This is our third visit to Jungle Tide. We just keep coming back! It feels very homely, comfortable and relaxing. My children and I are very much at home here. Travelling Sri Lanka with an 8 and 10 year old child can have its challenges, however Jungle Tide offers a great haven for the kids; plenty of lawn space, badminton, a swimming pool, chickens with eggs to collect (ask Rani), resident wildlife (monkeys, chameleons, parrots, fireflies, eagles and much more) friendly dogs that love to go on walks, plenty of board games and children’s books for quality down time. Sally & Jerry also offer western cuisine home favourites like lasagnes and apple crumbles which can be a welcome rest bite from Sri Lankan cuisine for the children. However, if you love Sri Lankan cuisine like my husband and I, Ranis food is fabulous. Her hoppers and vegetable curries were the best I have tasted in Sri Lanka. You just need to request what you’d prefer! Jungle Tide is a Homestay 35 minutes from Kandy in the Hantana tea area. The road is now sealed all the way with the exception of the final 300m to the house. Several previous reviews mentioned access issues, but know that this has largely improved since. If taking a tuk tuk from Kandy it is 1000 rupees to get here and tuk tuks make it all the way to the Homestays front door with no trouble. As it is a Homestay, the hosts work hard to make you feel at home versus wait on you like a hotel. I suggest three days as a good length of time here. Spend your first day relaxing, take a walk amongst the tea plantations and take in the incredible scenery of the Hantana area (Jerry and Sally have walk guide cards to help), play some badminton or swim, pick a book from the exceptional library, spot wild life, take in the views from the balcony and unwind. If you want to spend all your time in Kandy city, dine in Kandy restaurants each night and be located near the city hustle and bustle, Jungle Tide isn’t going to be the ideal location. Having said this, if you want the bonus of peace, serenity, nature with the capacity to visit Kandy, Jungle Tide is the perfect compromise. It is also worth noting that Jungle Tide provide three comfortable guest rooms in the main house. Each opens on to the colonial style balcony that in turn opens on to the lawn and sweeping views. As it is located in the cooler high country, AC is not required and the ceiling fans were enough. We slept very comfortably. Note that for families, there is also a more budget option called Mulberry cottage which is great value for travelling families. It has a master with double bed and a second bedroom with bunks, it’s own bathroom, kitchen and living space and is located by the stream. I highly recommend Jungle Tide to those seeking peace, happy children, good home cooking and the option to visit the sites of Kandy or nearby areas.
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