The Bowl

The heart of Samakanda, with tea, fruit trees, vegetables and overflowing with wildlife

One of the bedrooms at the Planter’s bungalow.

The Planter’s Bungalow

The veranda is the perfect spot for a cup of tea in the morning or a drink in the evening.

Inside the Planter’s bungalow.

The Bowl Bungalow laid for breakfast

One of the bedrooms in the Bowl Bungalow.

The dining table in the Bowl Bungalow.

Sunset on the ridge outside the Planter’s Bungalow.

The Stream

Follow the stream through thick rainforest to where it joins the river for a private swim in the jungle.

Workers harvest, clean and weigh salad.

A bumper crop of papaya.

Guavas

just harvested and protected from ants with a ring of chalk.

Salad growing in The Bowl.

The tea at dawn.

One of the tea terraces, with the Bowl Bungalow on the right.

A tea picker

they take just the top few leaves – the youngest and most tender.

One of the terrace walls being rebuilt.

A restored set of stairs provides access through the estate for both visitors and tea pickers.

Sunrise through the trees.

Paddy fields at dawn, with banana trees behind them.

The main terrace walkway in 2004 before work started on the estate…

…a year later and the walkway is a very different place.

The main pathway through the Samakanda estate.

The lake at the bottom of The Bowl

an excellent place to spot birds, butterflies, dragonflies and occasional boar or porcupine.

Frangipani flowers.

The Banyan Tree

As well as being a wonderful tree and a peaceful place, this is also a Buddhist shrine where the villagers hold occasional ceremonies.

The table has been set for a dinner party of twenty.

One of the pizza ovens heating up for a feast.

Pizzas: Guests try their hand at making their own!

Galle Fort:

Samakanda is located a scenic 40 minute drive from Galle Fort, a UNESCO world heritage site.