So you’ve decided to go to Maldives for your dream honeymoon- and why not? Maldives after all has been on the top of the list for dream honeymoon destination for decades! With the luxurious over the water villas, magnificent shades of blue and green water, perfect white-sand beaches, it sure can be a remarkable experience. And now you’re trying to figure out where and how to start planning- we’re here to help! You might have heard many people adding Dubai either at the beginning or end of their honeymoon to explore two different destinations, culture, food, and adventurous excursions. While you may choose to do the same for your honeymoon, we recommend to combine Sri Lanka or Qatar for a new and exciting experience! Read ahead for more about combining Sri Lanka with Maldives, and for Maldives with Qatar, click here.
With less than an hour flight from Sri Lanka to Maldives and so much to do and see in Sri Lanka, combination of these two destinations have been becoming very popular for honeymooners in the recent years. Sri Lanka is full of adventures, culture, mouth-watering cuisines, and much more- no wonder it’s a hot destination! Though we can custom design your honeymoon to your liking and wants, here is a popular itinerary as a starting point.
Start the first part of your honeymoon exploring Sri Lanka for 6 nights and then another 5-6 nights in Maldives.
You will start off in Colombo, Sri Lanka by staying at Residence by Uga Escapes. This historic grand Victorian townhouse has been transformed into an unique, lavish boutique hotel. Nestled between shady Park Street and the tranquil lakeside Buddhist temple of Gangarama, Residence by Uga Escapes is the perfect secluded spot for your honeymoon yet gives you easy access to exploring the bustling city of Colombo.
During the day, you will go on a guided Colombo street food and culture tour. You will get to experience the lesser known areas of Colombo with an expert and discover the local cuisines and the melting pot of cultures that make Sri Lanka so unique and beautiful.
You will then continue your honeymoon by flying to North Central of Sri Lanka, Anuradhapura. Here, you will spend three nights in Ulagalla by Uga Escapes. Sri Lanka’s most luxurious property, Ulagalla is a 150-year-old mansion built on 58 lush acres bordered by two ancient reservoirs, surrounded by unspoilt nature and tucked away in complete privacy.
Conveniently located in Cultural Triangle and close to national parks, your guided excursions will include: Exploring the ancient capital of Anuradhapura, a UNESCO World Heritage Site housing ancient ruins of temples and palaces dating back to the 10th century BC. You will also get to see some of the largest ancient stupas in the world, third in size only to the two largest pyramids at Giza in Egypt. Discovering the architectural wonder of the 5th century BC, the rock fortress of Sigirya, an impressive citadel built by the rebel king Kashyapa. And another UNESCO World heritage site, Golden Cave Temple of Dambulla where once Buddhist ascetics resided. Exciting wildlife safaris to the plains of Minneriya National Park to watch the elephants and get an opportunity to get very up close and personal with a domesticated Sri Lankan elephant. Or visit Wilapattu National park that houses an impressive leopard population.
You will end this portion of your honeymoon by traveling to the southern coast of Sri Lanka. Here, you will spend your last three nights in a luxury safari resort, Chena Huts by Uga Escapes. The resort is next to Yala National Park, Sri Lanka’s premier game reserve, and it sits above a sand dune sculpted beach surrounded by a tropical jungle. During your stay, you will experience a morning or evening guided game drives to Yala National Park where you’ll have a chance to see leopards, elephants, sloth bears, deer, and more!
You will then fly to Maldives and spend the rest of your honeymoon at JOALI to unwind in your private over-the-water bungalow after your exciting adventures in Sri Lanka. Some of the activities you can do: private deserted island picnic, snorkeling, scuba diving, romantic private dinner with wine pairing with a sommelier.
To book this itinerary or for more information, contact us today!
*Pictures and itinerary are courtesy of our industry partners, Island & Oak and JOALI
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