Sri Lanka is very much focused on Eco- friendly Tourism. 25% of the country’s land is protected forest and there are strict laws to ensure that it remains as it is. There are some hotels and resorts that are very keen to preserve the environment and run the hotels with a minimum negative impact. As a responsible and sustainable travel company, we take the initiative to promote these hotels. There are a lot of Eco-friendly hotels, but we cannot list all of them for obvious reasons. We have listed some of the best Eco- friendly resorts below. We work with these hotels closely and know that they truly are trying to make a difference.
Polwattha Eco- Lodges- Digana- Kandy
Polwaththa Eco Lodges consists of 15 lodges spread out in a pristine environment, giving you a ‘Living-in-the-Jungle’ experience. Situated 19km east of Kandy each lodge offers basic comfort with great views and privacy. Activities include Yoga, local cooking lessons, a wide choice of treks through nature, quaint villages, rice fields, tea plantations, waterfalls, rivers, and the famous Knuckles Mountains. The community interactions and school projects provide a rewarding experience to the visitors. The environment and the local community are at the heart of our operations. The Hotel practices the 3Rs. They make all our purchases from within 5km. They operate a very successful re-forestation project where you can plant a tree. On a larger scale, they purchase land for reforestation. Polwaththa offers a pristine environment with average day temperatures of 26C and night temperatures of 22C with hardly any mosquitoes. We are pet friendly with 7 dogs and 5 cats, living in harmony with wild boar, deer, porcupines, giant squirrels, monkeys, butterflies, bats, fireflies, and insects. Over 60 species of birds including 15 endemic species can be seen within the hotel premises. Authentic Sri Lankan meals are cooked in clay pots using firewood to give you a taste of real Sri Lankan village culture.
Camping with Mahoora- Yala, Udawalawa, Wilpatthu
Mahoora is a provider of authentic, mobile-luxury adventure in the Sri Lankan wilderness. All Mahoora Elite & Premium Campsites border Sri Lanka’s most famous National Parks, such as Udawalawe, Yala (in the wetlands of southern Sri Lanka), and Wilpattu (the lowland dry zone of the northwest coast). All three locations provide premium safari experiences where you can see elephants, leopards, and hundreds of bird species. We recommend the top-of-the-line, all-inclusive Mahoora Elite. It is a carbon-neutral safari experience covering game drives in the national parks, traveling in an exclusive jeep, and being guided by an experienced naturalist. You will stay in a spacious tented (32’x10.8’) accommodation with a bedroom, a living area, an ensuite bathroom, and a veranda. Meals are freshly prepared Sri Lankan food that you can wash down with arrack, the local liquor.
Gal Oya Lodge in Ampara
This lodge is the perfect hideout if you’re looking to seek adventures in Sri Lanka. You will have the opportunity of visiting the minority indigenous group of people living in central Sri Lanka – the Veddas. Gal Oya Lodge offers a walking tour that’s accompanied by the village head, who will pass on his knowledge of how his ancestors worked in the land. The hotel is very carefully designed to blend in with nature with a minimum impact on the Environment. The boat safari to the Gal Oya National Park is the most popular excursion where you get to see Elephants swimming between Islands. Gal Oya Lodge is a paradise for Bird watchers and the many footpaths leading from the hotel give you easy access to explore the wildlife.
TRI- Ahangama
Situated on the bank of the eco-diverse Koggala Lagoon, Tri is a hideout that offers sustainable luxury. A hotel built with local materials and guided by its surroundings, Tri has green roofs, solar arrays, and edible gardens. We love the compact and comfy Water Tower Room on the cinnamon-wood-covered hilltop. It has a king-size bed, and the ensuite bathroom has slate floors, hand-cut terrazzo walls, and a rainfall shower. One of the best things about Tri is its locale. You can get on a bike to experience the countryside or take a tour of the lagoon to visit Cinnamon Island—the source of some of the best cinnamon in the world. For some city life, ride a tuk-tuk to the colonial town of Galle for some gelato. After a day of exploring, you can unwind at Tri with a massage or a quantum yoga class.
Forest Rock Garden Hotel- Anuradhapura
Forest Rock Garden is one of, if not the most beautiful settings on the soil of Sri Lanka that gives you an extraordinary experience over and beyond your expectations. Forest Rock Garden Hotel is a living masterpiece that gives its guests the once-in-a-lifetime experience to go back into the golden days of the Anuradhapura Kingdom, which was flourishing 2000 years ago, with utmost luxury and a great sense of royalty, serenity, and peace. The Hotel is in an area of 50 acres. The efforts they have made to preserve nature are very noticeable and the passion for Responsible Tourism is evident at Forest Rock Garden. Anuradhapura which carries the torch of being the first capital of ancient Sri Lanka offers a number of historical places to explore. The sacred city of Anuradhapura is home to a number of religiously significant sites which include the Ruwanwelisaya, The Sri maha bodhi tree, The Abayagiri Monastery, The Twins Pond, The Samadhi Buddha Statue, Mirisawetiya, Isurumuniya & Thuparama dagoba. The Wilpatthu National Park can be visited from the Forest Rock Garden, which is the largest National park in Sri Lanka.