Taru Villas Villu

Taru Villas Villu sits just outside the entrance of Wilpattu National Park, Sri Lanka’s largest national reserve. The park is known for its natural villus – rain-fed lakes that draw Sri Lankan leopards, sloths, Asian elephants, spotted deer, mugger crocodiles and migratory birds, including painted storks and Asian openbills.

Seven detached chalets are spread across its leafy grounds, each with a private plunge pool and timber deck that faces the jungle. Two superior rooms have garden-facing terraces with floor-to-ceiling glass doors that slide open to the trees and shifting light. Nature comes into the rooms through the use of materials like teak, rattan and linens in muted tones.

From Taru Villas, you can take a jeep safari directly into Wilpattu’s forest and open lakeland plains. You will head out with your private guide to track leopards and pause at waterholes frequented by buffalo and wading birds. Between drives, there is time to swim in the infinity pool or enjoy a treatment in the wellness centre.

The Taru restaurant serves Sri Lankan and international dishes, drawing on regional seafood, rice, spices and fresh produce. In the evenings, the gardens are lit by lanterns and the sounds of the surrounding forest soundtrack your dinner.