Camping is not what is used to be - just look at Dolphin Beach, Sri Lanka’s first tented hotel. Just 2 hours north of Colombo airport, it is set on a sandy strip demarcated by coconut trees, and lies between a lagoon and a golden-sand beach. Custom-made from outdoor living experts in Rajasthan, the 7 sleeping tents are shaded by over-hanging coconut thatch and make use of natural materials such as wood, rope and bamboo. Cool, airy interiors are decorated with mirrored fabrics, and large sea-facing verandas with L-shaped padded sofas are a restful place to enjoy the natural environment.
Dolphin Beach offers intimate, laid-back glamping on a gorgeous (but remote) stretch of beach, which shelves gently into the calm sea: ideal for swimming. The grounds are scattered with comfy places to unwind - hammocks strung beneath palms, and stylish fibreglass loungers. Even nicer is the sea-facing dome: a circular chill-out lounge decorated with cushions and topped with a grass roof. There's not a huge amount to do but relax, swim and watch wonderful sunsets. But do set your alarm clock: the early morning sea safari is a must for a glimpse of the playful resident dolphins, and if you're lucky, whales too.
Highs
- Roomy tents mean a sense of outdoor living and contact with nature without compromising on luxury
- Tasty Sri Lankan options at every mealtime
- Only 2 hours from Colombo international airport so an ideal first or last stop of your holiday
- Good for kids: family tents sleeping up to 6, calm seas and child-friendly food; and good value too
- The area is blissfully off the tourist trail so there are no souvenir shops, beach bars or nightlife
Lows
- Noise between tents is audible
- Views from the beach are rather spoilt by the power station jutting out to sea
- Uneven roads mean a bumpy end to your destination
- We've heard reports that the pool can get a bit slimy
- Cots
Some equipment may need to be requested in advance
The traditional Sri Lankan food is all tasty and fresh; talk to the chef if your children won't eat curry as he'll be able to find something for them. Mealtimes could prove tricky with young kids - breakfast is from 8am and dinner is from 7.30pm.
- Sand garden and beach on the doorstep
- Pool (with shallow end)
- DVD library
- Kayak to borrow
- Dolphin and whale watching trips, in season
- Kite surfing and other watersports for older kids, including snorkelling on the coral reefs
- Head to Wilpattu National Park (1-2 hours) for leopard and elephant spotting
- Boutique Resort
- 7 rooms
- Restaurant (open daily)
- All ages welcome
- Open all year
- Outdoor Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Babysitting
- Creche / Kids Club
- Car not necessary
- Parking
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
- Concierge Service
- Daybeds and hammocks
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
Best Time to go
Dolphin Beach is situated within the ‘dry zone’ of Sri Lanka, so has little rain and low humidity year round. However, from May to July the wind picks up dramatically, which also means the sea is too rough to swim. November - April is the best time for seeing dolphin and doing all other water-based activities.
Our Top Tips
Dolphin Beach is a wonderfully laid-back place so take books and playing cards for relaxed evenings on your veranda. The sea safaris are great, and very good value. Binoculars are useful to get a closer look at the dolphins, and for spotting birds. Hats and long-sleeved clothing are essential for the boat trip as the sun can be deceptively hot, even in the early morning.
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
Airports:
- Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport 100.0 km CMB
Other:
- Beach 0.1 km
- Shops 2.0 km
- Restaurant 1.0 km
Our guests' ratings...
Based on 1 independent review from i-escape guests
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