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Mount Lavinia Beach, just south of Colombo, was the ideal relaxed start to our Sri Lankan adventure. Before diving into the action and sightseeing on our small group tour, we gave ourselves a day to simply unwind and this charming stretch of coastline delivered exactly what we needed. With golden sands, warm waters and palm trees aplenty, Mount Lavinia felt like the perfect introduction to this beautiful teardrop shaped island.
Where to stay in Mount Lavinia
We stayed at the historic Mount Lavinia Hotel – one of the oldest and most famous hotels in Sri Lanka. Full of character and old-world charm, this grand colonial-era mansion sits right above Mount Lavinia beach, offering amazing views out over the Indian Ocean. Once the home of Sir Thomas Maitland, the first British Governor of Ceylon, it still has that classic feel.
The start of our adventure
I had been unwell the day before we flew to Sri Lanka, so when we arrived in the early evening, we headed straight for our room. We ordered room service pizza and watched the thunderstorm from the window, looking forward to sleeping off some of the jetlag. The hotel had kindly provided us with a fruit plate as it was our honeymoon, which was a lovely touch.
The next morning I was feeling a lot better and the weather also matched my mood. We pulled back the curtains to find this amazing view. Palm trees, blue skies and the ocean. Today was going to be a beach and pool day.
The view from the pool was also pretty pleasant too. We could catch a glimpse of that golden yellow sand of Mount Lavinia beach. As an animal lover, naturally I was thrilled to be able to spot some of the local wildlife whilst enjoying the hotel amenities. There were several random squirrels and lizards roaming the hotel grounds.
After lunch we took a walk along the beach, it was very quiet, which was lovely. Beaches are much prettier when they aren’t crowded with people.
A Turtle Sanctuary on Mount Lavinia Beach
During our walk on Mount Lavinia Beach we were approached by a local man. He was showing us how he was scooping up crabs from the sea, before throwing them back. The next thing we know is we are following him along the beach. Apparently a turtle had been washed ashore, or that was my understanding. Not really knowing what to expect we cautiously followed the man down the length of the beach.
We were expecting to see one poor lone turtle but were surprised to discover a little sanctuary, right there on the beach. There were a couple of other locals tending to the turtles. They were showing us the different turtles they had rescued – all different sizes! We were given the chance to, and kind of encouraged if I’m honest, to hold one or two of the turtles. Although I’m not entirely sure how ethical that is. They did want a small fee from us which is fine if their intentions are genuine. I just hope they were a legitimate sanctuary, but when caught by surprise it’s difficult to know.
There are many sea turtle sanctuaries dotted around Sri Lanka, so it’s worth doing some research before you go if you want to see some turtle rescues.
The end of our Sri Lanka tour
While Mount Lavinia was the ideal start of our Sri Lanka tour, it also made the perfect end. We spent our last night in Sri Lanka back at the same hotel. Being not too far from the airport it was ideal as we were flying to the Maldives the next day.
We had a delicious alfresco candlelit meal that evening, just the two of us. And we toasted our wonderful adventure with a cocktail called a ‘Minger’. Much amusement. In case you aren’t familiar with British slang, the word ‘minger’ is used to describe someone or something unattractive, I have no idea what it means in Sri Lanka but the cocktails were yummy!
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Sounds wonderful. That’s a big turtle! I can’t wait to read the next instalments.
Sally @ Life Loving
Thanks! 🙂
Seeing turtles and all those elephants must have been mind blowing! X
Yeah Sri Lanka is awesome 🙂
[…] at Bentota Beach. Our tour came about full circle as our final stop in Sri Lanka was back to where it all began at Mount […]