Luxury Travel Guide 2017

16 CORPORATE VISION / Luxury Travel Guide , Experience Sri Lanka’s unique wilderness at Diyabubula Leading Ayurvedic destination, Barberyn Resorts announces the opening of their boutique art and jungle hideaway, Diyabubula. Located in the heart of the Sri Lankan Jungle, Diyabubula is an innovative new destination designed to celebrate the wilderness of Sri Lanka and the works of its most renowned artist Laki Senanayake. Designed by the artist himself, the jungle hideaway has five individually handcrafted villas made from 100-year-old railway sleepers and locally sourced timber. Encompassing the surrounding environment, Laki uses the growing trees and running waters of Diyabubula to create living, natural accommodation so you not only see the jungle but experience it at its core. Laki’s studio is centrally located and he regularly encourages guests to join him to draw, paint and discuss the abundant wildlife that adorns the area. Diyabubula boasts a water garden which every year plays host to migratory birds who make the most of the generous food on offer and warm climate and is an ideal bird watching spot. When not taking in beauty of Diyabubula, guests can experience nature, wildlife and the mountains of Sri Lanka right on their doorstep by visiting nearby natural sites: -Rose Quartz Mountain: among the oldest and largest rocks in Southeast Asia, the seven mountains are 180 and 300 metres above sea level and date back to almost 550 million years! -Ritigala Forest Reserve: an ancient Buddhist monastery, as well as a mountain range, and a forest nature reserve with medicinal plants, ruins and rock inscriptions dating from the 1st century. -Minneriya National Park: every year between the months of July and October up to 200 wild elephants come together on the receding shores of the reservoir for the Minneriya Elephant gathering (voted as one of the sixth largest wildlife gatherings by Lonely Planet). Located in the middle of the cultural centre of Sri Lanka, Diyabubula is an ideal place from which to explore the art and architecture of the country’s world heritage sites including: the cave temple of Dambulla, the massive rock fortress of Sigiriya and the ancient city of Polonnaruwa.