Juliet Coombe always loves a deal and so booked a deluxe price weekend at Calamansi Cove Villas and was enchanted by the curated interiors and range of exciting new experiences.

Travellers who have taken up this wonderful August deal are already talking about the stunning new dining room features with its spectacular Calamansi leaf art installation piece, created by a master craftsman from the area, celebrating the sweet orange fruit that the villas are named after. This incredible Calamansi leaf art installation piece has been created by Sanjaya Gikiyanage, and designed by Janaka de Silva, and is just one of many beautiful new things to see at this exclusive resort with its gorgeous interiors and private garden villas. This iconic metal artwork was produced over several months by hand, leaf by leaf from battered copper and brass with over 4,000 leaves latched together splashing reflections all over the tropical open fine-dining room looking over the Indian Ocean.

To celebrate the make over, the chef has created an array of exciting novel and delicious new dishes for the Tangerine Restaurant menu in which the Calamansi sculptured light holds court. These include seared-peppered tuna, caught fresh from the cove by the fishermen, every day, and a mouthwatering new chili coconut ice cream produced from the coconut trees lining the azure pool, where you can enjoy their signature cocktails as the sun sets. The people of the area are also experts in the art of cooking fish dishes like amble thyala, which uses lots of black pepper and cinnamon grown all around the cove. You can learn how to cook the authentic local fish dish on cinnamon leaves with the black paste and salt, and curry leaves sprinkled on top in a low flame. Healthy cooking is like the lifestyle slow, spicy and is always fun to make. On top of that the hotel chef explains that it is excellent high-energy food made from tuna fish. For the truly adventurous or more-healthy minded, they have also created their own version of avocado ice cream and are now doing coastal cooking classes for foodies who love tropical delights.

Whether you want to chill out on villa terraces or in your private villa garden, watching the sunset, or playing beach volley ball with the staff, or even jumping the Calamansi Cove rocks, there are so many new exciting activities planned including yoga on the beach or in the garden – with a special tour in October for those who want to have a mindfulness week, and art tour of Ambalangoda. A half-day trip that includes the buzzy Ambalangoda market, and learning how to create coconut oil the traditional way with a bullock pulling the turning wheel, and then after a quick drink stop at the coconut stall, disappearing along a side street to see textiles being spun on old wooden hand looms. This is by far my favourite part of the tour watching the woven material appear on the handloom in beautiful tropical colours, and then see how talented the mask makers are like Sumit, who creates masterpieces out of a simple log of wood. Of course the kids love learning how to pull strings with life size puppets being tailored for by Nalin Gamvari, watch batik art pieces appearing like magic from the wax, acrylic paintings, fabric designs in old and new styles, quirky sculptures, even metal expressionist’s and so much more if you have the time to really explore this artisan haven of over a hundred creative families.

All this and so many other things can be enjoyed this August like beach volley ball and fishing at a stunning inspirational property that celebrates great food for the mind, body and soul, and curated tours of the area that really connect you with the island people, in a relaxed already much loved coastal location. A place that is geographically stunning with a wonderful natural harbour and the fascinating temple of Brahakmana Watta village, which I am told is well over a hundred years old. There are more than 620 families living in this idyllic spot and many of them have mythical stories around Ravanna and so no day is dull in this coastal villa paradise.

Source : http://www.dailynews.lk/2018/08/10/tc/159266/calamansi-cove-villas-reopens-splash