// data.jsx — content for Serendria // All image references point to images/samples/*.webp so they can be // swapped out later by replacing the files in that folder. const S = (n) => `images/samples/image${n}.webp`; const IMG = { hero: S(1), hero2: S(2), hero3: S(3), hero4: S(4), wildlife: S(5), tea: S(6), coast: S(7), culture: S(8), wellness: S(9), heritage: S(10), itin1: S(11), itin2: S(12), itin3: S(13), itin4: S(14), cta: S(15), contact: S(16), about: S(17), aboutDesktop: S(14), // landscape variant for desktop About hero — swap S(14) to S(12), S(16), etc. to taste hotel1: 'images/hotels/hotel1.webp', hotel2: 'images/hotels/hotel2.webp', hotel3: 'images/hotels/hotel3.webp', hotel4: 'images/hotels/hotel4.webp', hotel5: 'images/hotels/hotel5.webp', hotel6: 'images/hotels/hotel6.webp', hotel7: 'images/hotels/hotel7.webp', hotel8: 'images/hotels/hotel8.webp', hotel9: 'images/hotels/hotel9.webp', hotel10: 'images/hotels/hotel10.webp', hotel11: 'images/hotels/hotel11.webp', hotel12: 'images/hotels/hotel12.webp', hotel13: 'images/hotels/hotel13.webp', hotel14: 'images/hotels/hotel14.webp', hotel15: 'images/hotels/hotel15.webp', hotel16: 'images/hotels/hotel16.webp', hotel17: 'images/hotels/hotel17.webp', hotel18: 'images/hotels/hotel18.webp', hotel19: 'images/hotels/hotel19.webp', hotel20: 'images/hotels/hotel20.webp', hotel21: 'images/hotels/hotel21.webp', hotel22: 'images/hotels/hotel22.webp', hotel23: 'images/hotels/hotel23.webp', hotel24: 'images/hotels/hotel24.webp', hotel25: 'images/hotels/hotel25.webp', hotel26: 'images/hotels/hotel26.webp', hotel27: 'images/hotels/hotel27.webp', hotel28: 'images/hotels/hotel28.webp', day1: S(4), day2: S(5), day3: S(6), day4: S(7), day5: S(8), day6: S(9), // Tour-specific images — point at sample files so each tour can be // visually distinguished now and re-skinned later by replacing the files. islandLoop: S(50), southernReef: S(7), highCountry: "images/samples/image49.webp", longEmbrace: S(31), northernWild: S(73), catTour: S(33), culturalTriangle: S(7), }; // Intrinsic image dimensions for CLS prevention. Auto-generated by // scripts/gen-image-dims.sh — re-run that script if image files change. const IMAGE_DIMS = { 'images/samples/image1.webp': { width: 1280, height: 1920 }, 'images/samples/image10.webp': { width: 1211, height: 1920 }, 'images/samples/image11.webp': { width: 1280, height: 1920 }, 'images/samples/image12.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1080 }, 'images/samples/image13.webp': { width: 1439, height: 1920 }, 'images/samples/image14.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1122 }, 'images/samples/image15.webp': { width: 1440, height: 1920 }, 'images/samples/image16.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1271 }, 'images/samples/image17.webp': { width: 1280, height: 1920 }, 'images/samples/image2.webp': { width: 1280, height: 1920 }, 'images/samples/image20.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1440 }, 'images/samples/image21.webp': { width: 1536, height: 1920 }, 'images/samples/image23.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1280 }, 'images/samples/image24.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1280 }, 'images/samples/image28.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1280 }, 'images/samples/image29.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1280 }, 'images/samples/image3.webp': { width: 1280, height: 1920 }, 'images/samples/image31.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1280 }, 'images/samples/image33.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1080 }, 'images/samples/image35.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1440 }, 'images/samples/image36.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1280 }, 'images/samples/image37.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1280 }, 'images/samples/image38.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1440 }, 'images/samples/image4.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1440 }, 'images/samples/image43.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1280 }, 'images/samples/image48.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1080 }, 'images/samples/image49.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1080 }, 'images/samples/image5.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1200 }, 'images/samples/image50.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1440 }, 'images/samples/image53.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1080 }, 'images/samples/image54.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1280 }, 'images/samples/image55.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1281 }, 'images/samples/image56.webp': { width: 1280, height: 1920 }, 'images/samples/image58.webp': { width: 4519, height: 3010 }, 'images/samples/image59.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1280 }, 'images/samples/image6.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1280 }, 'images/samples/image60.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1271 }, 'images/samples/image62.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1079 }, 'images/samples/image63.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1439 }, 'images/samples/image64.webp': { width: 1272, height: 1920 }, 'images/samples/image65.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1209 }, 'images/samples/image66.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1280 }, 'images/samples/image67.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1280 }, 'images/samples/image68.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1280 }, 'images/samples/image69.webp': { width: 1920, height: 798 }, 'images/samples/image7.webp': { width: 1440, height: 1920 }, 'images/samples/image70.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1080 }, 'images/samples/image71.webp': { width: 1280, height: 1920 }, 'images/samples/image73.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1141 }, 'images/samples/image74.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1280 }, 'images/samples/image75.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1280 }, 'images/samples/image76.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1440 }, 'images/samples/image78.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1121 }, 'images/samples/image79.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1440 }, 'images/samples/image8.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1440 }, 'images/samples/image80.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1280 }, 'images/samples/image81.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1440 }, 'images/samples/image82.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1280 }, 'images/samples/image83.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1280 }, 'images/samples/image84.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1273 }, 'images/samples/image85.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1440 }, 'images/samples/image86.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1275 }, 'images/samples/image87.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1280 }, 'images/samples/image9.webp': { width: 1440, height: 1920 }, 'images/hotels/hotel1.webp': { width: 1278, height: 1920 }, 'images/hotels/hotel10.webp': { width: 1278, height: 1920 }, 'images/hotels/hotel11.webp': { width: 1278, height: 1920 }, 'images/hotels/hotel12.webp': { width: 1278, height: 1920 }, 'images/hotels/hotel13.webp': { width: 1278, height: 1920 }, 'images/hotels/hotel14.webp': { width: 1278, height: 1920 }, 'images/hotels/hotel15.webp': { width: 1278, height: 1920 }, 'images/hotels/hotel16.webp': { width: 1278, height: 1920 }, 'images/hotels/hotel17.webp': { width: 1278, height: 1920 }, 'images/hotels/hotel18.webp': { width: 1278, height: 1920 }, 'images/hotels/hotel19.webp': { width: 1278, height: 1920 }, 'images/hotels/hotel2.webp': { width: 1920, height: 1280 }, 'images/hotels/hotel20.webp': { width: 1278, height: 1920 }, 'images/hotels/hotel21.webp': { width: 1278, height: 1920 }, 'images/hotels/hotel22.webp': { width: 1278, height: 1920 }, 'images/hotels/hotel23.webp': { width: 1278, height: 1920 }, 'images/hotels/hotel24.webp': { width: 1280, height: 1920 }, 'images/hotels/hotel25.webp': { width: 1278, height: 1920 }, 'images/hotels/hotel26.webp': { width: 1278, height: 1920 }, 'images/hotels/hotel27.webp': { width: 1278, height: 1920 }, 'images/hotels/hotel28.webp': { width: 1278, height: 1920 }, 'images/hotels/hotel3.webp': { width: 1278, height: 1920 }, 'images/hotels/hotel4.webp': { width: 1280, height: 1920 }, 'images/hotels/hotel5.webp': { width: 1278, height: 1920 }, 'images/hotels/hotel6.webp': { width: 1278, height: 1920 }, 'images/hotels/hotel7.webp': { width: 1278, height: 1920 }, 'images/hotels/hotel8.webp': { width: 1080, height: 1920 }, 'images/hotels/hotel9.webp': { width: 1278, height: 1920 }, }; // Returns { width, height } props for an given its src path, // or {} if the file isn't in IMAGE_DIMS (e.g., external URL). const dim = (src) => IMAGE_DIMS[src] || {}; const EXPERIENCES = [ { num: "01", title: "Wildlife Safari", sub: "Yala · Wilpattu", img: S(38), blurb: "Leopards at dawn in the dust country.", articleId: "wildlife-safari-sri-lanka" }, { num: "02", title: "Tea Country Retreat", sub: "Hill Country", img: IMG.tea, blurb: "Colonial bungalows above the cloud line.", articleId: "tea-country-retreat-sri-lanka" }, { num: "03", title: "Coastal Luxury Escape", sub: "Galle · Tangalle", img: IMG.coast, blurb: "Indian Ocean villas with private reef.", articleId: "coastal-luxury-escape-sri-lanka" }, { num: "04", title: "Cultural Exploration", sub: "Cultural Triangle", img: S(28), blurb: "Sigiriya, Anuradhapura, the ancient kingdoms.", articleId: "cultural-triangle-sri-lanka" }, ]; // Signature journeys — listed on the home page and used as cards // on the tours listing page. Each id matches a key in TOUR_DETAILS below. const ITINERARIES = [ { id: "island-loop", no: "I.", tag: "Classic · Full Island", title: "The Island Loop", poetic: "Twelve days clockwise around the heart of the island — Sigiriya, Kandy, the tea country, Yala and the southern coast.", img: IMG.islandLoop, duration: "12 Days", guests: "2 – 6 Guests", highlights: "Sigiriya · Kandy · Yala · Galle", category: "classic", }, { id: "southern-reef", no: "II.", tag: "Beach · Southern Coast", title: "Southern Reef", poetic: "Eight days down the great southern arc — mangrove backwaters, Galle Fort, and the long Indian Ocean evenings.", img: IMG.southernReef, duration: "8 Days", guests: "2 – 8 Guests", highlights: "Bentota · Galle · Weligama · Tangalle", category: "beach", }, { id: "high-country", no: "III.", tag: "Hill Country · Slow Travel", title: "The High Country", poetic: "Ten days above the cloud line — Kandy, the Hatton tea estates, Nuwara Eliya, Haputale and the Ella gap.", img: IMG.highCountry, duration: "10 Days", guests: "2 – 4 Guests", highlights: "Kandy · Hatton · Nuwara Eliya · Ella", category: "hill-country", }, { id: "long-embrace", no: "IV.", tag: "Honeymoon · Private", title: "The Long Embrace", poetic: "Ten days for two — a water dwelling, a planter's bungalow, a tented suite at Yala, a cliffside above the Indian Ocean.", img: IMG.longEmbrace, duration: "10 Days", guests: "2 Guests", highlights: "Sigiriya · Hatton · Yala · Weligama", category: "honeymoon", }, ]; const WHY = [ { num: "i", title: "Private Chauffeurs", body: "A dedicated driver-host accompanies every journey — fluent in the island, its food, its history." }, { num: "ii", title: "Handpicked Estates", body: "Properties we have slept in, dined at, and personally vetted. From planters' bungalows to barefoot villas." }, { num: "iii", title: "Tailor-Made Itineraries", body: "Nothing on the shelf. Every route, hotel and experience is designed around how you want to travel." }, { num: "iv", title: "24/7 Concierge", body: "A single point of contact, on the ground, before — during — and long after your return." }, ]; const TESTIMONIALS = [ { quote: "We have travelled with the best — Aman, Belmond, Black Tomato — and Serendria sits firmly amongst them. The detail was extraordinary; the moments, unforgettable.", name: "Charlotte & James W.", meta: "London · Honeymoon, March 2025", }, { quote: "Our chauffeur knew every back road, every stop for king coconut. We saw a Sri Lanka most travellers never glimpse.", name: "The Bergstrom Family", meta: "Stockholm · Family journey, January 2025", }, { quote: "From the first call to the last farewell at Bandaranaike, every detail was considered. A masterclass in quiet luxury.", name: "Mr. & Mrs. R. Patel", meta: "Sydney · Anniversary, November 2024", }, ]; // Every journey's fully detailed page lives here, keyed by tour id. const TOUR_DETAILS = { "island-loop": { id: "island-loop", no: "I.", crumb: "Signature Journeys / Classic", title: "The Island Loop", titlePre: "The Island", titleEm: "Loop.", hero: IMG.islandLoop, meta: [ { lbl: "Duration", val: "12 Days" }, { lbl: "Style", val: "Classic" }, ], overview: { label: "I. Overview", title: "The island, in one complete arc.", body: [ "Twelve days clockwise around the heart of the island — from the rock fortress of Sigiriya to the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, through the high tea country to the leopards of Yala, ending on the warm reefs of the southern coast.", "Eight properties form the backbone, each chosen for its place in the journey — a cultural-triangle water dwelling, a Kandyan heritage suite, a tea-country bungalow above the cloud line, a lodge at the gate of Block 1, a heritage hotel within the ramparts of Galle Fort.", "You travel by private chauffeur throughout, with a senior cultural guide for the temples and a naturalist for the safari days. This is the island as the great old travellers used to see it — the full circle, in twelve days.", ], }, days: [ { no: "01", big: "01", loc: "Negombo", title: "Arrival — Indian Ocean.", body: "Met at Bandaranaike, a short transfer to the harbour-front for the first night. Supper of seer-fish curry on the lagoon; an early sleep — the dry zone tomorrow.", chips: ["Private transfer", "Lagoon supper", "Early night"], img: S(54) }, { no: "02", big: "02", loc: "Sigiriya", title: "Into the cultural triangle.", body: "A morning drive up to the dry zone — lunch on the road at a working farm. Afternoon arrival at the water dwelling; an evening at leisure, supper at the lake's edge.", chips: ["Dry-zone arrival", "Water dwelling", "Lake supper"], img: S(55) }, { no: "03", big: "03", loc: "Sigiriya", title: "Lion Rock, before the crowds.", body: "We rise at 4:45. By 5:30 you are at the gate, ascending the rock fortress in cool blue light. A private audience with the frescoes; breakfast amongst the frangipani at the property. The afternoon for the Dambulla cave temple — five caves, two thousand years of painting.", chips: ["5:30 ascent", "Frescoes audience", "Cave temple"], img: S(13), imgPos: "bottom" }, { no: "04", big: "04", loc: "Kandy", title: "The temple, and the tooth.", body: "A morning drive south-west through the spice gardens of Matale. A private audience with a senior monk at the Sri Dalada Maligawa — an unusual privilege arranged through twenty years of relationship. The afternoon at the heritage suite.", chips: ["Spice gardens", "Monk audience", "Heritage stay"], img: S(56) }, { no: "05", big: "05", loc: "Kandy", title: "Peradeniya, and a dancing academy.", body: "A morning at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya — first laid out in 1371, now six thousand species. An evening at a traditional dance school — not the tourist show, but a working academy where the masters still teach.", chips: ["Peradeniya gardens", "Dance academy", "Lakeside supper"], img: S(58) }, { no: "06", big: "06", loc: "Nuwara Eliya", title: "Into the cloud line.", body: "South up to Little England — the colonial hill town at 1,868 metres. A long lunch at the Hill Club (a tie is still required); the afternoon for the Gregory Lake walk, an evening of fire and gin.", chips: ["Hill Club lunch", "Gregory walk", "Fire-lit evening"], img: "images/samples/image59.webp" }, { no: "07", big: "07", loc: "Ella", title: "Down the eastern slope.", body: "A morning at the Pedro Tea Estate with the master taster — first flush, second flush, the difference. The drive east to Ella in the afternoon; sundown on the veranda above the gap.", chips: ["Pedro estate", "Tea tasting", "Veranda evening"], img: S(24) }, { no: "08", big: "08", loc: "Yala", title: "Into the dust country.", body: "The long descent south out of the hills to Tissamaharama. Lunch on the road; afternoon arrival at the lodge inside the park's edge. An evening safari at the golden hour, for first leopard.", chips: ["Hill descent", "Park-edge lodge", "Golden hour safari"], img: S(60) }, { no: "09", big: "09", loc: "Yala", title: "Block 1, before sunrise.", body: "At the gate at 5:45 — the first party inside the park, by design. The cats hunt in cool light. A picnic breakfast on the rocks above Patanangala, returning to camp through the heat of the day.", chips: ["Pre-dawn gate", "Patanangala breakfast", "Sundowner"], img: S(37) }, { no: "10", big: "10", loc: "Mirissa", title: "Whales of the southern coast.", body: "West along the coast to Mirissa. December through April: a boat from the jetty at first light for the blue whale. Out of season, a long morning at the property, a long lunch at the chef's table.", chips: ["Blue whale (Dec–Apr)", "Coastal arrival", "Beach supper"], img: S(62) }, { no: "11", big: "11", loc: "Mirissa", title: "The coast, before Galle.", body: "A morning at Coconut Tree Hill for the long photograph, then the snorkel reef, the spa, the hammock. An evening drive west to Galle Fort; supper at the chef's table within the seventeenth-century ramparts.", chips: ["Coconut Tree Hill", "Reef snorkel", "Fort supper"], img: S(63) }, { no: "12", big: "12", loc: "Galle", title: "The ramparts, and departure.", body: "A morning walking tour of the seventeenth-century Dutch and Portuguese quarters with our city historian. The Southern Expressway back to Bandaranaike for the night flight.", chips: ["Fort walking tour", "Expressway transfer", "Late flight"], img: S(64) }, ], hotels: [ { name: "Jetwing Beach", loc: "Negombo", nights: "1 night · Sea-view suite", img: IMG.hotel1 }, { name: "Water Garden Sigiriya", loc: "Sigiriya", nights: "2 nights · Water dwelling", img: IMG.hotel2 }, { name: "Earls Regency", loc: "Kandy", nights: "2 nights · Heritage suite", img: IMG.hotel3 }, { name: "Heritance Tea Factory", loc: "Nuwara Eliya", nights: "1 night · Tea-room suite", img: IMG.hotel4 }, { name: "98 Acres Resort & Spa", loc: "Ella", nights: "1 night · Estate cottage", img: IMG.hotel5 }, { name: "Jetwing Yala", loc: "Yala", nights: "2 nights · Park-edge suite", img: IMG.hotel6 }, { name: "Lantern Boutique Hotel Mirissa", loc: "Mirissa", nights: "2 nights · Garden suite", img: IMG.hotel7 }, { name: "The Fort Printers", loc: "Galle", nights: "1 night · Heritage room", img: IMG.hotel8 }, ], }, "southern-reef": { id: "southern-reef", no: "II.", crumb: "Signature Journeys / Beach", title: "Southern Reef", titlePre: "Southern", titleEm: "Reef.", hero: IMG.southernReef, meta: [ { lbl: "Duration", val: "8 Days" }, { lbl: "Style", val: "Beach" }, ], overview: { label: "I. Overview", title: "The full length of the southern coast.", body: [ "Eight days down the great southern arc — from the mangrove backwaters of Bentota to the ramparts of Galle Fort, the cliff at Cape Weligama, and the wide quiet of Tangalle.", "Four properties over seven nights, all within the Southern Expressway bubble, each chosen for the morning light and the address.", "A sailing afternoon, a private chef's table on the dunes, a Madu River safari at first light, the long Indian Ocean evenings the south is known for. No hill country, no inland detour — the point is the coast itself, end to end.", ], }, days: [ { no: "01", big: "01", loc: "Bentota", title: "Arrival — and the river.", body: "Met at Bandaranaike, two hours south via the Southern Expressway to Bentota. The afternoon at the property pool; supper of curry-leaf prawns on the river terrace.", chips: ["Expressway arrival", "River terrace supper", "Pool afternoon"], img: S(65) }, { no: "02", big: "02", loc: "Bentota", title: "Madu River, and the long beach.", body: "A morning Madu River boat safari through the mangroves — kingfishers, monitor lizards, the cinnamon islands. Lunch at a riverside hut; the afternoon for the beach, the spa, or the catamaran sundowner.", chips: ["Madu River safari", "Cinnamon island", "Catamaran sundowner"], img: S(66) }, { no: "03", big: "03", loc: "Galle", title: "Within the ramparts.", body: "South-east to Galle Fort. A sundown walk on the bastion wall, supper of grilled lobster at the chef's table inside the Dutch hospital.", chips: ["Rampart walk", "Dutch hospital supper", "Fort heritage stay"], img: S(64) }, { no: "04", big: "04", loc: "Galle", title: "The seventeenth-century quarters.", body: "A morning walking tour of the Dutch and Portuguese quarters with our city historian — the Reformed Church, the lapidary at Stick No Bills, the Old Hospital. The afternoon at leisure, perhaps a spa ritual or the rooftop pool.", chips: ["Fort walking tour", "Reformed Church", "Spa afternoon"], img: S(67) }, { no: "05", big: "05", loc: "Weligama", title: "To the cliff.", body: "South along the coast to Cape Weligama. A long lunch above the bay; the afternoon for the cliffside pool and the first of the long Indian Ocean sunsets.", chips: ["Cliffside suite", "Pool afternoon", "Sunset cocktails"], img: S(48) }, { no: "06", big: "06", loc: "Weligama", title: "Sail, surf, slow.", body: "A catamaran sail along the reef at first light, returning for a private cookery class with the resort's senior chef. The afternoon for a surf lesson at Weligama Bay, or the hammock if the swell isn't running.", chips: ["Catamaran sail", "Private cooking class", "Surf lesson"], img: S(68) }, { no: "07", big: "07", loc: "Tangalle", title: "The widest quiet.", body: "East along the unwritten coast to Tangalle — wider beaches, far fewer travellers. A single night in a beach suite cut into the dunes. An evening of grilled crab on the sand.", chips: ["Dune-cut suite", "Private beach", "Sand dinner"], img: S(53) }, { no: "08", big: "08", loc: "Colombo", title: "Departure.", body: "A morning of yoga at sunrise, a long breakfast, the Southern Expressway back to Bandaranaike. A day room at the Wallawwa near the airport for those preferring to shower and dine before the night flight.", chips: ["Sunrise yoga", "Expressway transfer", "Late flight"], img: S(29) }, ], hotels: [ { name: "Bentota Beach by Cinnamon", loc: "Bentota", nights: "2 nights · River-view suite", img: IMG.hotel9 }, { name: "Amangalla", loc: "Galle", nights: "2 nights · Garden suite", img: IMG.hotel10 }, { name: "Cape Weligama", loc: "Weligama", nights: "2 nights · Cliffside suite", img: IMG.hotel11 }, { name: "Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle", loc: "Tangalle", nights: "1 night · Beach suite", img: IMG.hotel12 }, ], }, "high-country": { id: "high-country", no: "III.", crumb: "Signature Journeys / Hill Country", title: "The High Country", titlePre: "The High", titleEm: "Country.", hero: IMG.highCountry, meta: [ { lbl: "Duration", val: "10 Days" }, { lbl: "Style", val: "Hill Country · Slow Travel" }, ], overview: { label: "I. Overview", title: "Ten days above the cloud line.", body: [ "Ten days through the great central highlands — Kandy, the tea estates of Hatton, the colonial hill town of Nuwara Eliya, the Pekoe Trail country of Haputale, and the long view from Ella Gap.", "Seven properties form the backbone, three of them restored planter's bungalows. You walk the estates with the resident managers, taste with the master tasters, and sleep above 1,500 metres throughout.", "This is the Sri Lanka the British planters built — the hill country they came to escape the tropical heat. You travel by private chauffeur throughout, with the great descent at the end via the Southern Expressway home.", ], }, days: [ { no: "01", big: "01", loc: "Negombo", title: "Arrival — and the long climb begins.", body: "Met at Bandaranaike, a short transfer to the lagoon for the first night. A wellness consultation on arrival; supper of seer-fish curry by the canal, an early sleep for the hills tomorrow.", chips: ["Lagoon arrival", "Wellness consultation", "Early night"], img: S(54) }, { no: "02", big: "02", loc: "Kandy", title: "The temple, the lake.", body: "A morning drive up through the river valley to Kandy. A private audience with a senior monk at the Sri Dalada Maligawa — an unusual privilege arranged through twenty years of relationship. The afternoon at the heritage house above the lake.", chips: ["River valley climb", "Monk audience", "Heritage house"], img: S(56) }, { no: "03", big: "03", loc: "Kandy", title: "Peradeniya, and a dancing academy.", body: "A morning at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya — first laid out in 1371, now six thousand species. An evening at a traditional dance school — not the tourist show, but a working academy where the masters still teach.", chips: ["Peradeniya gardens", "Dance academy", "Heritage supper"], img: S(58) }, { no: "04", big: "04", loc: "Hatton", title: "Into the high tea country.", body: "South through the Kadugannawa pass to Hatton — the most beautiful section of the highland country. A working tea estate lunch on arrival; the afternoon for a tea-tasting with the resident master, a long walk through the estate.", chips: ["Kadugannawa climb", "Estate tea tasting", "Bungalow walk"], img: S(23) }, { no: "05", big: "05", loc: "Hatton", title: "Castlereagh and the lake.", body: "A boat across Castlereagh Reservoir at first light. A long picnic breakfast on the far shore. The afternoon for the cellar dinner — a five-course menu paired with the estate's first flush by candlelight.", chips: ["Reservoir boat", "Picnic breakfast", "Cellar dinner"], img: IMG.day3 }, { no: "06", big: "06", loc: "Nuwara Eliya", title: "Little England, at altitude.", body: "A morning drive across to Nuwara Eliya — at 1,868 metres, the highest tea town on the island. The Hill Club for a long lunch (a tie is still required); the afternoon for the Gregory Lake walk and the Pedro Tea Estate with the master taster.", chips: ["Hill Club lunch", "Gregory walk", "Pedro estate"], img: "images/samples/image59.webp" }, { no: "07", big: "07", loc: "Haputale", title: "Lipton's Seat.", body: "South to Haputale and the Dambatenne Tea Factory — Sir Thomas Lipton's own, founded in 1890. A pre-dawn arrival at Lipton's Seat for the long view over five provinces. A late breakfast at the planter's bungalow, an afternoon walk to Diyaluma Falls.", chips: ["Lipton's Seat dawn", "Dambatenne tour", "Diyaluma walk"], img: S(70) }, { no: "08", big: "08", loc: "Ella", title: "The veranda above the gap.", body: "East to Ella through the high tea country. The afternoon for the Nine Arch Bridge viewpoint at the four o'clock train. An evening on the veranda above Ella Gap — the cloud rolling through, supper of village curry by candlelight.", chips: ["Nine Arch viewing", "Ella Gap supper", "Veranda evening"], img: S(24) }, { no: "09", big: "09", loc: "Colombo", title: "The great descent.", body: "South down out of the hills through Wellawaya to the dry plains, then west along the Southern Expressway to Colombo for the final night. A long evening of crab curry at Ministry of Crab — the only city restaurant we routinely book ourselves.", chips: ["Great descent", "Expressway transfer", "Ministry of Crab"], img: S(43) }, { no: "10", big: "10", loc: "Colombo", title: "Departure.", body: "A morning at leisure — perhaps the Galle Face promenade, perhaps the spa. Onward to Bandaranaike for the flight home.", chips: ["Galle Face walk", "Day room", "Farewell"], img: S(71) }, ], hotels: [ { name: "Jetwing Lagoon Wellness", loc: "Negombo", nights: "1 night · Lagoon suite", img: IMG.hotel13 }, { name: "The Kandy House", loc: "Kandy", nights: "2 nights · Heritage suite", img: IMG.hotel14 }, { name: "Ceylon Tea Trails (Relais & Châteaux)", loc: "Hatton", nights: "2 nights · Norwood Bungalow", img: IMG.hotel15 }, { name: "Heritance Tea Factory", loc: "Nuwara Eliya", nights: "1 night · Tea-room suite", img: IMG.hotel4 }, { name: "Thotalagala", loc: "Haputale", nights: "1 night · Planter's suite", img: IMG.hotel16 }, { name: "Nine Skies", loc: "Ella", nights: "1 night · Estate suite", img: IMG.hotel17 }, { name: "Galle Face Hotel", loc: "Colombo", nights: "1 night · Ocean suite", img: IMG.hotel18 }, ], }, "long-embrace": { id: "long-embrace", no: "IV.", crumb: "Signature Journeys / Honeymoon", title: "The Long Embrace", titlePre: "The Long", titleEm: "Embrace.", hero: IMG.longEmbrace, meta: [ { lbl: "Duration", val: "10 Days" }, { lbl: "Style", val: "Honeymoon · Private" }, ], overview: { label: "I. Overview", title: "Ten days as your own.", body: [ "Ten days across the great island for two travellers, and two only. The properties are deliberate — a lagoon-front wellness retreat for the first night, a water dwelling in the cultural triangle, a Relais & Châteaux planter's bungalow above Castlereagh Reservoir, a tented suite at the edge of Yala's Block 1, and a cliffside suite above the Indian Ocean.", "The pace is private, the dining is private, and the days are designed around the two of you — the dawn ascent of Sigiriya before the gate opens to anyone else, the cellar dinner by candlelight, the catamaran sail on the reef at first light.", "You travel by private chauffeur throughout.", ], }, days: [ { no: "01", big: "01", loc: "Negombo", title: "Arrival — Indian Ocean.", body: "Met at Bandaranaike, a short transfer to the lagoon. A welcome consultation with the resident wellness physician; supper of seer-fish curry on the canal terrace, the first evening of the journey.", chips: ["Lagoon arrival", "Wellness welcome", "Private supper"], img: S(54) }, { no: "02", big: "02", loc: "Sigiriya", title: "Into the cultural triangle.", body: "A morning drive up to the dry zone — lunch on the road at a working farm. Afternoon arrival at the water dwelling, set above its own private lake. An evening cocktail at the water's edge, supper at the chef's table.", chips: ["Dry-zone arrival", "Water dwelling", "Lake-edge cocktail"], img: S(55) }, { no: "03", big: "03", loc: "Sigiriya", title: "Lion Rock, before the gate.", body: "We rise at 4:45. By 5:30 you are at the gate of Sigiriya, ascending the rock fortress in cool blue light — the two of you alone with the frescoes. Breakfast amongst the frangipani at the property; the afternoon for the spa pavilion, the private pool.", chips: ["5:30 ascent", "Private frescoes", "Spa pavilion"], img: S(13) }, { no: "04", big: "04", loc: "Hatton", title: "To the planter's bungalow.", body: "A morning drive south through Kandy and the Kadugannawa pass into the high tea country. Arrival by mid-afternoon at the Relais & Châteaux bungalow above Castlereagh Reservoir; a long tea on the lawn, an evening of fire and gin.", chips: ["Kadugannawa climb", "Castlereagh arrival", "Tea lawn"], img: S(23) }, { no: "05", big: "05", loc: "Hatton", title: "The lake, and the cellar.", body: "A boat across Castlereagh at first light, a picnic breakfast on the far shore. The afternoon for the estate walk with the resident manager. The cellar dinner by candlelight — a five-course menu paired with the estate's first flush.", chips: ["Reservoir boat", "Estate walk", "Cellar dinner"], img: IMG.day3 }, { no: "06", big: "06", loc: "Yala", title: "Into the dust country.", body: "South down out of the hills through Ella and Wellawaya to the dust plains. Afternoon arrival at the tented suite inside the park's edge; an evening safari at the golden hour, for first leopard.", chips: ["Great descent", "Tented suite", "Golden hour safari"], img: S(60) }, { no: "07", big: "07", loc: "Yala", title: "Block 1, before sunrise.", body: "At the gate at 5:45 — the first party inside the park, by design. The cats hunt in cool light. A picnic breakfast on the rocks above Patanangala, returning to camp through the heat of the day. An afternoon at the camp spa.", chips: ["Pre-dawn gate", "Patanangala breakfast", "Camp spa"], img: S(37) }, { no: "08", big: "08", loc: "Weligama", title: "To the cliff.", body: "West along the coast to Cape Weligama. A long lunch above the bay; the afternoon for the cliffside pool and the first of the long Indian Ocean sunsets.", chips: ["Cliffside suite", "Pool afternoon", "Sunset cocktails"], img: S(48) }, { no: "09", big: "09", loc: "Weligama", title: "Sail, dine, slow.", body: "A catamaran sail along the reef at first light, returning for a private cookery class with the resort's senior chef. The afternoon for the spa, the hammock, the cliffside pool. A closing dinner at the chef's table above the Indian Ocean.", chips: ["Catamaran sail", "Private cookery", "Chef's table"], img: S(8) }, { no: "10", big: "10", loc: "Colombo", title: "Departure.", body: "A morning at the property, a long breakfast, the Southern Expressway back to Bandaranaike. A day room at the Wallawwa near the airport for those preferring to shower and dine before the night flight.", chips: ["Expressway transfer", "Wallawwa day room", "Late flight"], img: S(29) }, ], hotels: [ { name: "Jetwing Lagoon Wellness", loc: "Negombo", nights: "1 night · Lagoon suite", img: IMG.hotel13 }, { name: "Jetwing Vil Uyana", loc: "Sigiriya", nights: "2 nights · Water dwelling", img: IMG.hotel19 }, { name: "Ceylon Tea Trails (Relais & Châteaux)", loc: "Hatton", nights: "2 nights · Norwood Bungalow", img: IMG.hotel15 }, { name: "Wild Coast Tented Lodge", loc: "Yala", nights: "2 nights · Urchin tent", img: IMG.hotel20 }, { name: "Cape Weligama", loc: "Weligama", nights: "2 nights · Cliffside suite", img: IMG.hotel11 }, ], }, "northern-wild": { id: "northern-wild", no: "V.", crumb: "Signature Journeys / Northern Wild", title: "The Northern Wild", titlePre: "The Northern", titleEm: "Wild.", hero: IMG.northernWild, meta: [ { lbl: "Duration", val: "11 Days" }, { lbl: "Style", val: "Adventure · Heritage" }, ], overview: { label: "I. Overview", title: "The Sri Lanka most travellers miss.", body: [ "Eleven days into the long-forgotten north and the wild east — Wilpattu's willu lakes, the Tamil heritage of Jaffna, the warm shallow bays of Trincomalee and Pasikuda, and the great cultural triangle on the return.", "Seven properties form the backbone, two of them tented. A Tamil-speaking host accompanies the peninsula days; a naturalist who has worked the dust roads for thirty years rides the safari days.", "This is the Sri Lanka most travellers never reach — and the route is timed for the eastern dry season, May through September. You travel by private chauffeur throughout.", ], }, days: [ { no: "01", big: "01", loc: "Negombo", title: "Arrival — Indian Ocean.", body: "Met at Bandaranaike, a short transfer to the harbour-front. Supper of seer-fish curry by the canal; an early sleep for the long road north tomorrow.", chips: ["Private transfer", "Lagoon supper", "Early night"], img: S(54) }, { no: "02", big: "02", loc: "Wilpattu", title: "First park, first leopard.", body: "A morning drive north through the coconut belt to Wilpattu — older than Yala, wilder, and far less travelled. An afternoon safari through the willu lakes for the long, low cats that hunt the water's edge.", chips: ["Tented camp", "Willu lakes", "Leopard track"], img: S(37) }, { no: "03", big: "03", loc: "Wilpattu", title: "Among the willu.", body: "A pre-dawn safari, a long midday rest in camp, an evening track through the buffer zone for sloth bear in palu fruit season. Bush dinner under the stars.", chips: ["Pre-dawn drive", "Sloth bear", "Bush dinner"], img: S(74) }, { no: "04", big: "04", loc: "Jaffna", title: "The long road north.", body: "North along the A9 — through the old conflict country — to Jaffna. An evening at Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil, the most important Hindu temple in the country, lit by oil lamp and orchestrated by drum.", chips: ["A9 north", "Nallur Kovil", "Heritage hotel"], img: S(75) }, { no: "05", big: "05", loc: "Jaffna", title: "Delft Island, wild horses.", body: "A boat from Kurikadduwan to Delft (Neduntheevu) — coral-walled paddocks, Portuguese ruins, and the wild horses descended from the colonial cavalry stables. Lunch at a Tamil home; afternoon at Keerimalai's sacred hot springs.", chips: ["Boat to Delft", "Wild horses", "Keerimalai springs"], img: S(76) }, { no: "06", big: "06", loc: "Trincomalee", title: "Across to the east.", body: "A long drive east across the spine of the island to Trincomalee. A late-afternoon visit to Koneswaram Temple on Swami Rock, and the seventeenth-century Dutch Fort Frederick that surrounds it.", chips: ["Koneswaram Temple", "Fort Frederick", "Beach arrival"], img: S(79) }, { no: "07", big: "07", loc: "Trincomalee", title: "Pigeon Island, snorkel and sail.", body: "A boat at first light to Pigeon Island National Park — the finest coral reef on the island, swarming with reef shark and butterflyfish. An afternoon on Marble Beach — water so clear and shallow it does not look real.", chips: ["Pigeon Island reef", "Marble Beach", "Sail at sundown"], img: S(80) }, { no: "08", big: "08", loc: "Pasikuda", title: "The widest shallow bay.", body: "South down the coast to Pasikuda. The bay is a kilometre across and waist-deep all the way out — paddleboards, a long lunch on the sand, an afternoon at the lagoon spa.", chips: ["Shallow bay", "Paddleboard", "Lagoon spa"], img: S(78) }, { no: "09", big: "09", loc: "Sigiriya", title: "Into the cultural triangle.", body: "A morning drive west across to the dry zone. Afternoon arrival at the water dwelling; an evening at the lake's edge. The morning ascent of Lion Rock tomorrow.", chips: ["Cross-island drive", "Water dwelling", "Lake-edge cocktail"], img: S(15) }, { no: "10", big: "10", loc: "Negombo", title: "Lion Rock, then south.", body: "We rise at 4:45. By 5:30 you are at the gate of Sigiriya, ascending the rock fortress in cool blue light. A late breakfast at the property; the afternoon drive south to Negombo for the final night, supper at the canal.", chips: ["5:30 ascent", "Frescoes audience", "Lagoon supper"], img: S(54) }, { no: "11", big: "11", loc: "Colombo", title: "Departure.", body: "A morning at leisure on the lagoon, a short transfer to Bandaranaike for the flight home.", chips: ["Lagoon morning", "Short transfer", "Farewell"], img: S(29) }, ], hotels: [ { name: "Jetwing Beach", loc: "Negombo", nights: "1 night · Sea-view suite", img: IMG.hotel1 }, { name: "Mahoora Tented Safari Camp", loc: "Wilpattu", nights: "2 nights · Luxury tent", img: IMG.hotel21 }, { name: "Jetwing Jaffna", loc: "Jaffna", nights: "2 nights · Heritage suite", img: IMG.hotel22 }, { name: "Jungle Beach by Uga Escapes", loc: "Trincomalee", nights: "2 nights · Cabana", img: IMG.hotel23 }, { name: "Uga Bay Pasikuda", loc: "Pasikuda", nights: "1 night · Ocean suite", img: IMG.hotel24 }, { name: "Water Garden Sigiriya", loc: "Sigiriya", nights: "1 night · Water dwelling", img: IMG.hotel2 }, { name: "Jetwing Blue", loc: "Negombo", nights: "1 night · Sea-view suite", img: IMG.hotel1 }, ], }, "cat-tour": { id: "cat-tour", no: "VI.", crumb: "Signature Journeys / Wildlife", title: "The Cat Tour", titlePre: "The Cat", titleEm: "Tour.", hero: IMG.catTour, meta: [ { lbl: "Duration", val: "10 Days" }, { lbl: "Style", val: "Wildlife · Multi-Park" }, ], overview: { label: "I. Overview", title: "Three parks, end to end.", body: [ "Ten days across three of the great parks — Wilpattu's willu lakes for the leopard at the water's edge, Habarana's Minneriya tank for the great elephant gathering, Udawalawe for the resident herds along the reservoir, and Yala's Block 1 for the highest leopard density on the island.", "Five properties form the backbone, two of them tented. A naturalist who has worked the dust roads for thirty years rides with you throughout — a man who reads the alarm calls in three languages.", "The route is timed deliberately for the July–October Minneriya gathering, and ends on the south coast for the Southern Expressway home. You travel by private chauffeur throughout.", ], }, days: [ { no: "01", big: "01", loc: "Negombo", title: "Arrival — the naturalist's briefing.", body: "Met at Bandaranaike, a short transfer to the harbour-front. Evening cocktails on the terrace with your naturalist — maps, recent sightings, the rhythm of the coming days.", chips: ["Private transfer", "Naturalist briefing", "Harbourside dinner"], img: S(54) }, { no: "02", big: "02", loc: "Wilpattu", title: "First tracks.", body: "A morning drive north through the coconut belt. By mid-morning you are inside Wilpattu — older than Yala, far wilder, and far less travelled. An afternoon safari through the willu lakes for the long, low cats that hunt the water's edge.", chips: ["Private game vehicle", "Willu lakes", "Tented camp arrival"], img: S(36) }, { no: "03", big: "03", loc: "Wilpattu", title: "Among the willu.", body: "A full day inside the park — sunrise safari, a long midday rest in camp, an evening track through the buffer zone where the sloth bears come down for palu fruit. Bush dinner under the stars.", chips: ["Sloth bear track", "Palu season", "Bush dinner"], img: S(74) }, { no: "04", big: "04", loc: "Habarana", title: "The gathering.", body: "East across to Habarana for the Minneriya tank. From July to October, two to four hundred elephants converge on the receding tank — the largest gathering of Asian elephant in the world. We time the arrival for the late-afternoon herd.", chips: ["Minneriya gathering", "Private safari", "Tank arrival"], img: S(81) }, { no: "05", big: "05", loc: "Habarana", title: "Tank, village, scrub.", body: "A morning safari at Kaudulla — the quieter neighbour of Minneriya — for the dispersed herds. A village walk at Hiriwadunna in the afternoon — bullock-cart, catamaran across the tank, lunch in a clay-walled village home.", chips: ["Kaudulla safari", "Hiriwadunna walk", "Village lunch"], img: S(82) }, { no: "06", big: "06", loc: "Udawalawe", title: "The reservoir herds.", body: "A long drive south through the heart of the island to Udawalawe — the elephant park, the one true year-round park for the species. Lunch on the road in Kandy; afternoon arrival at the camp, an evening safari along the reservoir for the resident herds.", chips: ["Cross-island drive", "Reservoir herds", "Camp arrival"], img: S(35) }, { no: "07", big: "07", loc: "Udawalawe", title: "The transit home.", body: "A morning at the Elephant Transit Home — orphaned calves released back into the park at four months. An afternoon safari into the lesser-travelled blocks for the great solitary bulls. Bush dinner at the camp.", chips: ["Elephant Transit", "Solitary bulls", "Bush dinner"], img: S(1), imgPos: "center 65%" }, { no: "08", big: "08", loc: "Yala", title: "Into the dust country.", body: "East along the coast to Tissamaharama, the gateway to Yala. Afternoon arrival at the tented lodge inside the park's edge; an evening safari at the golden hour, for first leopard.", chips: ["Tea-planter lunch", "Tented lodge", "Golden hour safari"], img: S(60) }, { no: "09", big: "09", loc: "Yala", title: "Block 1, before sunrise.", body: "At the gate at 5:45 — the first party inside the park, by design. The cats hunt in cool light. A picnic breakfast on the rocks above Patanangala, returning to camp through the heat of the day. An afternoon safari for the closing leopard.", chips: ["Pre-dawn gate", "Patanangala breakfast", "Closing leopard"], img: S(37) }, { no: "10", big: "10", loc: "Colombo", title: "Departure.", body: "A morning road west along the coast to Tangalle, joining the Southern Expressway for the long return to Bandaranaike. Your chauffeur sees you to the gate.", chips: ["Expressway transfer", "Day room", "Farewell"], img: S(29) }, ], hotels: [ { name: "Jetwing Beach", loc: "Negombo", nights: "1 night · Sea-view suite", img: IMG.hotel1 }, { name: "Mahoora Tented Safari Camp", loc: "Wilpattu", nights: "2 nights · Luxury tent", img: IMG.hotel21 }, { name: "Cinnamon Lodge Habarana", loc: "Habarana", nights: "2 nights · Lake chalet", img: IMG.hotel25 }, { name: "Mahoora Tented Safari Camp", loc: "Udawalawe", nights: "2 nights · Luxury tent", img: IMG.hotel26 }, { name: "Wild Coast Tented Lodge", loc: "Yala", nights: "2 nights · Urchin tent", img: IMG.hotel20 }, ], }, "cultural-triangle": { id: "cultural-triangle", no: "VII.", crumb: "Signature Journeys / Short Stays", title: "The Cultural Triangle, in Eight", titlePre: "The Cultural Triangle,", titleEm: "in Eight.", hero: S(83), meta: [ { lbl: "Duration", val: "8 Days" }, { lbl: "Style", val: "Culture · Short stay" }, ], overview: { label: "I. Overview", title: "Eight days, the heart of the island.", body: [ "Eight days through the great cultural triangle — Lion Rock at Sigiriya, the painted caves at Dambulla, the stone kings of Polonnaruwa, and the sacred city of Anuradhapura, where the oldest authenticated tree in the world still stands. A closing night in Kandy for the Temple of the Tooth, and Colombo for the flight home.", "Three properties only in the cultural triangle, all chosen for the morning light. A senior archaeologist accompanies the ruins; a senior monk receives you at the Tooth.", "You travel by private chauffeur throughout.", ], }, days: [ { no: "01", big: "01", loc: "Negombo", title: "Arrival — Indian Ocean.", body: "Met at Bandaranaike, a short transfer to the harbour-front for the first night. An early supper of seer-fish curry by the canal, an early sleep for the dry zone tomorrow.", chips: ["Lagoon arrival", "Canal supper", "Early night"], img: S(69) }, { no: "02", big: "02", loc: "Sigiriya", title: "Into the cultural triangle.", body: "A morning drive up to the dry zone — lunch on the road at a working farm. Afternoon arrival at the water dwelling; an evening at the lake's edge, supper at the chef's table.", chips: ["Dry-zone arrival", "Water dwelling", "Lake supper"], img: S(15) }, { no: "03", big: "03", loc: "Sigiriya", title: "Lion Rock, then Dambulla.", body: "We rise at 4:45. By 5:30 you are at the gate, ascending the rock fortress in cool blue light. A private audience with the frescoes; breakfast amongst the frangipani at the property. The afternoon at the Dambulla cave temple — five caves, two thousand years of painting, before opening hours.", chips: ["5:30 ascent", "Frescoes audience", "Cave temple"], img: S(84) }, { no: "04", big: "04", loc: "Polonnaruwa", title: "Stone kings.", body: "A morning drive east to Polonnaruwa with archaeologist-guide Dr. Karuna — the Gal Vihara reclining Buddhas at first light, the Vatadage, the quadrangle. Lunch by the lake; an afternoon safari at Minneriya for the elephants (July to October).", chips: ["Royal scholar guide", "Gal Vihara", "Minneriya safari"], img: S(86) }, { no: "05", big: "05", loc: "Anuradhapura", title: "The sacred city arrives.", body: "A morning drive north-west to Anuradhapura. Afternoon arrival at the property; a first walk to the Sri Maha Bodhi — the oldest authenticated tree in the world, planted in 288 BC. An evening of quiet reflection at the great dagobas.", chips: ["Sacred city arrival", "Sri Maha Bodhi", "Dagoba walk"], img: S(87) }, { no: "06", big: "06", loc: "Anuradhapura", title: "The full ancient capital.", body: "A full day inside the ancient capital — on bicycle, before the heat. The Jetavanaramaya stupa, the Isurumuniya rock temple, the Abhayagiri monastery complex. Lunch in the shade of the ruins; the afternoon for the archaeological museum and a long supper at the property.", chips: ["Sacred city cycle", "Isurumuniya", "Archaeological museum"], img: S(85) }, { no: "07", big: "07", loc: "Kandy", title: "The temple of the tooth.", body: "A morning drive south through the river valley to Kandy. A private audience with a senior monk at the Sri Dalada Maligawa — an unusual privilege arranged through twenty years of relationship. The afternoon free — a lakeside walk, perhaps a tea ceremony.", chips: ["Monk audience", "Lakeside walk", "Tea ceremony"], img: S(56) }, { no: "08", big: "08", loc: "Colombo", title: "Departure.", body: "A morning drive down through the spice gardens to Colombo. A day room at the Galle Face for those preferring to shower and dine before the night flight; the Southern Expressway onward to Bandaranaike.", chips: ["Spice gardens", "Galle Face day room", "Late flight"], img: S(29) }, ], hotels: [ { name: "Jetwing Beach", loc: "Negombo", nights: "1 night · Sea-view suite", img: IMG.hotel1 }, { name: "Water Garden Sigiriya", loc: "Sigiriya", nights: "2 nights · Water dwelling", img: IMG.hotel2 }, { name: "Ekho Lake House", loc: "Polonnaruwa", nights: "1 night · Lake suite", img: IMG.hotel27 }, { name: "Ulagalla by Uga Escapes", loc: "Anuradhapura", nights: "2 nights · Heritage villa", img: IMG.hotel28 }, { name: "The Kandy House", loc: "Kandy", nights: "1 night · Heritage suite", img: IMG.hotel14 }, ], }, }; // All tours for the Tours page — the four ITINERARIES on the home page // plus the three additional journeys (V–VII) that don't appear on home. const ALL_TOURS = [ ...ITINERARIES, { id: "northern-wild", no: "V.", tag: "Adventure · Heritage", title: "The Northern Wild", poetic: "Eleven days into the long-forgotten north and the wild east — Wilpattu, Jaffna, Trincomalee and Pasikuda.", img: IMG.northernWild, duration: "11 Days", guests: "2 – 4 Guests", highlights: "Wilpattu · Jaffna · Trincomalee", category: "adventure", }, { id: "cat-tour", no: "VI.", tag: "Wildlife · Multi-Park", title: "The Cat Tour", poetic: "Three parks end to end — Wilpattu, the Minneriya gathering, Udawalawe and the leopards of Yala's Block 1.", img: IMG.catTour, duration: "10 Days", guests: "2 – 6 Guests", highlights: "Wilpattu · Minneriya · Udawalawe · Yala", category: "wildlife", }, { id: "cultural-triangle", no: "VII.", tag: "Culture · Short Stay", title: "The Cultural Triangle, in Eight", poetic: "Eight days through Sigiriya, Dambulla, Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura — closing in Kandy for the Temple of the Tooth.", img: S(83), duration: "8 Days", highlights: "Sigiriya · Polonnaruwa · Kandy", category: "culture", }, ]; const ARTICLES = [ { id: "wildlife-safari-sri-lanka", no: "01", eyebrow: "The Journal · N° 01", titlePre: "Leopards of Yala,", titleEm: "sloth bears of Wilpattu.", title: "Wildlife Safari in Sri Lanka", region: "Yala · Wilpattu", hero: S(38), publishedOn: "February 2026", readMinutes: 9, excerpt: "Sri Lanka has the highest density of leopards of any country in the world. That single fact is what brings the wildlife traveller here — and what they discover is that the island has so much more than leopards.", meta: { title: "Wildlife Safari Sri Lanka — Yala & Wilpattu Leopard Safari Guide", description: "A complete guide to wildlife safaris in Sri Lanka. When to visit Yala and Wilpattu, what you'll see, and how to plan a luxury safari journey across the island's great parks.", slug: "/journal/wildlife-safari-sri-lanka", }, lede: [ "Sri Lanka has the highest density of leopards of any country in the world. That single fact, more than any other, is what brings the wildlife traveller here — and what they discover, on arriving, is that the island has so much more than leopards. There are sloth bears that come down to the palu trees in fruit season. There are sambar deer at the water's edge at dawn. There are the great Asian elephant herds that gather, hundreds at a time, on the receding tank at Minneriya. And there are two parks — Yala in the south and Wilpattu in the north-west — that between them contain the wildest country left on the island.", ], sections: [ { no: "I.", heading: "Yala: The Leopard Capital", paragraphs: [ "Yala National Park is the second-largest in Sri Lanka and the most famous for one reason: Block 1, the south-western quarter of the park, has the highest concentration of leopards in any single area on Earth. The cats here are unusually relaxed around vehicles, which means sightings are not just possible but probable — and on a good morning, three or four leopards in a single drive is not exotic.", "The park sits in the dry zone, on the south-eastern coast, three to four hours from the hill country and around five from Colombo via the Southern Expressway. The best months are February to July, when water sources shrink and the animals concentrate. Block 1 closes for park maintenance from 1 September to around 15 October each year — if you're travelling in that window, your guide will route you to Block 5 (Lunugamvehera) or shift to Wilpattu instead.", "The trick to Yala is timing. The gate opens at 6:00 a.m., and the first vehicles inside have an enormous advantage — the cats hunt in the cool light, and by mid-morning they are deep in the shade. A pre-dawn briefing, a packed breakfast, and a 5:30 arrival at the gate is the difference between a successful safari and a frustrating one. The good operators know this. The best lodges — Wild Coast Tented Lodge inside the park's edge, Jetwing Yala on the buffer — are designed around it.", ], }, { no: "II.", heading: "Wilpattu: Older, Wilder, Quieter", paragraphs: [ "If Yala is the famous park, Wilpattu is the connoisseur's choice. Older than Yala, much larger, and far less visited, Wilpattu sits in the north-west and is defined by its willus — natural lakes surrounded by open scrub, where the leopards come down to drink at dawn and dusk. The cats here are shyer, the sightings more earned, but the experience is richer for it. You may go an hour without seeing another vehicle.", "Wilpattu also has Sri Lanka's sloth bears in numbers. From June through September, when the palu fruit ripens, the bears come down from the deeper forest to the buffer zones and the willu margins. A good naturalist will know the trees, the schedules, and the alarm calls. The Mahoora tented camp on the park's edge is the established address — comfortable canvas suites, generator-quiet evenings, and a long table where the day's sightings are dissected over the second pour of arrack.", ], }, { no: "III.", heading: "The Great Elephant Gathering at Minneriya", paragraphs: [ "Between July and October, the dry-zone tank at Minneriya draws what the BBC once called \"the greatest gathering of Asian elephants on Earth.\" Two to four hundred animals — bulls, breeding herds, the smallest calves — converge on the receding water. The herds split, merge, walk past your vehicle at twenty feet, and disappear into the dust in the late-afternoon light. Habarana, two hours south of Sigiriya, is the base.", ], }, { no: "IV.", heading: "Putting It Together", paragraphs: [ "A proper Sri Lankan wildlife journey takes ten days. You begin with Wilpattu for the quiet, then move east to Habarana for the Minneriya gathering, south to Udawalawe for the year-round elephant herds along the reservoir, and finally to Yala for the final leopard count. By the end you will have seen all three of the island's great mammal cats — leopard, sloth bear, and the elusive fishing cat — and more elephants than you can count.", "Udawalawe is sometimes overlooked, which is a mistake. The park sits inland from the south coast and exists almost entirely around the great reservoir at its centre. The elephant herds here are resident — they do not migrate, they do not gather seasonally, they are simply here. Sightings are guaranteed. The Elephant Transit Home, on the park's edge, is where orphaned calves are rehabilitated before release at four months — feeding times draw small crowds, but they are some of the most moving wildlife encounters anywhere.", ], }, { no: "V.", heading: "What to Bring, What to Expect", paragraphs: [ "The dust zone parks are hot. Even in the cool of the morning, by 9:00 a.m. you are in direct sun and the temperature is climbing. Lightweight neutral-coloured clothing, a wide-brim hat, sunscreen, and good binoculars are essential. Photographers should pack a long lens — 300mm minimum, 400mm or 500mm preferable for the cats at distance. The leopards in Block 1 are remarkably habituated to vehicles, but the sloth bears at Wilpattu are not, and you will rarely get closer than fifty metres.", "The best wildlife journeys are designed around the dawn and dusk movements of the animals. That means early mornings — out of camp before 5:30 a.m. — and afternoons that begin at 3:00 p.m. and end at sundown. The middle of the day is for rest, lunch, and the swimming pool. This is the rhythm the experienced naturalists have built into the great tented camps, and once you settle into it, the days organize themselves.", [ "This is the route we built for ", { kind: "tourLink", tourId: "cat-tour", text: "The Cat Tour" }, " in our Signature Journeys collection — Wilpattu, Habarana, Udawalawe, Yala, in that order, ending on the south coast for the Southern Expressway home. Ten days, four lodges, one naturalist throughout. It is timed deliberately for the Minneriya gathering and the Yala dry season, and it is, frankly, the way to see Sri Lankan wildlife properly.", ], ], }, ], pullQuote: { text: "The leopards are out there. The question is whether you arrive prepared.", attribution: null, }, relatedTour: { tourId: "cat-tour", kicker: "The journey we built around this", note: "Wilpattu, Habarana, Udawalawe, Yala — ten days, four lodges, one naturalist throughout.", }, }, { id: "tea-country-retreat-sri-lanka", no: "02", eyebrow: "The Journal · N° 02", titlePre: "A journey through", titleEm: "the hill country.", title: "Tea Country Retreat", region: "Hill Country", hero: IMG.tea, publishedOn: "February 2026", readMinutes: 9, excerpt: "There is a moment, somewhere on the climb from Kandy to Hatton, when the temperature drops. You have entered the hill country.", meta: { title: "Sri Lanka Hill Country Tea Tour — Nuwara Eliya, Hatton, Ella", description: "A guide to a tea country retreat in Sri Lanka. Where to stay, when to go, and how to plan a hill country journey through Hatton, Nuwara Eliya, Haputale, and Ella.", slug: "/journal/tea-country-retreat-sri-lanka", }, lede: [ "There is a moment, somewhere on the climb from Kandy to Hatton, when the temperature drops. The windows fog. The air takes on the smell of eucalyptus and wet earth. You have entered the hill country.", "Sri Lanka's central highlands sit between 1,500 and 2,500 metres above the lowland heat — a region the British arrived in during the 1820s and spent the next century reshaping into the world's largest cluster of tea estates. Today it is the island's most distinct region: cool, green, and architecturally British in a way the rest of the country is not. The planters' bungalows still stand. The Hill Club in Nuwara Eliya still requires a tie at dinner. The Pekoe Trail — Sri Lanka's first long-distance walking route — now connects them all.", ], sections: [ { no: "I.", heading: "When to Visit Sri Lanka's Hill Country", paragraphs: [ "The best months are January to April, when the south-west monsoon is dormant and the hills are at their clearest. Mornings are cool enough for a fire; afternoons are bright and warm. May to September brings the monsoon — beautiful in its own way, but the cloud often sits in. October and November are the inter-monsoon and the wettest of the year. December is sometimes magnificent and sometimes washed out — it depends on the storm tracks.", "The cool air is the point of coming. The British built the hill country to escape the lowland heat. You come for the same reason, and the discovery is that the cool draws out the colour of the tea, the depth of the forest, the long evenings by the fire.", ], }, { no: "II.", heading: "The Great Properties", paragraphs: [ "The hill country is where Sri Lanka's slow-travel tradition flowers. Three properties stand above the rest.", "Ceylon Tea Trails, a Relais & Châteaux collection of five restored 1880s planter's bungalows on the Castlereagh Reservoir, is what most travel writers describe first. Norwood, Castlereagh, Tientsin, Summerville, Dunkeld — five houses, each with a resident butler, a working library, a cellar, and a five-course candlelit dinner each evening. You can walk the estate paths in the morning, take the boat across the reservoir, or simply read in the garden.", "Thotalagala, above Haputale, is the alternative — an even smaller bungalow on the Dambatenne Tea Estate, founded by Sir Thomas Lipton himself in 1890. The pre-dawn ascent to Lipton's Seat is the morning ritual: you arrive in the dark, watch the sun rise over five provinces of tea country, and return for a long breakfast.", "Heritance Tea Factory, near Nuwara Eliya, is the more architectural choice — a converted 1968 tea factory at 6,800 feet, with the old machinery still in place and the original boiler now a piece of lobby furniture. The rooms are simple; the building is the experience.", ], }, { no: "III.", heading: "What to Do", paragraphs: [ "A proper hill-country journey does five things: walks one section of the Pekoe Trail; tastes properly with a master at a working estate (Pedro, Dambatenne, or Castlereagh); takes lunch at the Hill Club (tie required); climbs to Lipton's Seat at dawn; and, at the end, ends on the veranda above Ella Gap with the cloud rolling through.", "The Pekoe Trail itself is worth a paragraph. Opened in 2023 as a connected 300-kilometre walking route through the central highlands, it links Kandy to Ella via 22 stages, each between 10 and 20 kilometres. Most travellers walk a single stage — the section between Haputale and Idalgashinna is particularly fine, with views across the Sabaragamuwa province on a clear day. Guides are available through the Pekoe Trail organisation, and the best hill-country properties now arrange day-walks as a standard offering.", "Ella itself is the eastern endpoint of the highlands — a small town that has grown around its viewpoint above Ella Gap. The Nine Arch Bridge, built in 1921 entirely without steel, is the most photographed railway viaduct in Asia. The blue train passes over it twice a day. Above Ella, Little Adam's Peak is a gentle hour's walk for the sunrise, and the Ravana Falls — named for the king of the Ramayana, who is said to have hidden Sita in the caves above — is a short drive south.", "For 2026, note: Cyclone Ditwah damaged the famous Kandy–Ella railway in late 2025, and as of writing the full hill-country train route is not running. The Hatton/Nanu Oya — Ella segment is operational and remains scenic. Sri Lanka Railways is targeting May or June 2026 for full restoration, though the timeline is fluid. A road journey through the same country is, in our view, equally rewarding — and you can stop where you like.", ], }, { no: "IV.", heading: "The Route, Considered", paragraphs: [ [ "We built our hill-country journey, ", { kind: "tourLink", tourId: "high-country", text: "The High Country" }, ", around exactly this rhythm: Kandy first for the cultural anchor and the Temple of the Tooth, then a long settle at Tea Trails on Castlereagh Reservoir, then Nuwara Eliya for the colonial town and the Pedro estate, then Haputale for the dawn ascent of Lipton's Seat, and finally Ella for the veranda evenings above the gap. Ten days, in cool air, above the cloud line.", ], "The journey works because each property is chosen for the part of the country it occupies. Tea Trails for the central highlands and the great reservoirs. Heritance Tea Factory for the architectural curiosity of staying inside a working factory. Thotalagala for the long view from Lipton's Seat. Nine Skies in Demodara for the closing nights above Ella Gap. By the end of ten days you have walked five tea estates, eaten in three colonial bungalows, taken the train on the most scenic stretch of the line, and slept above 1,500 metres every night.", ], }, ], pullQuote: { text: "You come for the cool air. You stay for the silence.", attribution: null, }, relatedTour: { tourId: "high-country", kicker: "The journey we built around this", note: "Kandy, Hatton, Nuwara Eliya, Haputale, Ella — ten days above the cloud line, four planter's bungalows.", }, }, { id: "coastal-luxury-escape-sri-lanka", no: "03", eyebrow: "The Journal · N° 03", titlePre: "Sri Lanka's southern coast,", titleEm: "from Galle to Tangalle.", title: "Coastal Luxury Escape", region: "Galle · Tangalle", hero: IMG.coast, publishedOn: "March 2026", readMinutes: 9, excerpt: "The Southern Expressway did something to the southern coast that the rest of the island has not quite recovered from — putting Galle, Weligama and Tangalle within reach of any luxury traveller.", meta: { title: "Sri Lanka Beach Holiday — Galle, Weligama, Tangalle Coastal Luxury Guide", description: "Plan a luxury beach holiday on Sri Lanka's southern coast. The best resorts in Galle, Weligama, and Tangalle, when to visit, and what to do along the southern shores.", slug: "/journal/coastal-luxury-escape-sri-lanka", }, lede: [ "The Southern Expressway, opened in stages between 2011 and 2014, did something to the southern coast of Sri Lanka that the rest of the island has not quite recovered from. What was once a four-hour journey of village traffic and slow road has been replaced with a two-hour glide on a modern dual-carriageway from the airport. The beaches that used to be the destination of intrepid travellers — Bentota, Galle, Weligama, Tangalle — are now within reach of any luxury traveller landing in Colombo.", "The transformation is what makes a southern coast journey now the most practical luxury escape on the island. You can land in the evening, sleep in Bentota by ten, and be in the surf by breakfast.", ], sections: [ { no: "I.", heading: "The Best Time for the Southern Coast", paragraphs: [ "The south coast season is December to April. The south-west monsoon arrives in May and continues to September; the rains are heaviest in May, June, and October. In peak season the water is glass-flat in the mornings, the air is dry, and the long Indian Ocean evenings are cool. December through February is high season — book early.", ], }, { no: "II.", heading: "Bentota: The River and the Reef", paragraphs: [ "Two hours south of the airport, Bentota is where the southern journey begins. The town sits at the mouth of the Bentota River, which winds inland through mangrove backwaters that have been protected for fifty years. A morning boat safari through the cinnamon islands is the local ritual — kingfishers, monitor lizards, a stop at a working cinnamon farm where the bark is still peeled by hand. The beach itself is long and broad, with the dependable surf that has made Bentota one of Sri Lanka's longest-established beach destinations.", "The architectural anchor of Bentota is Geoffrey Bawa's own country estate, Lunuganga, twenty minutes inland. Bawa was Sri Lanka's most celebrated twentieth-century architect, and Lunuganga was the laboratory in which he tested every idea that became his work. The estate is open for day visits and overnight stays in the small guest houses. Bentota Beach by Cinnamon, his reinvention of the tropical beach hotel, sits on the river mouth and has been recently restored.", ], }, { no: "III.", heading: "Galle: The Fort, the Founders", paragraphs: [ "Galle Fort, the seventeenth-century Dutch-built rampart town that sits at the south-western corner of the island, is the cultural anchor of the coast. The fort itself is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the streets inside the walls — the Reformed Church, the Old Hospital, the lighthouse — have been preserved almost as they were three centuries ago.", "The fort is where the great heritage properties of the south are concentrated. Amangalla, the restored New Oriental Hotel, is the address for travellers who want the colonial-period architecture and the long, slow lunch on the verandah. The Fort Printers is the smaller, more boutique choice — a Dutch-period townhouse with eight suites and a chef's table. Le Grand Galle sits just outside the walls, with the swimming pool and the long modern lines that the heritage properties cannot offer.", ], }, { no: "IV.", heading: "Weligama and Mirissa: The Cliff and the Whales", paragraphs: [ "East of Galle, the coast opens into Weligama Bay — a long, mellow surf break and the cliff at Cape Weligama, where the great Resplendent Ceylon property occupies the headland. The pool sits forty metres above the Indian Ocean. Sunset cocktails on the cliff are the ritual. The bay below has a beginner-friendly surf break; the swell is gentle, the water warm, and the lessons cheap.", "A short drive east, Mirissa is the departure point for blue whale watching. From November to April, blue whales — the largest animals that have ever lived — pass through the deep water just off the southern coast. Sightings are not guaranteed (population numbers have declined since 2018), but the chance of seeing the world's largest creature is not nothing. The boats leave at first light from the Mirissa jetty.", ], }, { no: "V.", heading: "Tangalle: The Widest Quiet", paragraphs: [ "East again, past Mirissa, the coast empties out. Tangalle is wider, less developed, and quieter — the beaches stretch unbroken for kilometres. Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle is the destination resort here, with the pool above the rocks and the long flat sand below. This is where southern coast journeys traditionally end: a few days of stillness before the Southern Expressway carries you back to the airport in three hours.", ], }, { no: "VI.", heading: "Putting It All Together", paragraphs: [ [ "The right way to do the southern coast is one direction, west to east, end to end. Two nights at Bentota, two at Galle, two at Weligama, one at Tangalle — and then home. That is the journey we built into ", { kind: "tourLink", tourId: "southern-reef", text: "Southern Reef" }, ". Eight days, four properties, the entire arc of the southern coast in a single sweep.", ], "The expressway makes it work. Without it, the journey would take twelve days.", ], }, { no: "VII.", heading: "What to Pack, What to Expect", paragraphs: [ "The southern coast is warm and humid year-round. Lightweight cotton or linen, swimwear, and a sun hat are the foundation. Even in peak season the evenings can carry a soft breeze, so a light long-sleeved layer for dinner on open verandahs is sensible. The water is warm enough to swim in at any hour — early morning and late afternoon are the best, when the heat is gentler and the light is at its lowest.", "Most of the great properties on the coast operate their own restaurants — and the southern Sri Lankan kitchen is genuinely worth exploring. Crab curry, devilled prawns, coconut sambol, hoppers eaten with palm-jaggery syrup at breakfast. The fish is line-caught locally and the spice is fierce. A chef's table dinner at Amangalla or the seafood barbecue at Cape Weligama are the kind of meals that travellers remember years later.", "The southern coast is one of the gentlest introductions to Sri Lanka. It is also one of the most rewarding — provided you stay long enough. Eight days is the minimum. Twelve days is better.", ], }, ], pullQuote: null, relatedTour: { tourId: "southern-reef", kicker: "The journey we built around this", note: "Bentota, Galle, Weligama, Tangalle — eight days down the entire southern arc.", }, }, { id: "cultural-triangle-sri-lanka", no: "04", eyebrow: "The Journal · N° 04", titlePre: "A guide to Sri Lanka's", titleEm: "Cultural Triangle.", title: "Cultural Exploration", region: "Cultural Triangle", hero: S(28), publishedOn: "March 2026", readMinutes: 9, excerpt: "Within an area no larger than the English county of Kent, you have three UNESCO World Heritage sites, two ancient capitals, the largest rock-cut Buddha statues outside India, and one of the most photographed monuments in Asia.", meta: { title: "Sri Lanka Cultural Triangle Tour — Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura Guide", description: "A complete guide to Sri Lanka's Cultural Triangle. The ancient cities of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, the rock fortress of Sigiriya, the Dambulla caves, and how to see them all in one journey.", slug: "/journal/cultural-triangle-sri-lanka", }, lede: [ "The Cultural Triangle of Sri Lanka is a geographic shorthand for one of the densest concentrations of ancient civilization in South Asia. Within an area no larger than the English county of Kent, you have three UNESCO World Heritage sites, two ancient capitals, the largest rock-cut Buddha statues outside India, and a rock fortress that is one of the most photographed monuments in Asia.", "The triangle is bounded by three points: Anuradhapura in the north (founded around the fifth century BC, capital for over a thousand years), Polonnaruwa in the east (the second capital, eleventh and twelfth centuries), and Kandy in the south (the last royal capital, fifteenth to nineteenth centuries). At its centre sit Sigiriya and Dambulla — the rock fortress and the cave temple complex, both fifth-century and both extraordinary.", ], sections: [ { no: "I.", heading: "Sigiriya: The Lion Rock", paragraphs: [ "Sigiriya is the most famous monument in Sri Lanka — a 200-metre-high column of red rock rising from the surrounding dry plain, on top of which a fifth-century king built a fortress-palace. The remains are striking: the gardens at the base are some of the oldest planned landscapes in Asia; the frescoes painted along a sheltered gallery halfway up the rock have survived sixteen hundred years; and the summit, where the palace once stood, offers a 360-degree view across the dry zone.", "The climb takes around two hours. The gate opens at 7:00 a.m., and the trick — as with every Sri Lankan site — is to be there first. By 9:00 a.m. the rock is hot and the steps are crowded. The very best travellers arrange a 5:30 ascent with a senior guide; the lion paws at the base, the frescoes, and the summit are yours alone for the first hour.", ], }, { no: "II.", heading: "Dambulla: The Golden Cave Temple", paragraphs: [ "Twenty minutes south of Sigiriya, the Dambulla cave temple complex is the largest and best-preserved cave-temple system in Sri Lanka. Five connected caves, all dug into a single granite hill, contain over 150 statues of the Buddha and roughly 2,100 square metres of painted ceiling. The paintings cover two thousand years of Sri Lankan Buddhist iconography — and the smell, when you step inside, is of incense, old stone, and the dry heat of the cave.", ], }, { no: "III.", heading: "Polonnaruwa: Stone Kings", paragraphs: [ "A short drive east of Sigiriya brings you to Polonnaruwa, the eleventh-century capital. The site is vast — you can spend a full day walking or cycling between the dagobas, the royal palace ruins, the Vatadage (an enclosed shrine), and the Gal Vihara, where four enormous Buddha statues are carved directly from a single granite outcrop. The reclining Buddha is the largest in Sri Lanka. A good archaeologist guide will make sense of the layered Hindu and Buddhist symbolism in the carvings.", ], }, { no: "IV.", heading: "Anuradhapura: The Sacred City", paragraphs: [ "Anuradhapura is the oldest of the three capitals and the most sacred — the bo tree planted at the Sri Maha Bodhi in 288 BC is the oldest authenticated tree in the world. The site is enormous and best explored on bicycle, in the cool of the morning. The great dagobas — Jetavanaramaya, Ruwanwelisaya, Abhayagiri — were some of the largest brick structures ever built. The Jetavanaramaya, completed in the third century AD, was for a thousand years the third-tallest structure on Earth after only the Great Pyramids of Giza.", "Anuradhapura is also still a living pilgrimage site. White-clad pilgrims walk between the dagobas on Poya days (the monthly full moon), and the air at the Sri Maha Bodhi is heavy with incense and the chanting of the resident monks. A respectful early-morning visit, before the heat arrives, is one of the more affecting experiences in Sri Lanka.", ], }, { no: "V.", heading: "Kandy: The Last Royal Capital", paragraphs: [ "The Cultural Triangle traditionally ends in Kandy, in the central hills. The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic holds what is said to be a tooth of the Buddha, brought to the island in the fourth century. The relic is housed in a gilded casket inside an inner chamber that very few visitors ever see — but a private audience with a senior monk, arranged through the right connections, is one of the cultural privileges most worth pursuing. The Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya, twenty minutes west of Kandy, are some of the finest in Asia — first laid out in 1371 and now home to six thousand species, including a single banyan covering 2,500 square metres.", "Kandy is also where the cultural triangle meets the hill country. The drive south from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya is one of the great climbs of Sri Lanka — and a natural continuation if your journey has more days in it.", ], }, { no: "VI.", heading: "When to Visit", paragraphs: [ "The Cultural Triangle sits in the dry zone, hot and exposed for most of the year. The best months are January through March (cool, dry) and June through August (hot but dry). October and November are the inter-monsoon, with the heaviest rain. The Minneriya elephant gathering (July to October) overlaps perfectly with the dry-season cultural tour, which is why the best operators bundle them.", ], }, { no: "VII.", heading: "How to See It Properly", paragraphs: [ "The Cultural Triangle deserves at least four days, ideally six. The right route is Sigiriya first (for the climb, the cave temple, and Minneriya), then Polonnaruwa (a long day with an archaeologist), then Anuradhapura (a half-day cycle and a long lunch), and finally Kandy (the Temple of the Tooth and the Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya). Six days, three properties, and a senior archaeologist for the ruins.", [ "This is ", { kind: "tourLink", tourId: "cultural-triangle", text: "The Cultural Triangle, in Six" }, " — the shortest of our Signature Journeys, designed for the traveller with only a week. It is the briefest possible introduction to two thousand years of history, and we have spent a long time getting it right.", ], ], }, ], pullQuote: { text: "You can do the Cultural Triangle in two days if you must. But you will not understand it.", attribution: null, }, relatedTour: { tourId: "cultural-triangle", kicker: "The journey we built around this", note: "Sigiriya, Dambulla, Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura, Kandy — six days through the heart of the island.", }, }, ]; const ARTICLES_BY_ID = ARTICLES.reduce((acc, a) => { acc[a.id] = a; return acc; }, {}); Object.assign(window, { IMG, EXPERIENCES, ITINERARIES, WHY, TESTIMONIALS, TOUR_DETAILS, ALL_TOURS, ARTICLES, ARTICLES_BY_ID });