BANYAN CAMP: Owned and operated by Sohan Malalgoda
For the past 15 years Sohan has been slowly and artistically developing a remote jungle retreat made entirely with old/antique house parts (windows and doors), very old teak, ebony and iron wood logs (that will last hundreds of years) and endless odds and ends collected from all over the island. Nothing, except bathroom fixtures, is new. He has recycled old treasures from temples, one Hindu temple in its entirety (in pieces), old stone kitchen appliances and thousands of green glass bottles, while reassigning their functions (i.e. old stone kitchen grinders as steps). Only clear glass is recycled in Sri Lanka so the green glass bottles (soft drinks, wine and champagne) can be available in quantity. At Banyan Camp they are now integral parts of many walls.
There is a main lodge, a secondary lounging/eating area surrounded by a living pool, two cottages (one made with only wine bottles and another made with only champagne bottles) and a local/German slide out mobile home. He is also in the process of building several thatched huts with attached bathrooms (also made with large quantities of soft drink bottle walls).
It's all beautifully and creatively situated directly on the bank of an ancient tank (lake) constructed (dammed up) many hundreds of years ago by one of the kings for the purpose of irrigation for crops. The island-wide ancient water works here are truly a marvel - vast, extensive and incredibly well engineered even by today's standard. This tank is large and probably a mile across and almost as wide, unpopulated and home to an incredible variety of birds in vast numbers. Literally, a bird watcher's paradise. Plus a whole lot of other animals, including a wild elephant that sometimes comes visiting in the night and there are occasionally crocodiles. At night you look across the vast tank without seeing a single light on the far shore! Only the silhouette of the jungle by moonlight. Dinner is served by lamp light upon a floating raft out on the lake. It is a unique and wonderful experience. First thing in the morning I paddled a canoe out and there were just two local fishermen slowly paddling their canoes and laying their fishing nets. It could not have been more serene.
This is a special place for nature lovers who want the real experience. Very highly recommended.