MAhout

MAhout Specialist in boutique hotels & bespoke, immersive, luxury journeys - India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan The Subcontinent has it all, year round!

Specialist in boutique hotels and bespoke, immersive and luxury journeys to India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bhutan.

Sri Lankan Sojourn....We continue our journey along the north-east coast which reveals mile upon mile of staggeringly be...
17/08/2026

Sri Lankan Sojourn....We continue our journey along the north-east coast which reveals mile upon mile of staggeringly beautiful, untouched, golden sand beaches. Destination...the glorious Kalkudah Bay and a much needed day off at Teardrop's latest addition, the heavenly Kalkudah Beach House. With just 5 glorious rooms opening onto grassy lawns and the beach, lots of airy verandahs, a glistening pool, and smiling staff, it really is a delicious, peaceful gem of a place. 10 mins walk down the empty beach is equally lovely but very different Karpaha Sands with wonderful tents on the beach and villas with private pools and gardens. Beyond these cases of style and confort there is nothing! Where else do you find an outrageously beautiful, wild, 10 mile beach with no development. The clear, turquoise waters rival the great beaches of the world. It really IS a beach you can call your own!

Babe and I are in our element, taking long marches down the beach watching daily life continue....unchanged over the centuries. Mechanisation, in this case in the form of tractors, has made life much easier for fishermen but its still a tough daily slog, often with small reward. The smiles with which we were greeted were humbling and magical. They each know their own role and it works seamlessly.

Being between monsoons, August is THE perfect month to be here....an ideal family holiday. Beachcombing at its best!

Thank you
Teardrop Hotels
Karpaha Sands

MAhout





Sri Lankan Sojourn.... Off we go to the far north of the island, to Jaffna. Having been the scene of tragedy, devastat...
16/08/2026

Sri Lankan Sojourn.... Off we go to the far north of the island, to Jaffna. Having been the scene of tragedy, devastation, destruction and death during the war, since it ended in 2009 massive demining and reconstruction efforts have been made and today it's a city full of hope, growth and fledgling tourism infrastructure. Small and quiet, it's a city rich in history, culture, and tradition. It has long been an important centre of Tamil culture, language, and Hindu heritage. The ancient Kingdom of Jaffna flourished from the 13th to the 17th centuries. Portuguese, Dutch, and British colonial powers later influenced the region, leaving behind historic forts, churches, and buildings. Jaffna Fort (built by the Portuguese in the 17thC, and later expanded by the Dutch, then Briyish) today remains a powerful, stoic reminder of its colonial past despite suffering during the war.

We loved exploring here, with not a tourist in sight. The Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil Temple is stunning and Babe enjoyed being topless and skirted (thankfully compulsory dress only for men, not women!) We eventually found a restaurant for lunch (not really any here yet) and feasted on legendary Jaffna prawn curry.....Jaffna has a unique and traditional cuisine. We adored perusing the restored library, and exploring the markets unhurriedly, and I'm now the proud owner of a palm leaf sunhat!

We went up to Point Pedro, standing proudly but unassumingly at the northern-most point of the Jaffna Peninsula / Sri Lanka itself; and to Elephant Pass, the deeply moving site / memorial of one of the war's most harrowing attacks, but also of the unparalleled bravery of one valiant soldier who sacrificed himself to save hundreds!

Our night's halt was at Jaffna's only small, boutique hotel....the charming 4 bedroom Mahesa Bhawan, a delightful, old mansion. We had THE best crab curry!!!

Roll on tourism development in the north (currently very few hotels). As it unfolds, a whole new area opens up to be discovered. There are beaches up here to rival Australia in their wildness and emptiness! Watch this space!

Thank you Jetwing Hotels




Happy Indepence Day to all our dear Indian friends. MAhout
15/08/2026

Happy Indepence Day to all our dear Indian friends.







MAhout

Sri Lankan Sojourn ..... Continuing our flying start, we've headed inland to the cultural triangle in the central-north ...
15/08/2026

Sri Lankan Sojourn ..... Continuing our flying start, we've headed inland to the cultural triangle in the central-north of the island. Staying at wonderful Uga Ulagalla gave us a chance to recharge our batteries a bit. Home to 25 sumptuous, gloriously spacious and private villas, in large acreage, we loved pedalling around the paddy fields and woodland. The villas all have their own pools and terraces, a lovely sitting room and bed you don't want to get out of! Being so spread out, privacy is assured and, for non-cyclists, silent electric buggies appear out of nowhere. There's a giant pool surrounded by lawns and sweet-smelling frangipani, a lovely, rustic Sri Lankan restaurant in the middle of the paddy fields; an airy upstairs dining room; a secluded spa; and no end of things to do, all in the lap of luxury.

Ulagalla is THE only place to stay for visiting the nearby wondrous site of Anuradhapura, an ancient city famous for its magnificent stupas, sacred Buddhist sites, and beautiful ruins. And Mihintale, a peaceful hilltop pilgrimage site where a meeting between the Buddhist monk
Mahinda and King Devanampiyatssa inaugurated the presence of Buddhism in Sri Lanka.

Thank you


MAhout





Sri Lankan Sojourn....So we headed north, towards the Gulf of Mannar, passing vast stretches of saltflats, shimmering si...
14/08/2026

Sri Lankan Sojourn....So we headed north, towards the Gulf of Mannar, passing vast stretches of saltflats, shimmering silver in the light of the setting sun. Our first night's halt came as a heavenly surprise and was a treat of a place. Taru Villas Wilpattu is a beautifully secluded, small, eco-hotel, set amidst the wild landscapes surrounding Wilpattu National Park. Designed to blend effortlessly with its natural surroundings, it offers an intimate escape where contemporary comfort meets the untamed beauty of the wilderness. Surrounded by dense forest, ancient trees and abundant birdlife, the staff are a delight, and a profound sense of peace and privacy pervades. The 7 beautiful villas combine understated sophistication with rustic style and simplicity. Dine on the lakeside pontoon, chill by the pool, or relax in your very own plunge pool. We were even graced by an aliya (elephant) wandering past our villa before dinner! Taru Villuu is a wild and wonderful little gem!

We went out on one our best ever game drives in wonderfully unexploited
Wilpattu National Park, abutting the Gulf of Mannar, on Sri Lanka's north-west coast. It is in the semi-arid zone, is Sri Lanka’s largest park, and is renowned for its beautiful landscapes, dense forests, scrub jungle and unique natural lakes known as villus. The biodiversity is immense and we spent wonderful moments watching leopards playing, water monitors feeding, crocs and soft shell turtles basking, Adjutant Storks strutting their stuff amidst the lotus ponds and grasslands, and Fish Eagles waiting for lunch! A truly restorative time..... listening, observing and immersing in the great outdoors.

Thank you .taruvillas


MAhout





Sri Lankan Sojourn......so we finally return to the 'island of serendipity' / the 'teardrop isle', after far too long a ...
13/08/2026

Sri Lankan Sojourn......so we finally return to the 'island of serendipity' / the 'teardrop isle', after far too long a gap. A long day's travel, via Chennai was long but all very easy and we raced through Colombo airport into the welcoming arms of our lovely driver and expert guide, Roshan. What a treat to see him again and we know the next 3 weeks of hard travel will be made all the more enjoyable thanks to his immaculate planning and hugely engaging conversation, along with all the help provided by our amazing ground team.

We jumped straight in with 2 site visits fresh from the plane! We had a truly scrumptious lunch at heavenly Notary's House..... a stunning lakeside location, delightful staff and excellent bedrooms; before heading to equally wonderful Uga Riva....sitting in pretty gardens and with super rooms. Both are tiny; exude style, peace and calm; and would make the ideal start or end to a Sri Lankan holiday, being no more than an hour from the airport.

Bliss to be back! 🇱🇰 Watch this space for daily updates on our travels.



Manor House Concepts

MAhout







23/05/2026

Back in our happy place at Ambalama. Babe in fine form after a fab Saturday lunch on the beach!

Indian Odyssey.... as we head home from our magical month in the motherland, I leave you with some faces of India. Thei...
14/04/2026

Indian Odyssey.... as we head home from our magical month in the motherland, I leave you with some faces of India. Their welcoming smiles say it all....come to India and be embraced...immerse, learn and slow down! We've had a fantastic, inspirational time in Rajasthan, the eastern states of Odisha (Orissa) and Bengal, and the glorious Himalayan foothills.

Thank you to all our friends and colleagues, to all those who looked after us and made it happen.....we can't wait to return.

MAhout





























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