Nawalakanda holiday bungalow:

Where modern comforts blend with old world charm

RESORT: Nawalakanda Holiday Bungalow, a colonial style planter’s bungalow, has been built in the midst of a lush tea and cinnamon plantation in Elpitiya.

The bungalow is just 16 km away from Ambalangoda on the Elpitiya road and 3 km from Elpitiya.

It lies just 3 km away from the Colombo-Matara new express highway. The bungalow has five spacious bedrooms beautifully furnished, with attached bathrooms with hot/cold water, a/c and a 24-hour room service.

The bungalow is geared to cater to family groups. It can accommodate 16 visitors comfortably.

The beautiful summer hut just outside the bungalow is perfect for morning tea sessions or an evening drink. A unique feature at the bungalow is the beautiful natural swimming pool.

Nawalakanda tea estate on which the bungalow stands, was an extent of over 3,000 acres during the British era. Athukorala Group has changed the entire style of the bungalow.

Director, Athukorala Group, Anura Athukorala, the owner of the estate said that with its modern touch, Nawalakanda bungalow has opened its doors to the Sri Lankan leisure sector.

The experienced caretaker, Sumith Perera said that the bungalow is sold as one unit, and it mainly caters to family vacations.

The bungalow is generally given to small family groups who want to spend their outing as a family. The bungalow is ideal for weekend outings for busy executives and their families, Perera said.

The bungalow is a honeymooner’s paradise due to its beautiful location and pleasant environment. The children’s park at the bungalow is ideal for daytime cricket matches.

The cuisine at the bungalow is another unique feature. It offers the very best in Sri Lankan and western food. Most of the vegetables used for cooking are fresh from the garden of the bungalow.

Trekking to nearby ancient temples, tea estates or rubber estates, bird watching, cycling, a picnic to a stream would be an ideal choice to enjoy the day.

The bungalow can be reached via e-mail: [email protected]

Elephant tournament attracts over 600 foreigners

Irangika RANGE

JUMBO FAIR: While creating an exhilarating, competitive and fun atmosphere for over 600 of foreign spectators and players and raising awareness of the plight of the Asian Domestic Elephants, SriLankan Airlines (SLA) sponsored the sixth Annual Ceylon Elephant Polo Association (CEPA) tournament which was concluded at the magnificent historical ramparts of Fort of Galle last week.

The event comprising eight international teams including 50 foreign players and two local teams such as Sri Lanka Army and Police were worked off at the Southern sea side town of Galle with influx of tourists.

The CEPA has organised this tournament for the sixth consecutive year and has been able to raise over Rs. 1.5 million, which will be channelled towards the millennium Elephant Foundation which takes care of destitute elephants.

The mighty Taprobane Tuskers was proudly sponsored by SriLankan Airlines this year. There was stiff competition on the field. Tickle and Ivories became the champion while Capitol Pachyderms was the runner-up.

Other international teams have also taken part at the Kings Cup Elephant Polo Tournament in Thailand and at the World Elephant Polo Championships in Nepal.

SLA’s CEO Peter Hill said it is indeed very encouraging to see this annual tournament growing in both size and stature as each year passes.

“We at SriLankan Airlines is extremely pleased to have the opportunity of supporting such a unique sporting spectacle, which promises to enthral both overseas visitors and local residents alike,” he said.

CEPA’s President, Geoffrey Dobbs said this was the biggest tournament with eight teams playing from all over the world.

“Not only will the event attract international tourists but also the local community who have supported the event enormously. The event is something that the coastline of Sri Lanka needs after being affected by the December 26 tsunami in 2004. I see this as a great way to assist tourism getting back on its feet”, he said.

CEPA is a strong campaigner for elephant conservation and in particular promoting the welfare of the Sri Lankan elephant. Ever since 1900, the plight of the Sri Lankan elephant has been desperate.

Civil war, poaching and the rapid destruction of natural habitat have resulted in a catastrophic reduction in the elephant population from over 200,000 to just 5,000 today of which 150 are domesticated. The Sri Lankan elephants are in danger of extinction.

With the insatiable demand for land, elephants have been forced into smaller areas, hunted for their tusks and there are real possibilities that they will become extinct by the next century.

He said events like Elephant Polo increase people’s awareness of these wonderful beasts and hopefully call for the demand of the elephant to be allowed to live as well. CEPA prides itself in the care of its elephants used for Polo working closely with the Elephant Conservation Project in Thailand and the Millennium Foundation in Sri Lanka ensuring the elephants are treated humanely, receive regular medical attention and are well fed.

He said during the 2007 tournament CEPA will be holding a number of events to raise money for the plight of the elephant. In the last tournament CEPA successfully raised over US$ 5000 for the Sri Lankan Elephant.

Saruketha: Eco-friendly restaurant

RESORT: Built at the centre of a land of lush green vegetation, Saruketha is an eco-friendly tourist resort that has earned a name and fame as an ideal venue for picnics and family outings.

Equipped with traditional local facilities, it offers a variety of Western and Eastern dishes and an endless choice of beverages to the discerning traveller.

Saruketha, which began operation in February 2002, is managed by two young, but experienced hoteliers, Savid Jamieson and Sanath Panditharatne. It is an ideal tourist resort for a unique holiday experience in Kurunegala.

Situated in the fifth largest province in Sri Lanka on the Dambulla-Kurunegala highway, just two hours drive from the Bandaranaike International Airport, and the bustling city of Colombo, it is a shining star among the tourist resorts in the island, as it provides beauty in diversity, supreme comfort and convenience of the holidaymakers.

Occupying an exotic site in the heart of the Cultural Triangle, along a green belt of paddy fields, where several recky outcrops of the emerging central hills mark a distinctive geological feature of Kurunegala, Saruketha provides scenic splendour at its best to the holidaymaker.

“We offer garden fresh vegetable sand fruits from the ‘Saruketha’ land on which the restaurant stands” Managing partner, Director, Saruketha, Sanath Panditharatna said.

The Sunday lunch buffet with a wide spread of delicious Western, Eastern, and Sri Lankan cuisine, has become extremely popular not only among foreign tourists but also Sri Lankans touring the Cultural, Triangle, Panditharatna said.

‘Infinity Menu’ at Echo

NEW MENU: The new Infinity Menu, offering the ultimate Italian food experience every Wednesday night is the latest rage at Echo, Cinnamon Grand Colombo’s Italian restaurant.

A creation of Master Chef Giuseppe, the menu, probably the first of its kind in the country, encompassing an endless array of delectable cuisine including an antipasti buffet, sumptuous main dishes and delightful desserts, reflecting the diversity of Italian cooking.

The cuisine is served tapas style with the option open to patrons to select their preferences or even order everything on the menu at just one go!

It also has something more important: the most terrific combination of dishes, distinguished by first rate ingredients coupled with Chef Giuseppe’s superior cooking, that offers Italy’s best.

The menu includes Giuseppe’s own creations as well as all time Italian favourites - soft Egg Noodles from the North, Spaghetti from the South, Risotto typical of Milan, Tortellini from Bologna .... and much more. All this complete with some of the best Italian wines at a special discounted rate.

Starters range from cold cuts, salads, mini pizzas and calzone to grilled baby calamari and zucchini, rice pears with saffron, ham and mozzarella and much more.

The main dishes too will leave even the most discerning Italian food lover with a choice unlimited - form Sicilian style sardine, Ossobuco on saffron risotto to fettuccine with crab and tomato sauce or even the tempting grilled salmon with pesto.

The desserts too offer several tempting sweet indulgences with the mini tiramisu, which literally means ‘pick-me-up’ being as irresistible as its name.

Whatever your preference the Infinity Menu is an ideal way to savour Italian cuisine at its best.

Malaysian Food Festival at Galadari Hotel

FESTIVAL:The Galadari Hotel in association with the Malaysian Embassy in Sri Lanka, Malaysian Airlines and Malaysian Tourist Board has organized a Malaysian Food and Cultural Festival from February 27 to March 7 at the hotel’s Coffee Shop.

The hotel is due to take a festive air with colourful Malaysian decorations brought down from Malaysia for this Food Promotion. “Istana Buday” the traditional Malaysian Cultural and Dance Troupe will be performed in the center lobby.

Malaysian Chefs Mohd Jusoh Bin Zakaria and Perrin Prosper Raj who will be flown down by Malaysian Airlines, will add authenticity to the food and the chefs of the Galadari Hotel who will provide their expertise.

The Malaysian Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan will grace the occasion.

The Malaysian Food and Cultural Festival is an annual event and a very popular and successful Food Festival at the Galadari Hotel. The Dinner buffet will comprise over 100 dishes from salads, soups, main dishes to desserts.

Vegetarian Friday at Global Towers

NEW MENU: Beginning March Global Towers Hotel, Colombo 6 has come out with a new concept of providing special vegetarian menus every Friday.

A wide range of speciality vegetarian food hand-picked and prepared under the personal attention of Executive

 Chef Patrick Phillips, who counts many years in the food and beverage sector in the hospitality industry here and abroad, will be laid out in clay pots in authentic Sri Lankan style.

Carefully selected garden-fresh vegetables will be used for exquisite dishes such as Vegetable Biriyani, Curd Rice and from Poriyal to Sundal, and Rasam to Payasam are just to name a few. Guests will be provided with banana leaves to enjoy their meals.

“This will certainly be a very popular buffet for everyone in the area who will be looking forward for a friendly get-together on Fridays,” said Residence Manager of Global Towers Mano Perera.

Galway makes new appointments

NEW FACES: Veteran hotelier Lalith Wickrmasinghe Rajapakse has been appointed as Group General Manager (Marketing) of Galway Hotel Management Service, (Pvt) Ltd while Dharma Shantha Amarakoon has been appointed Chief Executive Officer.

Hemantha Weeraratne Perera has been appointed Financial Controller, Anthony Winston Daniels as Marketing Advisor, and Kaneshan Prasath as Marketing Manager.

Galway Hotel Management Services (Pvt) Ltd, a pioneer in Sri Lanka’s hospitality industry, owns and manages Galway Forest Lodge, Nuwara Eliya and Glaway Miridiya Lodge, Anuradhapura, two Star Classes hotels.

The latest addition to the Galway Group is the Galway Beach and Spa, formerly known as Villa Riviera Hotel, Beruwala.

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