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Uga Chena Huts sits between Yala National Park and the Indian Ocean at Palatupana, near Tissamaharama on Sri Lanka's deep south coast. The name comes from chena, the small jungle clearings that farmers here have cultivated for centuries, sleeping in simple huts beside their crops to keep elephants away. The huts at this property are rather more comfortable: eighteen private cabins spread across nine acres (3.6 hectares) of scrub jungle and dune, a few minutes from the park entrance and a short walk from the beach.
Every cabin at Chena Huts is the same type, so there is one name to choose when you book.
Because every cabin is the same, there is no need to choose between categories; if you are travelling as a group or family that needs two cabins close together, mention it when you book.
Basses Restaurant is the main dining room. Sundowner Beach Bar looks out over the dunes towards the ocean, and The Bar serves drinks beside the main pool, which is 22 metres long. Staff can also arrange a Sri Lankan cooking masterclass and a curd-making demonstration.
Beyond the pool, there is a spa offering treatments inspired by the surrounding landscape. Electric buggies carry guests around the grounds, and the resort provides 24-hour assistance and laundry.
Yala National Park is on the doorstep: Block 1, the most visited sector of the park and entered at Palatupana, is about 12 kilometres away, and Block 5 about 20 kilometres. The resort runs daily jeep safaris into Yala and can arrange safaris further afield at Bundala National Park, around 34 kilometres away and one of the country's best wetlands for birdwatching, and at Udawalawe National Park, known for its elephant herds. Closer to home there are guided bush walks, beach walks and a sundowner drive, and a Junior Ranger programme keeps children occupied.
Amaduwa Beach is around 7 kilometres from the resort and the fishing village of Kirinda, with its rock-top temple, about 13 kilometres. The sacred Kataragama temple, a pilgrimage site for Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims alike, lies about 42 kilometres inland, and the ancient rock monastery of Sithulpawwa is about 40 kilometres away. In Tissamaharama the great stupa and the old reservoir of Tissa Wewa make a good stop on the way in or out.
Chena Huts is roughly 315 kilometres from Bandaranaike International Airport near Colombo, a drive of around five to six hours by the Southern Expressway and the coast road through Hambantota and Tissamaharama. The final stretch is a dedicated access road off the main Tissamaharama to Yala road. A private transfer from Colombo airport to Chena Huts is the simplest way to arrive, since public transport does not reach the resort.
With only eighteen cabins, the resort suits couples and families who want a quiet, comfortable base for wildlife watching rather than a large beach hotel. It works best for a stay of two or three nights, long enough to fit in both a morning and an afternoon safari in Yala, a visit to Bundala and some time on the beach. For more choice in the area see our places to stay in Yala, or the other Uga Resorts hotels around the island.
From the moment we arrived, Uga Chena Huts delivered a level of service we've never experienced before. The food was exceptional, the setting is stunning, and the cocktails made by Sathish were outstanding. A special thank you to…
Himesh was fantastic. Great guide. Food amazing, lovely accommodation.
Fantastic stay, Himesh was the most amazing guide and made us feel most welcome and well looked after. Resort facilities brilliant and food the best on the island.
Ratings and reviews provided by TripAdvisor for Uga Chena Huts.
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