OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES AND EXPERIENCE
Beach
Sergeant House has a private beach located directly across the coastal road. The entry gates to Sergeant House and Sergeant Beach open to reveal the waves breaking on the shore opposite the villa. Less than 150 meters along the road is the entry to the eastern end of the famous crescent shaped Unawatuna Beach. The beach is considered to be the best safe swimming beach in Sri Lanka. The golden sands of the beach are fringed with tall swaying coconut palms, cafes, restaurants and village shops.
During the main dry season (December – April) the sea around Unawatuna is relatively calm and perfect for swimming and snorkeling. During the wet season months the larger waves make swimming conditions less favorable but the good swells make surfing conditions per feet. The best waves are seen between May to November in the Southern Province
Cookery Class
For those interested in learning more about Sri Lankan Rice and Curry, our Chef will be happy to conduct a cookery class. Using recipes that have been handed down from generation to generation, this is a truly fascinating experience
Shopping you can do at: Barefoot, Pedlar St., has a signature style of gorgeous vivid and bright colors, as well as their own range of sarongs, beach wraps, clothing, bags and hand woven cloths. Spa Ceylon has a wonderful selection of fragrances packed in oils, creams and air freshners. KK Galley has collection of fabrics, candles, house and giftware inspired by Kahanda Kanda. The Fort Gallery, Church St., has a selection of gifts, jewelry and houseware items. Laksana. Hospital St. has a large selection of contemporary jewelry and gems. Mimimango, Leyn Baan St. has beautiful ethnic culture accessories from India. MM Ibrahim, 47 Church St., has a selection of contemporary jewelry and gems. Exotic Roots, Church St., has a collection of gifts, paintings and art. Casual Edge has fashion and designer clothing, men’s, ladies and kids wear. Souk 58, 58 church Street, Souk hosts a beautiful range of local and imported houseware and gifts. There is also an onsite tailor. Mansion Crafts, 23 Church Street. Mansion House is a large showroom for local crafts and clothes produced locally and in store. Orchid House, 28A Hospital Street has a wonderful collection of local gift items and handicrafts.
Tour of Galle Fort
Galle Fort is changing rapidly! Over the last 3-4 years, houses and buildings have been bought mainly by foreigners who have lovingly spent their time and energy trying to bring back the houses to their former glory. Those that have not been restored to the typical Dutch period have been given a variety of ‘makeovers’ with interesting design features. Take a stroll along the small streets and you will still have the impression that time has stood still. Buildings worth mentioning are the Dutch Reform Church just newly restored the Dutch Museum, the Barracks just inside the old gate and the law courts. Have a walk around the Ramparts to the old Light House and to the Clock Tower.
Shopping you can do at: Barefoot, Pedlar St., has a signature style of gorgeous vivid and bright colors, as well as their own range of sarongs, beach wraps, clothing, bags and hand woven cloths. Spa Ceylon has a wonderful selection of fragrances packed in oils, creams and air freshners. KK Galley has collection of fabrics, candles, house and giftware inspired by Kahanda Kanda. The Fort Gallery, Church St., has a selection of gifts, jewelry and houseware items. Laksana. Hospital St. has a large selection of contemporary jewelry and gems. Mimimango, Leyn Baan St. has beautiful ethnic culture accessories from India. MM Ibrahim, 47 Church St., has a selection of contemporary jewelry and gems. Exotic Roots, Church St., has a collection of gifts, paintings and art. Casual Edge has fashion and designer clothing, men’s, ladies and kids wear. Souk 58, 58 church Street, Souk hosts a beautiful range of local and imported houseware and gifts. There is also an onsite tailor. Mansion Crafts, 23 Church Street. Mansion House is a large showroom for local crafts and clothes produced locally and in store. Orchid House, 28A Hospital Street has a wonderful collection of local gift items and handicrafts.
Beaches Unawatuna
As mentioned above, Sergeant House is located directly across the coastal road from the water’s edge. Less than 150 meters down the road is the famous Unawatuna Beach. Wijaya Beach is five minutes by a tuk tuk from Sergeant House, and has a protected reef, popular with tourists and expats living in Galle. Giant sea turtles often come close to the beach where beach boys sell the healthy food for tourists to feed them. Mirissa remains a bit more un-spoilt and has a beautiful bay for body surfing and swimming, while Weligama, Ahangama and Hikkaduwa are popular destinations for water sports such as surfing.
Boat Trip
Take a boat trip on Koggala Lake for approximately two hours, visiting Talathuduwa Temple Island, followed by a Spice Garden. Then back in the boat and on to a small island where you will meet a couple who harvest cinnamon. Finally in the boat you circle a Bird Sanctuary before returning across the Lake for the tuk tuk ride back to the hotel.
Bike Ride
Explore the area on bicycles, and experience the real Sri Lanka. Either do on your own, or go on an escorted bike ride down to the coast, via paddy fields, finishing up at Wijaya for a swim and a cocktail.
Surfing
For beginners, Weligama Bay is a great place to learn to surf and there are some good instructors. For the more experienced, there are plenty of other beaches in the area, renowned for their surf.
Scuba Diving
Learn scuba diving at Divinguru just down the road from the villa. They offer a full range of diving courses, including a four day open water Diver PADI certification course.
Sea Turtle Farm and Hatchery in Habaraduwa
The Sea Turtle Farm Hatchery is n non – profit organization which is maintained for the survival of Sea Turtles in Sri Lanka. The “Turtle Farm” is situated in Habaraduwa near to the beautiful beach. That is five minutes from the hotel on the Matara main road. The center started in 1986 and has released more than 500,000 sea turtles to the ocean. Also check out turtle hatcheries closer to the villa in Thalpe.
Yoga
We have lots of lovely spots at the villa and on the beach side to do yoga and you can decide a perfect location for an early morning yoga session. We have mats and we can arrange for a local instructor to guide you.
Village Life
The villages of rural Sri Lanka have changed little with time and most of the communities lead a simple and traditional life. While the main road from Galle to Matara can be noisy and busy, only minutes away from the traffic, the landscape unfolds to reveal beautiful tropical sights of rice paddies and coconut groves as far as the eye can see. Time seems to slow and stand still.
Temples
There are many wonderful Buddhist temples here on this blessed island. Fifteen minutes away from Sergeant House are Yatagala and Rumassala. At the top of the 120 steps, the 1,200 year old Yatagala Temple is one of the oldest in the region, and is set in a beautiful valley of rice paddies and jungle hills. Yatagala is a rock temple with a 1,000 year old Bo tree and a wonderful meditation cave. Rumassala is a brand new temple, built by the Japanese on the magical headland across the bay from the Fort. The location has breathtaking views back to Galle and the Stupa is one of beautiful Zen simplicity on a huge scale. Visitors should remove their shoes before entering the temples. On a poya day (full moon) visitors can join the locals in the late afternoon for offerings of fresh flower blooms and incense.
Tea Trail
Sri Lanka is renowned for its tea, and 35 minutes from Galle is the Handunugoda Tea Plantation. In addition to the rolling hills of the tea estate, Handunugoda features rubber and cinnamon plantations. Guests are invited to the verandah of the Planter’s Bungalow for tea and cakes with the planter himself. After a tour of the old workings of the factory, visitors are taken to the tasting room to try a myriad of teas. The ideal way to conclude the visit is to enjoy a cup of tea from the plantation, including the unique “White Tea” that Handunugoda produces.
Rainforests
The stunning Hiyare rainforest is 30 minutes’ drive to the north of Galle. A wildlife guide from the reserve accompanies guests to a beautiful virgin rainforest that surrounds a 50 acre lake. Guests are invited to take in the many interesting species of animal and plants that are found there. A perfect breakfast picnic can be arranged on the bank of the lake. Hiyare has established its own tree nursery, and guests have the opportunity to plant a tree as a part of their carbon offset programme.
Mirissa Whale and Dolphin Watching
Mirissa whale and dolphin watching are exciting and unique activities. Mirissa Water Sports is the first and longest established whale watching operator on the South Coast. MWS has three consecutive seasons of whale sightings all year round off the coast. Mirissa is a world top hot spot for sperm and blue whale sightings. Mirissa Water Sports keeps accurate logs of sightings so that we can predict the arrival of whales. January through April is peak season for dolphin watching. Please notify the staff if you wish to go whale watching. Whale watching from a helicopter also be an interesting option.
Yala National Park
Yala National Park is the most visited and second largest national park in Sri Lanka. The park covers 979 square kilometers (378 square miles). Visit Yala Game Reserve, which has the highest population of leopards anywhere in the world. It is an early start, but well worth all the sightings of a large variety of wildlife. The park is usually closed from 1 September to 15 October yearly but this is subject to change.
Perfect Location for
a Relaxing Vacation
Our reception team is available 24/7 to answer your questions, make reservations and ensure your stay is perfect.
We are proud to have a high level of guest satisfaction, demonstrating our commitment service excellence.
Rated 4.8 on Google, Sergeant House Unawatuna offers a peaceful blend of luxury, comfort, and coastal charm just minutes from the beach.