Set on the edge of Sri Lanka’s largest national park, Taru Villas – Villu Wilpattu offers a safari experience that feels both immersive and considered. Here, the focus is not on excess, but on creating a quiet, intuitive connection with the landscape. Chairman Ashan Malalasekera shares how the property balances wilderness with comfort, and why simplicity often defines the most memorable luxury.
Wildlife and wilderness define the experience here. How do you ensure guests feel deeply connected to nature while still enjoying refined comfort?
The design does most of the work. Each chalet is built from natural materials like thatch, timber, and earth tones, so there’s no visual barrier between where you’re staying and where you are. You wake up to birdsong, not the hum of air conditioning. Your plunge pool looks out onto the forest. But the beds are excellent, the water is hot, and dinner is served properly. We don’t believe roughing it is a prerequisite for being present in nature.
The property embraces a sense of quiet luxury. What does this philosophy mean to you in a safari lodge setting?
It means the luxury isn’t the point. The place is. We’re not trying to distract you from Wilpattu with amenities. We’re trying to put you in the right frame of mind to experience it. Quiet luxury here is a cold drink waiting after a dusty game drive. It’s a boardwalk dinner lit by lanterns over the river. It’s space, stillness, and being looked after without being overwhelmed.
Dining is an important part of the guest journey. How does your culinary approach reflect the flavours and traditions of the region?
We cook what’s here. Lagoon crabs come straight from the water, with no middlemen and no cold storage. The seafood is as fresh as it gets because the fishermen are local. We do BBQ dinners on the boardwalk over the Uppu Aru River, which feels like an event but also feels entirely natural to the setting. Sri Lankan flavours, cooked simply, served in a place that makes them taste even better.
How do you tailor the experience to suit Indian travel preferences while retaining the property’s strong sense of place?
Indian guests tend to appreciate good food, warm hospitality, and family-friendly spaces, all of which we already prioritise. We’re flexible with mealtimes and happy to adjust spice levels or offer vegetarian options. But we don’t change what Villu is. The wilderness, the pace, the setting—that remains constant. Most guests come here because they want something different, not something familiar.
What kinds of experiences here tend to resonate most with Indian travellers?
The game drives, of course. Wilpattu’s leopard sightings are a major draw. But what often surprises people is how much they enjoy simply being here. The slower pace, the quiet evenings, meals outdoors with family. Indian travellers often arrive expecting a safari and leave remembering the stillness.
