If you love wildlife and you’re planning a holiday in Sri Lanka, then Yala National Park is going to be one of the main contenders for your time while you’re on the island.
Owing to the park’s popularity, over several decades, a community of hotels, resorts and camping lodges have sprung up in the vicinity, to cater to the large influx of local and foreign tourists.
While having options is great, as a first-timer, you might be wondering where to begin when picking suitable accommodation.
Here are some of the main factors to consider when deciding where to book your stay!
Why Yala?
Sri Lanka has no shortage of national parks, but Yala National Park is one of the oldest two national parks in the country (Wilpattu National Park is the other) and is currently the most-visited one.
For a long time, when one spoke of a ‘wildlife safari in Sri Lanka’, it was inevitably one at Yala National Park. Yala is the second biggest national park on the island and sprawls out across two provinces in the bottom half of the island: the Southern Province and the Uva Province.
The area boasts an abundance of wildlife of all kinds and even before Yala was officially designated a national park in 1938), it had already been a wildlife sanctuary for decades; Its role as a wildlife sanctuary has been going strong now for well over 120 years.
Nestled along the southeast coastline, parts of the park give way to sweeping views of the majestic Indian Ocean.
Within its bounds, creatures such as the coveted Sri Lankan leopard as well as Sri Lankan sloth bears, Asian elephants, peacocks and a diverse variety of other species of mammals, birds and reptiles thrive here, away from the dangers of urbanisation.
Proximity to the Park
If the primary purpose of your trip is to spend time exploring the park, understandably, proximity to the park is going to play an important role when choosing a hotel.
There are a few accommodation options both inside the park and straddling the edges of the park, as well as a great many that are within 30 minutes to an hour away from the park’s borders.
One example of the former kind is Uga Chena Huts - a Yala luxury hotel. You’ll find it on the periphery of the Yala Strict Nature Reserve and the great thing about this hotel is the fact that it’s also located by the sea. This means you can enjoy views of the park as well as the sparkling ocean waters.
Something that makes the location of this particular hotel even more special, is the fact that it’s also adjacent to a natural watering hole.
Have the Villas / Luxury Tents Won You Over?
At the heart of luxury travel are privacy, beauty and comfort. When you’re trying to settle on your top pick among Yala luxury hotels, it’s important to check what your lodging actually looks like, and whether it’s won you over.
The good thing about higher-end Yala accommodations is that they are generally designed to be cosy and secluded while offering scenic views of the outdoors.
But, as always, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and you might find some that appeal to you more than the rest.
Here are a few examples:
A luxury tent at Tribe Yala.
A luxury cabin at Chena Huts by Uga Escapes (among the most spacious options in Yala).
A chalet at Cinnamon Wild Yala.
Which of these did you fall in love with at first sight? :)
Privacy
Another important factor to keep in mind, is that some of these cabins and tents come with private plunge pools.
Nothing says privacy and luxury quite like a private pool.
Considering that you’re going to be spending a lot of time on wildlife safaris, you’re going to greatly treasure being able to cool off in blissful seclusion without having to muster the effort of making your way to a shared pool.
Uga Chena Huts, for example, offers just this. Every one of the luxury cabins at this hotel features a private pool. The plunge pools lie on a deck that’s partially shaded by rustic thatched roofs and ensconced by lush jungle.
Shared Onsite Amenities & Activities
When you’re not touring the park, you’ll be spending a lot of time at your resort. That’s why it’s important to see what kinds of facilities are on offer.
The Pool
Private plunge pools are great, but sometimes, you just need to stretch out over a larger body of water.
Does the hotel you have in mind have an attractive main pool?
Restaurants
How many restaurants are there on the premises?
Are there varied dining experiences?
Remember, after an exhilarating yet tiring day at the park, you’re likely to straight back to the hotel for your meals.
If you’re travelling with your partner, hotels that offer romantic private dining settings earn bonus points.
Spa
Is there an onsite spa?
When your skin is feeling sensitive from the sun your limbs are weary from your excursions, the hotel spa is going to be your best friend.
So make sure that your luxury hotel has a good one!
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