Wild Coast Tented Lodge, Yala Sri Lanka

We had been dreaming of visiting Wild Coast Tented Lodge, and when they gave us the opportunity to review the place we could not wait to have one of the most unique experiences of our lives!

4 min read

We had been dreaming of visiting Wild Coast Tented Lodge, and when they gave us the opportunity to review the place we could not wait to have one of the most unique experiences of our lives!

This beautiful property is located in Yala, Sri Lanka, where wildlife would literally roam the footpath to the rooms. The hotel is a part of the world renowned Relais & Chateaux, and Resplendent Ceylon brands. Believe me when I say it felt like we were in the middle of an African safari!

This property is glamping at its finest with 7 acres of untouched nature, and absolutely no fences surrounding the hotel. Wild boar, monkeys, and even elephants visit the property from time to time! We were asked to be in our rooms by 10pm because you could be in for an unwanted surprise should you run into any animals at night.

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Rooms:

The 28 tented lodges which are also called cocoons, are separated into clusters. The 1st cluster has 8 cocoons, the next 4 clusters have 4 cocoons where each faces a watering hole, and are also laid out in the shape of a leopard’s paw. The last cluster is 4 pool cocoons facing the magnificent Indian Ocean. The clusters are named Panthera (Leopard), Iangur (Monkey), Elephas (Elephants), Ursus (Bear), Aquilla (Eagle), and Cervus (Deer).

The cocoons are air-conditioned and feature high-domed roofs with a copper theme all around. From the magnificent four poster bed, to the freestanding handmade copper bathtub, and the sinks and fittings as well which added such a classy yet natural look and feel to the entire space.

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Food & Service :

The restaurant and bar are 2 large cocoon shaped structures with the pool running in between and out towards the sea. There is local and western cuisine to choose from at the restaurant, while the bar boasts a delightful array of cocktails.

I definitely recommend you to try the local food during lunch time as I’m a self proclaimed expert and I dare say it was the perfect meal. The funny part was that they always took your order for the next meal at the very end of a meal. We had a hearty laugh with the executive chef who took our order many times, saying he was continuously trying to stuff us. They even have an amazing high tea followed by sundown cocktails on the beach with cozy bean bags to lounge on. The cherry on top of it all is the warm smile and courteous greeting you receive from every staff member at any given time.

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Excursions :

The lodge organizes a safari ride into the Yala National Park which takes place in the early hours of the morning or late afternoon, catching the best time to see some wildlife. The lodge has their own guides and our guide’s name was Anjalee. She was excellent at explaining all the interesting facts there were to know of all the different species of animals we saw. Safaris usually last for 4 hours so they provide a small snack box for you as well. We shared our safari jeep with another wonderful couple from Brazil who happened to be bloggers as well! It made it easier for us to capture great pictures since they understood how important the right angle is whenever we were scrambling around the jeep :p

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Our Experience :

This is one of the most beautiful properties I have ever been to that is one with nature. It’s an amazing place for couples and families to unwind, relax, and be pampered. If you have a bucket list and are a fan of wildlife I highly recommend that you add this to it because the experience is one of a kind.

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