Experience a Resplendent Summer

Summer on our teardrop isle is magical. Picture misty mornings in the Central Highlands surrounded by the emerald green tea fields, golden sunsets and the allure of the Indian Ocean lapping at your feet in the South, and diverse habitats, ecology and scenery across many national parks and sanctuaries. Arrive and experience a resplendent summer.

Pick a seasonal charm you can experience at our resorts.

Cape Weligama

Heritage Crafts – Our island has a rich artistic past. You and your little ones may experience some of that spirit today at our Heritage Crafts workshops at our resort pola – marketplace.

• Pottery – Your host of the pottery experience has been at the art for many years; having honed her skills through her parents and keen to pass down the knowledge with her family. Immerse yourself in part of the process, creating one-of-a-kind pieces of art.
• Art – Show off your artistic skills and take part in your choice of a watercolour or acrylic paint workshop as our resident artist guides you through our island’s history of art.
• Mask Making – Experience a block of wood being hammered and chipped into the shape of a face. Your host will explain mask making and its many uses in our culture and the final step is to paint. There are other masks to use as a guide, although the fun and thrill is to veer off the original design and inspire change.
• Lace Making – Beeralu lace weaving, also known as bobbin lace, was first introduced to our islanders by the Portuguese during the 16th Century. This is an adult-only activity as there are some intricacies to the art.

Bloom and Grow – Our seaside resort is home to 12 acres of land, some of which is now being used to garden and harvest fresh produce. This is an engaging and wholesome activity for the entire family. Learn about preparing the soil, planting, mulching, watering and weeding. Develop new skills and learn about the science behind growing your own produce. This activity is hosted every Friday.

Upcycle – Are you socially and environmentally conscious? At our resort, waste of all kinds is segregated so that they can be repurposed, recycled or discarded in a purposeful manner. Some of the materials including glass, metals, beads and wires can be upcycled into crafts, including jewellery. Additional materials including paints, glue, and paper can be supplied upon request.

Scavenger Adventures – A summer vacation would not be complete without a scavenger hunt. Hosted every Thursday at our resort, where your little ones will receive a list of hidden items and cryptic clues to find them. Fulfil the challenge before your time runs out!

Ice Cream for the Soul – What’s summer without some flavourful ice cream? Dig into island flavours like cashew, mango, passion fruit, coconut and rambutan. It’s cold, refreshing and most importantly delicious!

The Heartbeat of Our Community – The first centre fully supported by Resplendent Ceylon, the MJF Centre at Cape Weligama supports the community living around our resort. The Centre operates as a pre-school throughout the week, where children have the opportunity to learn and play while developing their social skills. After school hours, older children are provided with additional support in lessons such as science and mathematics in preparation for the fifth grade scholarship undertaken in Sri Lanka’s schooling system. A special programme for women and youth in terms of livelihoods and life skills support was also introduced in recent years. As a guest, you are able to visit the centre during its operating hours, any day of the week, and participate in some of the programmes, lending towards our efforts of sharing knowledge and uplifting the community.

Wild Coast Tented Lodge

Upcycle – Are you socially and environmentally conscious? At our lodge, waste of all kinds is segregated so that they can be repurposed, recycled or discarded in a purposeful manner. Some of the materials including glass, metals, beads and wires can be upcycled into crafts, including jewellery. Additional materials including paints, glue, and paper can be supplied upon request.

Bush Painting – The great outdoors surrounding our lodge sets the perfect backdrop for bush painting. Show off your artistic skills and take part in your choice of a watercolour or acrylic paint. Easels, paints and canvases will be provided.

Tracks – Learn about the wilderness of Yala and the animals that roam the land. Get up close and personal with tracks you’ve identified along the beach or pathways of our lodge, with our rangers. Examine the size of the tracks, the number of toes, whether the tracks look light or firm, smooth or disturbed. The width and length can also tell you the difference between closely related animals. Our rangers will then guide a hosted workshop where your little ones can make a plaster cast of animal tracks. The cast can also be painted once dried.

Nature’s Wonders – Explore the wilderness in and around our lodge in the company of an expert ranger, who will point out visible animals as well as identify tracks of animals that have traversed our property recently. The combination of our ranger’s knowledge and the ability to walk through the forestry makes for the quintessential wilderness experience. This is hosted on Mondays and is a great activity for the entire family.

Ranger Takeover – Our team of passionate and dedicated rangers contribute to all activities related to the wilderness, wildlife and conservation. On Tuesdays, join them for a little story-telling and presentation time as they showcase learnings and current projects from how to identify a leopard to camera trap sightings from the night before.

Off the Coast – The coastal sand dunes at the outskirts of our lodge form where a beach is large and sufficient enough to allow the sand to dry out completely between high tides. Plenty of onshore winds also tally to the creation of sand dunes as it blows the dry sand landward. The sand is held in by what is known as dune grass through the accumulating layers of hard sand. Want to know more about coastal geology? Our Off the Coast experience is interactive and fun. Hosted on Wednesdays by our rangers.

Bonfires and S’mores – Create summer memories by the bonfire! Set against the backdrop of the Indian Ocean and sandy dunes, sit around the fire, settle into the evening and enjoy traditional smores and fixings complete with cool drinks with your entire family. This experience is hosted every Saturday.

Conservation Moments – As dusk begins to set, gather around the sand dunes overlooking the sea and settle into an evening of story-telling. Our skilled rangers have many tales to share and this is your chance to get to know the ins and outs of what they do from tracking animals to their conservation efforts. This experience is hosted every Sunday.

Survival Gastronomia – Partake in an in-depth fun and interactive experience cooking with traditional Sri Lankan ingredients with our chefs as host. Learn how to mix spices, season ingredients and cook your own meal. The experience is not a typical ‘demo’ but more an interactive learning experience on cooking the most common Sri Lankan fare.

Ceylon Tea Trails 

Bloom and Grow – Our seaside resort is home to 12 acres of land, some of which is now being used to garden and harvest fresh produce. This is an engaging and wholesome activity for the entire family. Learn about preparing the soil, planting, mulching, watering and weeding. Develop new skills and learn about the science behind growing your own produce. This activity is hosted every Friday.

Upcycle – Are you socially and environmentally conscious? At our bungalows, waste of all kinds is segregated so that they can be repurposed, recycled or discarded in a purposeful manner. Some of the materials including glass, metals, beads and wires can be upcycled into crafts, including jewellery. Additional materials including paints, glue, and paper can be supplied upon request.

Bird Watching – A broad spectrum of biodiversity exists in the Central Highlands – especially ours – as the plantations are interspersed with forest patches that are home to a variety of endemic birds. Our naturalist will offer an in-depth narrative to the surrounding fauna, share insights on bird behaviour and calls, and sit and sketch any sightings of the day. Join in on this leisurely experience. You will be provided with binoculars, a sketch pad and colour pencils. Take a few breaks to enjoy some refreshments – picnic style too!

Colour in Nature – The great outdoors surrounding our bungalows sets the perfect backdrop for painting. Show off your artistic skills and take part in your choice of a watercolour or acrylic paint. Easels, paints and canvases will be provided.

Tracks – Learn about the wilderness of the Central Highlands and the leopards that roam the land. Explore the surroundings in the company of an expert naturalist, who will point out visible animals as well as identify animal tracks and scat along the way. This experience is hosted on Mondays and is a great activity for the entire family.

Sail and Fish – As one of the most popular outdoor summer activities, experience fishing on the Castlereagh Lake with your own handmade fishing rods. Our expert naturalists will guide you through the process of making these rods out of bamboo and nylon thread. This fun and interactive experience is for the entire family and hosted on Tuesdays.

For more information, kindly contact us on reservations@resplendentceylon.com