Galkadawala, Habarana gets Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence
View(s):Galkadawala, Habarana has earned the 2013 Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence. The prestigious award which honours excellence in hospitality, places Galkadawala in the top-performing 10% of all businesses worldwide listed on TripAdvisor. TripAdvisor is the largest travel community in the world, with more than 32 million members and over 100 million reviews and opinions of hotels, restaurants, attractions and other travel-related businesses (www.tripadvisor.com).
Tucked away in the midst of an ancient agricultural village and the forest, overlooking the picturesque Galkadawala lake, Galkadawala is a refuge for seekers of nature. The surrounding network of irrigation tanks (lakes), (with special emphasis on the ‘Galkadawala Lake’ by which the lodge is sited), irrigation canals, village roads and foot-paths is maintained, so guests may stroll around and enjoy the natural habitat. The Cultural Triangle, Minneriya and Kaudulla wildlife parks are within easy reach.
Galkadawala owes its existence to the vision of a conservationist (the owner), architect Vijitha Basnayaka and their close friend ‘Uncle Hema’, who re-discovered a once-flourishing land that had been deforested and denuded by chena cultivation and guided the process of nourishing, moulding and transforming it to a vibrant ecological habitat.
In doing so, they have created a jungle haven for guests to enjoy a setting where Man and Nature live in harmony with each other -where the rural peasantry, animals, birds, reptiles and insects also have their due place. The area abounds with endemic creatures of all types, including 133 of the 453 avian species, 50 of the 230 species of butterflies, and 88 varieties of Ayurveda medicinal plants found in Sri Lanka
Galkadawala’s buildings are constructed mostly by re-using “used building materials” like used timber, bricks, roofing tiles, even discarded industrial trunking. Consumption of power has been reduced considerably by sensitive use of natural light and ventilation for cooling.
The owner believes that the most valuable contribution toward this achievement was from the guests who sincerely believed in Galkadawala. It was their encouragement and appreciation that made Galkadawala what it is today. See also www.galkadawala.com
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