SMILES ON THE TEARDROP ISLE

Marital life begins with a flight into Sri Lanka’s capital where you will be met and taken to your hotel, the Wallawwa, for your first night of deep relaxation. A 200-year-old mansion set between tropical gardens and a giant swimming pool, the Wallawwa is the ideal post journey spa retreat. Take advantage of the Z Spa with a jetlag reviver treatment or soothing facial, before settling into a sun lounger to soak up the remains of the day. Have your first taste of Sri Lanka with afternoon tea on the shaded veranda and after a few palate cleansing cocktails, feast on the delicious curries at the restaurant – the coconut and mustard seer fish is a favourite!

Your next port of call is the ‘Lost Hill Kingdom’ of Kandy for two nights of colourful culture and unique experiences. You’ll stay at the colonial mansion, the Kandy House, located within a 6-acre estate on a forested hillside just outside of the ancient city. Offering a quiet and luxurious base, the Kandy House is the ideal antidote to Kandy’s vibrant markets and oftentimes hectic streets. With painted elephants roaming the streets, heady orchid houses dotted around, eclectic markets – and of course the famous Temple of the Tooth – the city will provide plenty in the way of those all-important honeymoon snaps. Follow your nose into the tea plantations that crown the surrounding hills to walk between paddy fields and temples on a leisurely afternoon, and when the sun sets, head back to the hotel to cool down in the infinity pool with a drink in hand, as you overlook the enveloping jungle and bright rice fields.

Taken to the heart of Sri Lanka’s tea country, you’ll spend two nights in Koslanda at the boutique hotel, Living Heritage Koslanda. Part of an 80-acre tea plantation, there are just four rooms here, making it one of our favourite places for a shot of peace and seclusion. You can stay within the property, walking along the root-gnarled pathways to a hidden waterfall, take a cooking class with the hotel’s chef to learn how to prepare local dishes, or simply relax in the plunge pool after a morning yoga session on your veranda. As you are in the tea region of Sri Lanka, consider going on a tour of a local plantation to see people picking leaves and to learn about the production process. If you have a day to spare, you can venture to Udawalawe National Park for incredible sightings of elephants or, if you are travelling in the summer months, wander through the nearby God’s Forest to see the wild, migrating elephants.

Having explored the tea and cultural heart of Sri Lanka, it’s next onto Yala National Park to inject some serious wildlife into your honeymoon. The second largest national park in Sri Lanka, Yala has an incredible abundance of wildlife, a mixture of terrains that are almost akin to the African bush, and the highest density of leopard in the world. During your two nights here, you’ll go on a morning and afternoon game drive for an exhilarating experience of a leopard-spotting. As you keep an eye out for the elusive cat, make sure to take a few snaps of the exotic birds, wild water buffalo, rare sloth bear, slow red slender loris and fierce reptiles that also call Yala home. You’ll stay in the stunning and opulent Chena Huts, perfectly placed between Yala’s coastal jungle and the ancient dunes of the south coast. Consider alternating inland excursions with ocean adventures during your stay – we’d certainly recommend the pre-sunset walk around the lagoon to see long-legged storks and endangered turtles.

An exquisite couples’ retreat near Koggala Lake, Kahanda Kanda will be your last stop on this heavenly honeymoon. You’ll be placed amid Sri Lanka’s cinnamon-strewn coastal hills, where you can walk around this southern region witnessing just how important the spice is to the economy and local community. You can watch spices being picked, have a tour of a working plantation or even get involved yourself, trying to peel the cinnamon like a pro. With your nostrils full of the heady smells, it’s time to taste the spice at the hotel’s inventive restaurant. Using fresh estate-grown produce, the Thai-infused dishes and Sri Lankan cuisine will have you day-dreaming of your next divine meal as you digest by the gorgeous pool and in the blissful spa.