‘In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion is a hundred feet tall and carved out of a mountain’

We’ve all heard of infinity pools but the one at the Kandalama Hotel blends seamlessly into Kandalama Lake. There, you can swim in the setting sun. The floor of the ‘Black Water Pool’ is the black bedrock the hotel itself is built on. The roof is a garden and the monkey-clambered support beams resemble trees from the surrounding 200 acres of conservation forest (excursions into the tree-filled density are available).

The hotel is built on stilts so water and animals can travel underneath it unhampered. There is no paved road to the door as the hotel blends into its environment you will hardly notice the building at all. A remarkable achievement by the visionary architect, Geoffrey Bowa, the interiors have been left simple yet elegant so your attention is drawn to the views of Sigiriya; the 8th wonder of the world. Sigiriya is a palace carved out of a giant rock formation. It has been inhabited since prehistoric times but it is most famous for its massive sphinx-like carvings, ancient frescos, and complex water features. Speaking of water features, the Heritance Kandalama is so eco friendly it even treats its own wastewater before using it to irrigate its own extensive gardens.