Overview

This 1870’s ancestral home of  Mervyn and Doris Wijesinghe is named after his Grandfather, and Wellawaya is steeped in 16^th century Portuguese history. 

The surrounding 300 acres now supporting paddy and coconut plantations were once a  battle-ground to hundreds of soldiers fighting for the Kandyan King.  The Portuguese Governor Dom Constantine De Saa marched to Badulla with an army of 7,000, destroying centuries-old Buddhist temples and villages.  The forces of the Kandyan Maha Asthana Prince (crown Prince) retaliated, forcing the Portugese to retreat and suffer death by sword.  De Saa and the Portuguese army were decimated at this battleground.

Many village names stem from translations of “soldiers camp-out”, “dead bodies in paddy fields”, and serve as historic monuments in the district.  Wellawaya is steeped in history dating back to the 3rd century BC.

Having retired from Colombo, the Wijesinghes have returned to Sri Lanka’s largest province of UVA and now host guests interested in exploring the Hill Country and enjoying a taste of  Sri Lankan life.  This is a working plantation of two of the most commercially viable products in Sri Lanka - Rice paddy and Coconut, and home to many fruits and spices.  The wild gardens of pepper, jack and breadfruit, mahogany, teak, olives, oranges (to name a few), lead down to a private rocky river. There are huge beautiful Kumbuk  trees on the river banks and rocks in the middle of the river on which to sit and cool your toes.

Enjoy spring-water swimming or boat down-stream admiring the vibrant bird life.  Watch- huts and benches lie next to the river and 58 species of bird have been identified, including Kingfishers, Barbets and the Ceylon Flycatcher.  Explore the Poonagala Mountain Range and the surrounding jungle by foot or mountain bikes.  You’ll meet wild elephants, elk and wild boar enroute.  Waterfalls cascade all around and frequently provide excellent dipping pools.

Mervyn can fill in the ‘gaps’ whilst Doris and her loyal cooks prepare traditional Sri Lankan meals in the original stone kitchen.

Real Sri Lankan living, history and active expeditions fill your days, but that is not all.  In the evening  you can recline in easy chairs on the spacious roof terrace and enjoy a night sky unpolluted by city lights.  Ideal for families, retired couples and birdies who don't want chintz but wish to see a bit of the "real Sri lanka"

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