Just minutes away from the city of Kandy lies one of the most beautiful private estates we’ve ever seen on the island—the Victoria Golf Resort in Digana. It's the first of its kind mixed development project we've come across, and it has aged like fine wine. We were invited to spend a few nights exploring the resort as well as the lesser-known gems found in the picturesque town of Digana.
Like many of you reading, our first impressions were, "Oh, what are we gonna do in a golf resort if we don't know how to play golf?" To our pleasant surprise, we didn't have enough time to cover all the amazing things that could be done in Digana while staying at the Victoria Golf Resort.
What to Pack - Better Prepared than Sorry
The weather was extremely unpredictable during our stay, witnessing everything from a heavy tropical storm to extremely hot and dry days in Digana. This made us regret not packing a few essentials. So here’s our list after visiting the resort twice in the span of a month:
Bathers: The resort has its own pool as well as a number of waterfalls in the vicinity where you can swim. As Digana is not too much of a touristy town, we’d recommend wearing a more conservative swimsuit if visiting the waterfalls, as you might bump into some locals who might experience a slight culture shock.
Shoes & Socks: With lots of hiking paths and activities to do, it's best to pack a pair of trainers that you don't mind getting muddy.
A Jumper: At night, the temperature does drop quite a bit, and it can get quite chilly. So if you’d like to stay warm and comfy, it's best to carry a light jumper with you.
Resort Wear: As it is a golf resort and is frequented by a number of golf players, people do tend to dress up a little in the evenings when coming to the clubhouse for drinks or meals.
Golf Attire: Quite to our surprise, we learned that there was a particular attire if you wished to play golf at the course—track bottoms and a collared t-shirt (Polo - T-Shirt). Luckily, there was a golf store at the resort where we picked up a shirt for our training session.
Getting There: Digana is found in the central region of Sri Lanka, just a few kilometers north of Kandy. Drive durations to the Victoria Golf Resort are as follows:
[Insert map of Digana here]
Colombo - Digana: 156 KM (4 Hours)
Kandy - Digana: 20 KM (40 Mins)
Katunayake - Digana: 125 KM (3 Hours)
Dambulla - Digana: 75 KM (2 Hours)
Accommodation at the Victoria Golf Resort - Plenty to Choose From
The 500-acre resort has a number of accommodation options to suit your desires. Whether it's a luxurious chalet overlooking the course for a couple, the colonial villa for an entire family, or a smaller cottage, you have a variety to choose from. We stayed at both the Chalet and the T6 Villa during our stay. While the Chalet was super spacious and closer to the clubhouse, we preferred staying at the T6 Colonial Villa, which was tucked away near the 6th Tee of the course in what is the older property on the estate. What made the stay even better was having our own personal butler who looked after all our needs and even organized for our meals to be delivered from the clubhouse should we be looking for an extremely isolated stay in the cool hills of Digana.
The Meals
The resort has a variety of options when it comes to meals and, more importantly, also offers a variety of settings in which you could have your meals across the many scenic spots found across the property.
On most days, guests can choose from set menus, which come with a choice of seafood, poultry/beef, and vegetarian, or from the extensive à la carte menu, which has all the favorite resort foods one could want. Our favorites were the Sri Lankan rice & curry served for lunch as well as the Fish & Chips, which we enjoyed on a number of days.
The Activities
We spent the majority of our time at the resort exploring a number of activities the resort had on offer for its guests.
Temple Visit & Pettigala Hike
One of the main historic sites found in Digana is the Bambaragala Raja Maha Viharaya. This temple is just a 10-minute drive from the resort and does have a few steps to climb to get to the old temple. There are a few interesting stories regarding the prominence of this temple, so if you do visit, make sure to inquire with the local priest.
To the left of the old temples is the starting point of the hike to the Pettigala viewpoint. This is a definite must-do for any adventure lover, as you are treated with a phenomenal 360-degree view of Digana from atop Pettigala. This hike to the top took us 45 minutes with a few breaks to catch our breath as there were a few steep sections along the way.
If heading to Pettigala, do remember to take a few biscuits for the local fur guides that will most definitely guide you to the top.
Waterfall Excursion
The Kandy region is filled with a number of waterfalls that are less frequented by tourists and make for a great half-day outing. We had the resort organize a little picnic for us at the Kukul Oya waterfall, which was a 30-minute ride from the resort and a lovely waterfall with a large bathing pool to enjoy.
Note: Do not bathe in any of the waterfalls in Sri Lanka unless you are with a local who knows the region and the best time of year to bathe at the waterfall. Flash floods are a common occurrence in some waterfalls, and it is always best to check in advance prior to diving in.
The Mahaweli Trail
The Mahaweli Trail is a scenic trail found within the resort which takes you through the course and nearing the banks of the Mahaweli River and Victoria Dam. This trail is best enjoyed in the early hours of the morning as you can spot a number of birds all around the property and view the mist rolling over the mountains in the distance. The resort also arranged for an epic champagne breakfast for us at the top trail overlooking the Victoria Dam. This was without a doubt one of the most beautiful breakfast settings we’ve witnessed around the island.
Cycling the Course
Another great way to explore the course at your own pace is by bicycle, and the resort has a number of bicycles which one can rent at any time of day to leisurely explore the course.
Horse Riding
With a property as large as this resort, it only makes sense that they have a stable and selection of steeds to enjoy horse riding within the course. For those of you who would like to learn to ride a horse, this is a spectacular setting to do so.
Golfing
And of course, the main attraction, golf. Although we only spent half a day learning to tee-off on the course, the resort has its own pro golf trainers who can teach you how to play golf.
Conclusion
Digana is a lesser-known gem in Sri Lanka that lies outside the usual tourist trail. If you are looking to get away from the busy tourist sites and activities and surround yourself in lush greenery with all the creature comforts that come with a world-class golf resort, then the Victoria Golf Resort is definitely one worth checking out. What surprised us most was the number of things to do in the region. And while many may just want to cozy up and enjoy the cool climate of Digana, we loved our time exploring this part of Sri Lanka. Check out our entire Youtube vlog for a visual experience of our time at the Victoria Golf resort in Digana Sri Lanka
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