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Perfect Itinerary: Discovering Sri Lanka
Fred Poe, who founded Little Rock, Ark.-based Poe Travel in 1961, designed a five-night itinerary to Sri Lanka, a destination he has visited a dozen times. “The Isle of Serendib is a place where in a remarkably small area, an astonishing kaleidoscope of climates, scenes, wildlife, ancient art and world-class beaches can be found,” said Poe. Day 1 Clients are met by their guide at Colombo Airport and driven to the Cultural Triangle in central Sri Lanka. During the drive, they visit Sigiriya, a former fortress set atop a giant rocky outcropping above the jungle. The site is famous for its magnificent ancient paintings. Clients stay at the Elephant Corridor, designed by architect Sir Geoffrey Bawa. Clients dine that evening at the hotel restaurant. Day 2 Clients embark for a full day of sightseeing at the ancient, deserted cities of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa. They return to the Elephant Corridor for a treatment at the hotel's Ayurvedic and wellness spa, followed by dinner at the hotel. Day 3 Travelers are driven to Kandy to see the Temple of the Tooth, one of Buddhism's holiest sites. They enjoy a light lunch at the cafe of the Queen's Hotel, a favorite of Leonard Woolf, the writer Virginia Woolf's husband. Travelers continue into the mountains to the hill station of Nurawa Eliya, which is set among miles of rippling tea plantations and truck gardens. Lodging, by special arrangement, is at the baronial Hill Club, a bastion for the tea growing aristocracy. They dine at the property's club for a formal dinner. Day 4 Clients spend the morning enjoying the grounds of the Hill Club before departing for Colombo. En route, they visit the famed Elephant Orphanage at Pinnawela by feeding time to watch elephants cavort in the river below. Travelers proceed to Mount Lavinia, one of Colombo's poshest beach neighborhoods, for a swim, dinner and an overnight stay at the 100-year-old Mount Lavinia Hotel, a favorite of British actor and playwright Noel Coward. Day 5 The day is spent sightseeing in Colombo, visiting the city's elegant Cinnamon Gardens quarter, the National Museum, the Old Dutch areas and maybe some gem and jewelry shops. The site for lunch is Barefoot, a contemporary cafe-cum-shop in what is, in essence, an artisans' cooperative. Travelers check into the Colombo Hilton with its pretty grounds and pool. They dine at the hotel's Sri Lankan al fresco restaurant set amid the gardens. The Perfect Itinerary is an example of an itinerary an agent crafted his or herself, not available anywhere else, but can be duplicated by other agents to sell to their clients.
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