by Paul on November 17, 2009

While the flavors of Sri Lanka may not yet be as widely known as those from Thailand, Sri Lankan cuisine has a lot to offer the world. Take this Rambutan Chutney Recipe from The Sun House. This recipe takes a fresh, regional ingredient and adapts it to make a wonderful condiment for any meal. [keep reading…]
by joanna on September 16, 2009

Shopping and eating – two of my favourite things!
The Gallery Café is an oasis in the busy city of Colombo in Sri Lanka. Situated within the former office of Sri Lanka’s renowned architect, Geoffrey Bawa, the Gallery Café is part restaurant, part boutique, part art gallery, part gift shop.
[keep reading…]
by joanna on September 15, 2009

A gem of a boutique hotel overlooking Lake Koggala
A few miles from Galle City Center lies a truly special retreat, Kahanda Kanda. Amid a lush tea plantation, Kahanda Kanda sits on 9.9 acres of tropical tranquility. 5 villas are elegantly and tastefully decorates in that distinctive style of Sri Lanka. Yet somehow George Cooper, the owner and also an interior designer, has done Sri Lankan style one better with the integration of modern classics like Barcelona chairs and distinctive architectural features like the magnetic saffron wall dividing the property. [keep reading…]
by joanna on September 15, 2009

Chill beachside over heaping plates of seafood, curries and cold beer
In between tea plantations and the Galle fort, we needed a spot of lunch. Having heard the Wijaya Beach Cottage was recommended…and on the way to Handunugoda Tea Estate, this seemed like a perfect spot to chill seaside and grab a bite to eat.
[keep reading…]
by joanna on September 14, 2009

A 140-year old white tea plantation, spice and rubber tree farm
If you visit Sri Lanka, you will certainly be tempted to visit a tea plantation. And there is probably none more famous than Handunugoda – the legendary tea plantation that used to produce the famous “virgin” white tea for the Chinese Emperor Tsong. Only virgins harvested the tea, never touching it with their own hands, but instead using golden scissors and bowls to collect the tea leaves. The emperor lips were the first to touch the tea. [keep reading…]
by Paul on September 9, 2009

Hey all,
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Sun House in Galle, Sri Lanka. One highlight of the stay had to be the Sunday Curry Night. Our hosts were gracious enough to not only show us the kitchen during their preparations but also to share a few recipes to pass along to our readers.
[keep reading…]
by joanna on September 8, 2009

From charming colonial hotels to lovely gift shops
Please don’t stay in Colombo if you go to Sri Lanka. Even 3 days is enough to explore historic Galle and the surrounding areas. Here’s our cheat sheet for how to spend 3 days in and around Galle. [keep reading…]
by joanna on September 7, 2009

A charming retreat in colonial, seaside Galle
We are starting to stretch ourselves a bit. Having already seen a great deal of Asia, we looked at the map to see what would be within a 3-4 hour flight from Singapore. Frankly there is no shortage of options, but we wanted a new adventure…which country had we not been to this year? Sri Lanka popped up on our radar – a 3 hour and 45 minute flight from Singapore. And so it was, that we found ourselves exploring the seaside colonial town of Galle from the vantage point of the charming Sun House hotel. [keep reading…]