Gal Oya Lodge Hotel, Sri Lanka

When you arrive somewhere to find that there is no WiFi, you have an inkling that the place is either going to be either second-rate or so good that the trappings of modern technology become superfluous and uninteresting. Google-free Gal Oya Lodge is definitely the latter.

Located down a winding, unassuming side road, Gal Oya Lodge eventually emerges like an great teak oasis in the bush. You’ll be welcomed with a fresh lime juice and a cold towel — nothing short of life-saving in the heat of this part of the island.

Everything about the lodge is as locally-sourced as possible, from the teak and mara wood furniture to the fresh produce in the restaurant. Our advice is to opt for the Sri Lankan options over the Western where possible as these were consistently delicious. Unfortunately, efforts to cultivate the lodge’s vegetable garden and banana trees are often hampered by elephants and other interfering visitors.

The lodge's friendly and attentive staff guide you from your room with torches and have a sixth sense for when you might need them.

Naturally, the lodge is all about the national park in which it resides making it imperative that their safari is a highlight. Fortunately, it absolutely is.

We recommend the picnic safari, which features a platter of drinks, wraps and mezze with a Sri Lankan twist, all rolled out on a blanket by your guides in an unbelievably romantic river setting. You can even take a dip afterwards, just look out for freshwater crocodiles!

It’s the fauna that make this place so appealing, but that also means you have to live with it. Don’t be surprised to find a frog in your sink or a lizard making a daring ascent on your mosquito net.

For those looking for something genuinely off the beaten track, Gal Oya Lodge is the mecca.