Nirbana Colonial Villa is nestled on Thalduwa Island, near Ahangama on the south coast of Sri Lanka. It is totally surrounded by a depth of nature, wildlife, jungle, and unique mangrove lined river waterway that allow you to truly escape. With river views from the tropical garden and our private 25-meter swimming pool, time to rest, restore and feel totally blessed every night in one of our 10 luxury rooms.
Nirbana’s board room is home to over 40 stand-up paddle boards which you will have unlimited access to throughout the week.
Nirbana’s board room is home to over 40 stand-up paddle boards which you will have unlimited access to throughout the week.
Luxury River Rooms
£1375
Single occupancy £1750
These gorgeous rooms with your own private sitting area with day bed and outdoor dining table for two. The rooms have comfortable twin beds that can be transformed into a double. The gorgeous bathrooms have Balinese inspired floor tiles and walk-in rain dance shower.
All our rooms are designed with contemporary art and our colour tones that embrace the natural surroundings of the river and jungle which you can view from the veranda sitting area.
The rooms come with full amenities; full length mirrors, hairdryer, Wi-Fi, spa amenities, air-conditioning, safe & complimentary water.
£1375
Single occupancy £1750
These gorgeous rooms with your own private sitting area with day bed and outdoor dining table for two. The rooms have comfortable twin beds that can be transformed into a double. The gorgeous bathrooms have Balinese inspired floor tiles and walk-in rain dance shower.
All our rooms are designed with contemporary art and our colour tones that embrace the natural surroundings of the river and jungle which you can view from the veranda sitting area.
The rooms come with full amenities; full length mirrors, hairdryer, Wi-Fi, spa amenities, air-conditioning, safe & complimentary water.
Jungle Shala Rooms
£1250
Single occupancy £1600
These rooms have a private balcony with views of lush green tranquil jungle, have comfortable twin beds that can be transformed into a double. The gorgeous bathrooms have Balinese inspired floor tiles and walk-in rain dance shower. All our rooms are designed with contemporary art and our colour tones that embrace the natural surroundings of the jungle.
The rooms come with full amenities; full length mirror, Wi-Fi, hairdryer, spa amenities, air-conditioning, safe & complimentary water.
£1250
Single occupancy £1600
These rooms have a private balcony with views of lush green tranquil jungle, have comfortable twin beds that can be transformed into a double. The gorgeous bathrooms have Balinese inspired floor tiles and walk-in rain dance shower. All our rooms are designed with contemporary art and our colour tones that embrace the natural surroundings of the jungle.
The rooms come with full amenities; full length mirror, Wi-Fi, hairdryer, spa amenities, air-conditioning, safe & complimentary water.
Luxury Poolside Rooms
£1175
Single occupancy £1475
Luxury Poolside Rooms have comfortable twin beds that can be transformed into a double. The gorgeous bathrooms have Balinese inspired floor tiles and walk-in rain dance shower. All our rooms are designed with contemporary art and our colour tones that embrace the natural surroundings of the river and jungle which you can view from the veranda sitting area.
The rooms come with full amenities; full length mirror, Wi-Fi, hairdryer, spa amenities, air-conditioning, safe & complimentary water.
£1175
Single occupancy £1475
Luxury Poolside Rooms have comfortable twin beds that can be transformed into a double. The gorgeous bathrooms have Balinese inspired floor tiles and walk-in rain dance shower. All our rooms are designed with contemporary art and our colour tones that embrace the natural surroundings of the river and jungle which you can view from the veranda sitting area.
The rooms come with full amenities; full length mirror, Wi-Fi, hairdryer, spa amenities, air-conditioning, safe & complimentary water.
Food
Every meal at Nirbana is special. Our head chef Indika is extremely talented in Sri Lankan and Western cuisine (his passion-fruit cheesecake is ridiculously good!). Ingredients are always fresh and locally sourced.
We eat together in the open air pavilion overlooking the pool, river & jungle.
Complimentary water, coffee and tea facilities are available in the communal area by the pool.
Vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options are always available, please contact us to discuss.
Every meal at Nirbana is special. Our head chef Indika is extremely talented in Sri Lankan and Western cuisine (his passion-fruit cheesecake is ridiculously good!). Ingredients are always fresh and locally sourced.
We eat together in the open air pavilion overlooking the pool, river & jungle.
Complimentary water, coffee and tea facilities are available in the communal area by the pool.
Vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options are always available, please contact us to discuss.
Itinerary
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Day 1
Arrival. Your room will be ready for you from midday. Kev & Ylva will be around to welcome you and show you your home for the week. Spend your first afternoon exploring local beaches, lunch spots or just lounging by the pool listening to the jungle sounds. Yin & Yang yoga before delicious dinner in the pavillion to meet your fellow SUP’ers for the week. |
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Day 2
The best time to get on the river is just before sunrise to view the day come alive. Our Duwa Island river sunrise paddle through the mangroves. Breakfast is served at 9.30am every day to fuel you for whatever adventure you plan for the day. In the afternoon we practice the fun and surprisingly easy aerial yoga suspended from the beams of our open air tropical shala. |
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Day 3
Wake up & roll right into an invigorating Vinyasa class. After breakfast we hop in the van to Dewata Bay, 25 minutes west. From there we paddle across to Jungle Beach for some snorkelling, a climb up the hill to visit the Japanese Peace Pagoda Temple and also to view a ship which was wrecked on the rocks a few years ago. Small shacks on the beach serve a surprisingly varied lunch menu as well as cold beers and cocktails. We’ll be back at the bay in time to see the sunset. |
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Day 4
SUP Surf lesson. Time to test your skills in the surf as we head to a local break to catch some waves. This session is the most affected by Mother Nature so we may change to another day or time depending on the surf and weather forecast. At sunset we'll be back on the river for a SUP Yoga experience. The change in the sights and sounds of the surrounding jungle are mesmerising. |
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Days 5 & 6
Gin Ganga Whitewater Camping Adventure: Meandering through The Kanneliya Rainforest with grade I/II rapids and jungle hills as the backdrop, the Gin Ganga is a true wild jungle river experience. |
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Day 5
Meet for a coffee and some fruit bright & early. From Nirbana it’s a two hour drive north into the hills to find our launch point on the Gin River. En-route we stop for a hearty local breakfast. We reach our arrival point around 9am, unload the van, pump up boards and prep for the day. The morning paddle has the highest concentration of rapids throughout the whole trip. All are optional with riverbank portages available and none exceed Grade II. Around 12.30pm we have a riverside rice and curry next to a rapid to play in. 3pm we arrive at Uncle Sumith’s Tea Plantation for tea, coffee and snacks. We’ll string our hammocks up amongst tea bushes & coconut trees then spend a few hours strolling around, meeting the locals, relaxing and taking a rejuvenating yoga class on the grass. Fish dinner is roasted over the fire after the sun goes down. |
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Day 6
Sunrise wake up as the light creeps in your hammock and the birds start to chirp. Morning yoga followed by tea, coffee & breakfast which is a mixture of local fare and fresh fruit. There is roughly 4 hours of paddling with multiple rapids and plenty of opportunities to stop, swim & explore. We finish at a tiny beach where we can play, chill and eat some lunch before jumping back in the van. We’ll arrive back at Nirbana around 6pm in time to have a well earned hot shower and dinner. |
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Day 7
Feel free to lie in or join in Ylva's morning Hatha class. The day is yours until our final paddle of the week at 4pm. Duwa River at sunset boasts glorious colours and the perfect place to witness huge fruit bats heading out to feed for the night. We’ll stop off at Mangalika’s house for a sunset coconut or cold beer. |
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Day 8
Morning Vinyasa and meditation followed by your final breakfast with us. Checkout from Nirbana is at 11am. We can organise a transfer back to the airport, wave you off to continue your further Sri Lankan adventures or enquire with us to extend your stay. You may never want to leave. |
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What's included:
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What's not included:
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Our itinerary has plenty to keep you occupied, but we always like to give our guests free time to do whatever you like. After all, it's your holiday. Sleeping & lounging by the pool reading a book are always very good options. But if you’re feeling the itch to get out and about, here are our pick of local activities...
- A cookery class. Head to the local market with our favourite Sri Lankan Mama to buy some fresh vegetables and spices. Then head back to her kitchen where she’ll show you the secrets to a really good rice and curry!
- Galle Fort. Stroll around the walled remains of a fortress first developed by the Portugeuese in the 1500's and later adapted by the Dutch and British.
- Tea Plantation tour. Check out the family owned Handunugoda Tea Estate just inland from Ahangama.
- Beach hopping. There are literally dozens just in the local area! Some tiny and very hidden. If that’s what you’d like to do, we’ll point you in the right direction.
- Scooter (or tuk-tuk) ride. Hiring a scooter and cruising inland around paddy fields and tea plantations gives you an awesome sense of freedom. Driving here isn't for the feint-hearted so you'll need to be a confident rider. We can arrange scooter hire (please research your country’s driving laws in Sri Lanka).
Feel free to send us a message if you'd like more information or to book any of these experiences.