ACTIVE SRI LANKA
A Sri Lankan holiday can involve some fascinating activities , ranging from leisurely and unusual to exhilarating thrills .
For those who enjoy less strenuous leisure activities , take a leisurely river trip , enjoy a guided walk with a naturalist guide , meander through jungle on the back of an elephant or enjoy the thrill of a hot air balloon ride . For the more active , Sri Lanka offers walking and trekking , cycling , horse-riding , diving , beach volleyball and tennis , as well as canoeing and fishing on the lakes , rivers or lagoons . Thrills for the more adventurous include white water rafting and kayaking , mountain biking and challenging walking treks .
Cycling Cycling in Sri Lanka falls into two categories : gentle tracks and minor roads near the coastline , or more strenuous hill country tracks , where we can arrange an experienced guide and back up vehicles .
On the coast , a number of hotels have bikes available for gentle cycles through villages and rural landscapes . Heritance Ahungalla and Aditya provide recommended routes . Kahanda Kanda offers a one-way bike ride mostly downhill from KK to the Fortress in Koggala . You and the bikes will then be transported back to KK at the end .
Cycling in the High Tea Country and Kandy hills is usually fairly challenging . Bikes can be hired at Bandarawela Hotel , Ceylon Tea Trails and Hunas Falls . At Ellerton the bikes are free for guests to use , with maps provided for two fairly easy-going trails . At Ceylon Tea Trails , you can embark on a scenic railway journey passing tea-clad slopes and waterfalls , returning to your bungalow on mountain bikes . In the Kandy area , we
ACTIVE HIGHLIGHTS
. The 6th Hole at The Victoria Golf Course
. An impromptu game of cricket with the locals
. Trekking through emerald green tea plantations
. Hot air ballooning over the Cultural Triangle
. An elephant trek through the grounds of Heritance Kandalama
. Croquet on the lawn at the Dutch House
. Snorkelling alongside sea turtles
. Sunrise from the top of Adam ’ s Peak
. Learning to surf at Weligama Bay
. Rafting the Kelani River
. Cycling downhill from Kahanda Kanda to the coast can organise a moderate to hard half-day to full-day cycling excursion in the Hantana Hills , following a 26km trail through villages , grassland , forest and tea estate , stopping at a tea factory en route . An experienced cycling guide and back-up vehicle are provided . In the Cultural Triangle , bicycles are available at all our selected hotels and can also be hired at Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura for cycling around the ancient sites . Cycling here is a pleasant activity in the early morning and late afternoon . Heritance Kandalama offers guided cycle rides of 15km or 30km around the local area . Keen cyclists have been known to cycle to the rock fortress from the hotels positioned near Sigiriya .
White water rafting The Kelani river is Sri Lanka ’ s most popular river for white water rafting . The rapids are Grade 2-3 and rafts travel about 7km down river near Kitulgala , the location where ‘ Bridge over the River Kwai ’ was filmed . The scenery is spectacular , passing through a steep river valley amidst tropical forest . The water flow depends on rainfall levels and whether dam sluices are closed up river , so conditions can only be confirmed at short notice . The best time of year for rafting the Kelani River is April to December . The rafting rides are led by professionally trained guides and last between 1.5 to 2 hours .
Canoeing and kayaking Kayaking on the Kelani River is more for experienced enthusiasts who know what they are doing . Watersports centres at Bentota have canoes and kayaks available for easier trips up river and several hotels have in-house kayaks or canoes available . Guests at the River House in Balapitya paddle canoes and kayaks on the estuary of the River Madhu , whilst Ulagalla Resort offers kayaking on the reservoir .
Watersports in the sea The Indian Ocean provides plentiful watersport opportunities along the west and south coasts between November and April . Undercurrents and riptides , even in seemingly calm waters , mean that you need to be careful where and when you choose to partake in seabased activities . The main centres for water sports are in Bentota and Hikkaduwa on the south-west coast and to a lesser extent in Negombo in the west and Mirissa in the south . The most popular areas for surfing are Hikkaduwa on the south-west coast and Arugam Bay on the east coast , although surfing can be enjoyed at many places along the west to south coasts . Weligama Bay in the south has good surfing waves and a sandy bottom ( surfing lessons can be arranged by staff at the Weligama Bay resort ). Deep sea fishing excursions are also available , departing from Negombo or Mirissa .
Rafting the Kelani River
Kayaking from Ulagalla Resort
Surfing at Weligama
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