Chena Huts by Uga Escapes

This location comprises of just fourteen luxurious guest cabins, all designed in harmony with the wilderness. The rooms feature log furniture and African-style rustic motifs so that guests are never out of touch with where they are visiting. Each cabin contains spacious living areas, private en-suite bathrooms and cosy bedrooms to unwind in.

The bathrooms each have standing bathtubs and twin vanities and the cabins are equipped with controllable lighting and a 42” LED TV. Daily housekeeping is provided as is a minibar, tea/ coffee making facilities and built in private plunge pools to cool off on your private outdoor deck during the hottest of days during your stay. These 14 huts are spread across the 7 acres of land to ensure each guest is afforded privacy and seclusion during their stay.

Wilderness roams free around the huts so guests may even spot them outside their window; flamingos, storks and even sea turtles may be seen during your stay. Enjoy views of both the jungle and the sea during your stay.

Located near a reef and lighthouse for which it is named after, guests can dine under a canopy of stars by the beach or indoors if they wish. There is a romantic bonfire on the beach and there are a host of dining options to suit the mood you’re in. The open walls and al fresco tables means you’ll have a view of the ocean as you dine and the menu features on local ingredients and locally sourced fish. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the wide selection is sure to provide something to your taste buds.

The hotel bar is ocean-facing and leads off from the restaurant. Built with local eco-friendly wood there are seats to relax and listen to the ocean waves as you sip on wine, cocktails or fresh juices.

As well as seeking adventure at this resort guests can unwind with a host of treatments available to them. Uga Chena Huts offers guests an exclusive spa retreat that includes aromatherapy and rejuvenating beauty treatments. A wide range of massages and body treatments are available as are facials. Guests can even enjoy the treatments from the comfort of their own hotel room if they wish upon request.

Teeming with wildlife, Yala National Park is a location of expansive vegetation home to animals roaming in their natural habitat. Going with an experienced guide will allow you to witness more wildlife as these guides know when the animals come out. There will be elephants, sloth bears, peacocks and more. Guests can take tours at designated times either in the morning or evening and are given food and water for their adventure.

An hour’s drive away, Bundala National Park is known for its feathered animals and prehistoric relics. A member of staff can take you on a tour of the property and you’ll be able to spot crocodiles, buffalo, wild boar and elephants. Open year-round, jeep tours are available from Tissamaharama, any season and weather condition of the year. Guests are welcome to take a stop at the beach inside the park for snacks and drinks before returning to Chena Huts.

Conducted at dawn and dusk, bush walks are conducted by a trained guide and are organised by Chena huts. It invites  participates to hike through the beautiful jungle and see rare plants, insects, birds, reptiles and mammals all in their natural habitat. It’s a chance to get up close to the flora and fauna that you wouldn’t have the chance to see in detail on a game drive. This is perfect for those who love the outdoors and want to witness it more up close and personal.

Visiting a local nearby beach is a great experience for guests who want to luxuriate but also gives them the opportunity to witness animals not seen on a safari tour. Elephants are known to be spotted at the beach as are baby turtles that are hatching in the summer. Watching them hatch and find their way to the ocean is a once in a lifetime chance, when visiting Sri Lanka.

Diving in this part of the reef is only available for about 50 days of the year due to the rough currents but if visiting between March and mid-April guests can explore the marine life in this part of the ocean. Grey sharks, tuna, Angelfish, snappers and Rays are just a few of the marine life you’ll be able to spot. It is recommended that experienced divers take up diving in this spot but guests can also explore the historical lighthouse here too.

An hour’s drive north is the ancient Hindu forest shrine in Kataragama. A holy town, it is the most important pilgrimage site in Sri Lanka and welcomes thousands of Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus and Veddah people.

Chena Huts is committed to putting sustainability of the natural environment and heritage at the forefront of their values. Sustainability is considered at every level and is constantly evaluated to ensure that the natural environment and local community are thriving. With their very own sustainability team, Chena Huts ensures it follows guidelines from The Global Sustainable Tourism Council.

Chena Huts is fully committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment for its colleagues. As well as hiring locally the commitment is supported by labour and human rights policies that set out principles and training programmes to review the company’s performance.

Community projects are important to the resort to support the local community. A few community projects that Uga Chena Huts has been able to sponsor in the past include donating roofing materials to Postholamulla School, donating books to Aluthgama’s Sunday School, handing out free ice cream during the Poson Poya (holy) day and beginning an initiative to clean the Kataragama to Sithulpawwa road after heavy rainfall.

This road gives the community access to Sithulpawwa Temple so having it cleared was very important to the locals. Uga Chena Huts has also continued to donate to local schools since these initiatives have been in place.

The resort has its very own organic farm where food is grown on site. This includes fresh vegetables and herbs that are then taken to the kitchen to be prepared for guests. This reduces the need for air miles and eliminates excess packaging that would have otherwise been used for importing food.

Chena Huts is spread across a seven acre sprawl of land. Built with its surroundings in mind the huts and hotel have been built to naturally blend into the nature. The huts have been built with thatched roofs and are inspired in design by the homes of local farmers. Just a few minutes from Yala National Park, nothing is out of place.

The interiors include modern safari-style décor such as wooden furniture as well as African style motifs so that guests are reminded of where they are staying. Another perk of its design and location is that wildlife roams free around the huts, meaning guests are treated to frequent sighting from the comfort of their own rooms.

Energy conservation is important at the resort and is being lowered with the use of low-impact energy-efficient LED lighting throughout the rooms and resort. Solar panels are also installed to help generate natural energy to power the hotel.

The island has its very own on site seaweed treatment plant and is used as organic plant feed and fertiliser on the land and in the organic garden. This boosts plant health naturally and eliminates the need for harmful chemical fertilisers.

Being the main attraction for visitors at the eco-resort and also being in such close proximity to the hotel, protection of Yala National Park is important. Expert guides take guests on game drives through the national park to allow the wildlife to roam freely in their natural habitat and remain undisturbed.