Fort Printers is an unassumingly stylish hotel. Unpretentious and quietly chic, it is for people wanting to feel like they are staying at a town villa and yet still be spoiled with a hotel’s services. If you stroll down Galle Fort‘s popular Pedlar street (great shopping), you’ll find the Fort Printers at the corner of Church street- you would immediately think the elegantly restored building was the home of some lucky expatriate and not a small luxury hotel!

There is a definite air of nostalgia here, with the black vintage car parked out front (seemingly indefinitely) and the magnificently authentic printing machine in the entrance hall, seen from the street- to name a few. Although I used the word “luxury” in the previous paragraph, I wouldn’t necessarily say the Fort Printers‘ five suites was that- if you think of that word in terms if mod cons, designer toiletries or fancy mattresses seen in most top hotels in Asia these days. It is still very comfortable in an uncluttered boutique sense and smartly furnished with select antiques and interesting handmade crafts. The cozy library and intimate lap pool area are also great additions for tour-weary guests.

As a base for getting to know Galle Fort and it’s environs, Fort Printers would be an excellent choice because of it’s ideal location close to the shops, restaurants and picturesque ramparts. The food is also known to be excellent (try the delicious Mezze menu) and considering what you get for the reasonable rate of around $120 a night (low season), including tax, you could be tempted to stay longer than planned. Or better yet, invite some friends and rent out the entire hotel for a mere $600. Another good option would be to book the “Beach-Fort” promotion, which combines a stay at its sister hotel, the lovely Frangipani Tree for a very affordable price, including breakfast and transfers.

Image via Sri Lanka in Style

What a name- the Last House?! This enchanting villa is so named (only in Ceylon!) as it is the famous Geoffrey Bawa‘s last architectural masterpiece, if not his grandest. The Last House is located on the south coastline near Tangalle, a long six hour drive from Colombo- so we do recommend you break up the journey on your way. The villa is positioned on an idyllic strip of land with a lagoon on one side and long white sand beach on the other.

Geoffrey Bawa perhaps needs no introduction to those are familiar with Sri Lankan cultural history, renowned for his mix of eclectic and modern architectural styles. The layout of this, his last project, is shaped like a horse-shoe, with kitchen, living rooms and courtyard bedrooms surrounding the idyllic swimming pool on three sides.

The advantage of this design is that while the various verandas, dining and sitting rooms are well-suited to social occasions, the property also offers privacy to friends or generations of a family. At the back of the main building there is a lovingly-tended garden with an expansive stretch of lawn leading down to the beach.

There are four double bedrooms with en suite bathrooms, as well as a twin and a single that share a bathroom. Bedrooms are beautifully furnished, airy and light. The rooms can comfortably accommodate up to 11 guests.

Master Bedroom: situated on the upper floor with a balcony overlooking the pool and the sea beyond, this is an exquisite suite furnished with a king size bed. The ensuite bathroom has a Victorian bathtub and shower.

Family Room: Located upstairs and has twin beds with an attached second room with both sharing one bathroom.

Turquoise Room: Located on the ground floor opening out to the gardens and the sea beyond, this is a spacious room with a private garden and ensuite bathroom. The room is furnished with a king size bed.

White Room: Situated on the ground floor next to the Turquoise room, this also has sea views and a private garden.

The living and dining areas overlook the 10-meter swimming pool. The interiors are tastefully designed with a mix of antiques and contemporary furniture, local art and artifacts. The many courtyards, verandas and balconies offer much privacy and many secluded spaces for guests to relax in. Local rice and curries and western dishes are served according to guest’s wishes in the gardens, the main dining room or in your own private courtyard or balcony.

As Flee Winter says quite rightly:

“Some may feel a little isolated this far round the coast, so it is important to bring company and entertainment with you. The Last House is absolutely perfect for family gathering and friendly reunions. No local restaurants or gift shops to pop out to.“

There is a full complement of staff, including an excellent chef. Unlike most villas, the Last House is sold on an “all-inclusive” basis with a per person fee charged each day for three meals and all your beverages, including house wine Prices come in at around $1,000 per night for the whole villa and in this case we recommend booking directly with the villa.

Image via Sri Lanka in Style

Ambalama offers plenty of luxe for the traveller. Its four equitable bedrooms are highlighted by comfortable four-poster beds adorned with the highest thread count linen to be found in Sri Lanka. With multiple sets of doors opening onto the front sea view verandah, louvers provide the rooms with enough of a breeze for you to hardly ever need to use the air conditioning or fan, although both are available. With two of the modern bathrooms featuring an enclosed open air shower surrounded by a soothing tropical garden, this is barefoot luxury at its best.

The main living area of Ambalama is an airy space with cool floors, high roof and a scattering of antique furniture and local art. To one end is a cosy lounge area whilst at the other is a circular dining table for eight, overlooking the pool, garden and sea. The villa is perfectly convivial and suits many group arrangements; it can easily be transformed from relaxed and intimate into something more formal depending upon the occasion. The villa has a full complement of staff, so all you have to do is ask.

The Balinese tiled swimming pool is one of the villa’s best assets. Located just footsteps from the bedrooms and living areas, the pool has an especially inviting ledge to one side from where you can sit in the sunshine and admire the view. Surrounded by a wide sun drenched terrace dotted with loungers, it is ideal for alfresco wining and dining at any time of the day. Ambalama is totally private and to the front is a large grassy lawn with access to the pristine stretch of beach just below.

One particular highlight of Ambalama is its cuisine. A lot of effort has gone into finding a great chef to create cuisine worth staying in for. Indeed, the new chef at Ambalama has worked in two of the island’s five star hotels and designed a menu that amply reflects this. From succulent seafood to sensational salads and wicked desserts, there is plenty to satisfy even the most demanding guest. And, whilst you might be enjoying five star cuisine, remember you’re not paying for it; guests only pay for the cost of the ingredients. Perfect! Three courses it is then.

The quoted rates for Ambalama Villa range from $600 per night in the value season to $900 per night in the peak season. We suggest that you contact the very efficient and friendly Tai via the website contact form.

Image via Sri Lanka in Style

Once again we divert from the central theme of this blog to cover another topic of interest for you, our dear readers, when thinking of luxury travel in Sri Lanka: real estate.

When visiting Sri Lanka, it may well be the case that you fall in love with the country- its people, culture and beauty. And you might be tempted to set up a holiday home there, or who knows- even want to retire there! Furthermore, we wouldn’t argue against the theory that Sri Lanka ironically represents a lucrative investment in these troubled financial times, given that the economy is emerging from a twenty year civil war and has been pretty well down and out for so long.

If this is the case, listen up- as we have been through this process ourselves and learned a few things we’d like to share with you that you’re unlikely to find on a real estate agent’s website…

The first thing you need to bear in mind when considering making any investment in a property in Sri Lanka is the words of the canny investor, Warren Buffett:

“Euphoria is an investor’s worst enemy; pessimism is his best friend.”

In other words, no matter how good a deal seems- think twice and think again after that. Why? Because Sri Lanka is still the Wild West and if you think that you will have any legal recourse should things go awry, forget it. It’s all about finding people you can trust and establishing transparency and clarity in a business culture that is inherently corrupt and is going to stay that way for some time to come. Your leverage is your cash and soon as you have given that over, you are very much on your own. So ask yourself what your motives are before jumping in the deep end, as if you’re looking for a solid investment that is liquid and safe, this is not the place for you.

However, if you’re able to afford a bit of fun and want to add some color to your life without going bankrupt in the process…then why not? If you’re not putting all your eggs in this particular basket and can afford it, you might even make some capital gain in the long-term. Having said this, please do believe us when we give you some tips, as we ourselves have been down this road for better or worse!

Here are three facts on the ground that may help you:

* If a foreigner buys land in Sri Lanka, there is a 100% land tax. Obviously, this is completely prohibitive- but it can be gotten around by setting up a local company that owns the property, whereby you will own all the shares of this company. Bear in mind that this company will need to be “active” and so you’ll be bearing approx. $1,000 in legal and accounting fees every year

* The real estate agents in Sri Lanka are not licensed or regulated. So any Tom, Dick or Harry can say that they’re an agent while having no qualifications or ability for you to hold to account. In addition, they take an extortionate 10% commission of the sale- 5% from the buyer and 5% from the seller. Unbelievable, we hear you say and we agree!

* There is a weird metric system in Sri Lanka when it comes to measuring land: perches. Prices will nearly always be quoted in terms of Sri Lankan Rupees per perch. One perch is 25 square meters, so 160 perches is one acre. Become familiar with this as quickly as possible.

Our advice would be that you resist all the amazing deals of the century you find on your holiday and if you really are considering buying a property- come back and rent first. Learn the lay of the land before you commit your hard-earned shekels to a fantasy. The only possible downside to this is that you miss the gold rush and Sri Lankan real estate suddenly is competing with Manhattan overnight. Talk to the other expats who have bought properties, learn from their mistakes and find contacts of people you can really, really trust via multiple and solid recommendations. Don’t forget- these will likely be your neighbors also, so be smart and don’t go showing off! Otherwise, everyone will want a piece of you- Sri Lanka can become a small place very quickly!!

So what do we suggest if you are interested in buying a property in Sri Lanka?

** Don’t rush- rent a house for a year in the area that you are interested in buying a property in and take your time learning what is what & who is who.

** Find one single estate agent that you like/trust and negotiate a lower commission than 5% from your end. For buying or renting, we recommend Ivan at Sri Lanka Real Estate. With Ivan (don’t tell him we told you about negotiating on the commission!), what you see is what you get and he is an authentic professional in this industry. And unlike many other agents, he won’t abandon you after the purchase and will continue to help & look after you. There are a disproportionate amount of agents for such a small real estate market as Sri Lanka and many of them are foreigners who have been around for years supplementing their passive income. If you can pick one single agent, your life on the social front will be much smoother!

** Find a trustworthy lawyer who will represent your best interests and not the seller’s. We recommend Bindu Wickramasekara (bindu@slt.lk) for the Galle area. A lawyer like Bindu will charge 2% of the purchase price, but he will do so much more for you than just legal searches, paperwork and the usual that one might expect in the West- he will be your eyes and ears on the ground and be able to help you see the wood from the trees…

** For setting up your company in Sri Lanka, there is only one law firm that can be recommended: Simon and Associates in Colombo. With Simon you are in the safest hands possible and sleep at night knowing that you are protected by the best. This is going to set you back approx. $3,000.

** For banking, by far the easiest to use is HSBC in Colombo. At the minimum you will need to set up what is known as a SIERA account (share investment external rupee account).

** If you are buying a plot of land or an old property, get quotes from a builder who you have decided to use before you buy, and not after. As a rule of thumb, the cost of building in Sri Lanka with a high end finish is approx. $400 – $500 per square meter. So for a large house of 500 sqm (say 4 bedrooms, large living space, etc)- that’s $250,000. Allow another $50,000 for your landscaping, pool and other external costs and you’re talking about $300,000 for building a beautiful house that is done to your specifications. Of course you will get cheaper quotes than this, but you already know where that will lead you…disaster. And add to this the cost of the land you bought. Also, bear in mind that while one might assume otherwise, renovation can cost as much- if not more- than building from scratch with demolition, etc. Plus in many places (especially within Galle Fort), you will need building permits for any building or renovation work. We recommend Neilan William, owner of Siem Construction. Neilan is a rare breed: an honest builder and as the owner of an established company with a good reputation, he can be trusted to stay in budget and on schedule.

** The Sri Lankan currency is traditionally weak against the major world currencies, so factor in some depreciation of the SL Rupee. You will find that the sellers will choose whatever currency suits them best at the time, but our advice is to stick to an offer in USD so that you know exactly where you stand- whatever the volatility of the currency markets.

** Sri Lankan sellers are always going to assume that you, as a foreigner, are very wealthy and will therefore try and achieve a selling price well above market value. You must be prepared to bargain hard.

** Now here is an idea for you…

Maybe you can see from the above that buying property in Sri Lanka is no picnic. So instead of going through all the inevitable emotional and psychological turmoil of this torturous process, why not buy someone else’s hard work and effort for a song? By buying a property from an expat who is wanting to sell up for whatever reason (leaving, fed up, cashing in on a gain, divorce, etc…) you are going to avoid a lot of hassle and be able to buy the property as a company without all the aggro. Yes you might be spending an extra few dollars from what you’d pay a local for the property (and even that is debatable!), but trust us when we say that this is money well spent!

Anyway, we hope that this post has been of some help to those of you seriously considering buying a property in Sri Lanka. If you would like some additional advice or help, do drop us a line- we have no axe to grind and will be happy to let you know the real deal!

Photo via Tisara Villas

For families looking for an unforgettable beach or lakeside holiday, the South Point Villas come highly recommended for their superb service, food, location and comfort.

Luxurious yet simple, South Point Villas are comprised of three properties, all with it’s own swimming pool, each with its own special charm. The South Point Villa on the beach is the largest, has three bedrooms and is the most elegant, adorned with period furniture and all the mod cons, including wireless internet. If rustic charm is more your style, try the South Point Abbey, an old Dutch house restored lovingly with two bedrooms, a study, and an infinity pool with jacuzzi. And lastly, those seeking complete privacy, the South Point Cottage on the banks of Koggala Lake has been called the perfect place for writers to be inspired! With expansive views of hills and the tranquil lake, this cozy retreat is in close proximity to a the charming local village and Buddhist temple.

Whatever villa you choose, the staff at South Point Villas are known for their flawless service. Families have raved on how their children were spoiled rotten by the chef, who would prepare all sorts of freshly baked treats to keep grumbling to a minimum!

But that’s not all, perhaps the most outstanding thing about South Point Villas is the fact that the owner gives the profits back to the community by educating the poor villagers – and in fact has built a school and creche for them. If you book directly through the owner, Sonali, you can ensure that your holiday’s payment does some good – something we wish all hotels did!