Dolphin Beach

Rooms

There are 7 tents in 2 categories - Family and Double - all named after different types of dolphins. They either have one double bed or 2, so the larger ones are perfect if you're travelling with 1 or 2 kids (there's a cloth divider between the bedrooms and the bathroom is located towards the back, through the second bedroom).

All tents have large polished concrete verandas replete with an L-shaped sofa, deckchairs and a hammock strung from a nearby coconut tree. This is a lovely homely area with tons of cushions and a cute stripy rug plus a rustic wooden table.

We found our Family Tent surprisingly sumptuous and stylish. The wall cloths are a sandy colour, patterned with an ethnic print dotted with tiny mirrors, and the indoor sofa and bedside tables are fashioned from smooth, painted cement, which has a pleasing curve. Windows are netted, with clever drawstring curtains for privacy. Overall the feel is of a luxurious desert retreat; spacious but also cosy. In the evenings, rattan lamps lend a bedside glow and a charming kerosene lantern (with a lightbulb) hangs by the entrance.

These lovely little details are continued through into the bathroom, accessed through a heavy wooden door behind a cloth drape. Here, the sink has an interesting shell tap and the water runs through a brass teapot. The indoor rain shower has hot and cold water; outside there's a dedicated space for private treatments and massages. The tents are cool at night, but they do heat up in the day so the slick air-con unit is ideal for siestas.

Features include:

• Fan
• In-room treatments available
• Mosquito net
• Safe box

Eating

The laid-back, sea-facing restaurant serves a small but generally very good range of meals - which is just as well, as there are no other eateries nearby. It's all very relaxed: when we stayed, the chef encouraged us to go off-menu, and invited suggestions for the next day's breakfast buffet.

In the evening, we had delicious homemade soups for starters (top marks to the fresh tomato version), followed by a selection of cooked dishes kept warm in clay pots and laid out buffet style - perhaps baked fish in breadcrumbs, vegetables in coconut milk and chicken cardamom curry. One night we tried fresh egg hoppers, cooked in a bowl-shaped pan; delicious. Puddings err on the naughty side, such as creamy crème caramel or battered bananas.

Lunches tend to follow a more traditional Sri Lankan route, ie delicious curries and rice. We had 6 dishes laid out for us, including an ultra-fresh tuna curry, green bean curry, beef and onion curry, bitter gourd curry, and a couple of nice crunchy salads on the side plus accompaniments such as rice, poppadoms and spicy mango chutney.

Breakfast is even more informal, especially as some guests eat much later depending on when dolphin spotters come back to shore. A chef is on-hand to cook omelettes, pancakes and eggs to order, although we took the chance to try a traditional Sri Lankan breakfast of coconut rice, dhal and sambal. Tropical fruit, tea and toast is also available.

Features include:

• Breakfast
• Kids' meals
• Restaurant
• Room service
• Vegetarian options

Activities

• Whizz out into the ocean on the hotel’s launch and spot huge numbers of dolphins (best between Nov-April), plus blue and sperm whales if you're lucky - and be back in time for breakfast!
  
• Paddle out in a kayak, available to borrow, or take advantage of the good swimming off the safe sandy beach (best from Aug-April)
  
• Trawl out at sea, by arrangement, to fish for tuna, barracuda and treveli
  
• If the wind is up, try kitesurfing or windsurfing; this is one of Sri Lanka’s best areas. Ask for an instructor and the hotel will provide a packed lunch and cool beers for the day. Other watersports nearby include waterskiing, wake boarding, trick-sking and Donut rides
  
• Canter down the beach on a horse safari and wind up trotting through sand dunes (book ahead)
  
• Birdwatch at the lagoon or the nearby salt plains. Take binoculars to spot pelagic birds or look out for migratory birds on a rest stop
  
• Coral reefs just offshore offer great biodiversity, and over 250 species of fish; both scuba diving (book ahead) and snorkelling are easily arranged
  
• Stargaze at night with your feet in the sand
  
• Walk along the beach to watch fishermen pulling in huge nets, boats heading out to sea and nearby villages beating their slow rhythm
  
• Book a safari to spot elephants (and possibly leopards) at Wilpattu National Park (1½ hours), Sri Lanka’s largest
  
• If you're up for it, the ancient city of Anuradhapura is 4 hrs' drive: marvel at vast dagobas and ornate carved buddhas

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Birdwatching
• Boat trips
• Fishing
• Historical sites
• Horse riding
• Kayaking
• Kitesurfing
• Plantlife / flora
• Private guided tours
• Safaris
• Sailing
• Scuba diving
• Snorkelling
• Stargazing
• Swimming
• Traditional cultures
• Watersports
• Whale watching
• Wildlife
• Windsurfing

Kids

Dolphin Beach is an ideal place for young children, right on the beach with a sand garden, a pool with a shallow end, plenty of shade, air-conditioned tents for middle of the day naps and calm seas. Two Children under 6 years old can stay free of charge on a Bed and Breakfast basis. The standard child rate would apply for any additional children.

Best for:

All ages

Family friendly accommodation:

Family Tents are, as their name suggests, the ideal choice for families with 2 double bedrooms plus 2 single sofabeds and room for a baby cot. There's a curtain-type divider between the bedrooms. All bathrooms have showers, not baths.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available, Family Rooms

Distances:

• Airport: 2 hours
• Doctor: 40 minutes

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Dolphin Beach is on the Kalpitiya Peninsula on the northwest coast of Sri Lanka, 120km north of the capital Colombo, and separated from the mainland by the Puttalam Lagoon on one side and the Indian Ocean on the other. It is set back from the beach on an undeveloped sandy stretch and is home to natural habitats of diverse fauna and flora.

By Air
Fly to Colombo. Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving this airport.

From the Airport
Dolphin Beach is 2 hours' north of the international airport in Colombo. Arrange a pick up from the hotel, see Rates, or take a taxi from the airport, easily organised on arrival from the taxi stand within the airport - a taxi should cost around US$90.

By Car
Instead of hiring a car, organise a car and driver for your holiday in Sri Lanka. That way, you don't need to worry about transport and your driver will have lots of local knowledge. Beware that the last part of the journey to Dolphin Beach becomes very bumpy.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

More on getting to Sri Lanka and getting around