Wild Coast Tented Lodges

Wild Coast Tented Lodge is adjacent to the Yala National Park, renowned for its dense leopard population. This spectacular luxury tented camp is situated in a stunning location where the jungle meets a pristine beach, overlooking the blue waters of the Indian Ocean. Wild Coast Tented Lodge’s unique design, masterminded by a consortium of Dutch, English and Sri Lankan designers, sees the man-made structures blending seamlessly into the surrounding landscape thanks to the use of carefully selected natural materials. The use of arched fabric structures allows each of the twenty eight cocoon tents to take on the shape and colour of the rocks and boulders that lay scattered nearby, whilst a clever layout in the shape of a leopard’s paw print alludes to the area’s most famous resident. While our main buildings, made of bamboo, blend in with the distinctive rock formations of Yala, our uniquely shaped tents, called Cocoons & Urchins, truly represent a luxury five star resort room under canvas, offering all amenities including air-conditioning. The open-air bamboo-clad Bar and Dining Pavilion – designed to mirror the boulders scattered across the golden beach beyond – wrap around the resort’s enormous free-form swimming pool. Guests can enjoy creative daily-changing menus of authentic Sri Lankan cuisine in the restaurant, as well as sundowner cocktails and picnics al fresco on the sand dunes, watching dusk settle over the Indian Ocean. The library doubles up as an educational centre where guests learn about the wildlife in the park and watch documentaries, further explained by the lodge’s expert guides.

Accommodation

Our Cocoon tents brings to mind an anchored airship. A space that travels from one place to the other and stations temporarily at one location. When it departs, it leaves no footprints. Inspiration is also drawn from the tents of historic military campaigns, especially the concept of a mobile, elaborate interior filled with specially designed, sometimes eccentric dismountable campaign furniture made for travel. The intention is to suggest an atmosphere of antique futurism, a pre-digital era with a mechanical mind frame that evokes a bygone era of luxurious travel.

The interiors fuse expedition chic with contemporary design innovations, from freestanding handmade copper bathtubs to sumptuous four-poster beds. Teak floors and canvas walls complement dark leather touches and repurposed metallic hardware for an eclectic and design-led aesthetic. Four secluded beach facing Pool Cocoons offer private plunge pools, whilst a further sixteen Cocoons, in clusters of four, are dotted around watering holes designed to attract a variety of birdlife and amphibians, which can be viewed from each Cocoon’s outdoor viewing deck. The family area Cocoons sport an adjoining twin-bedded 20m2 Urchin tent, perfect for kids and young adults, and offering privacy and space for parents and children alike.

Cocoon Pool Suite

The 55 sqm Cocoon Pool Suite boast soaring vaulted ceilings, offering jungle views from the double-height double glazed facades. A four-poster king-sized bed and a spacious bathroom is centered around a free-standing handmade copper bathtub. Its décor is a combination of expedition style and contemporary design, highlighted in natural colours and premium materials, from teak floor to dark leather details. The Cocoon Pool Suite boasts its own private plunge pool. The most exclusive rooms offered, there are only four of its kind at Wild Coast.

Cocoon Suite

The 55 sqm Cocoon Suite boast soaring vaulted ceilings, offering jungle views from the double-height double glazed facades. A four-poster king-sized bed and a spacious bathroom is centered around a free-standing handmade copper bathtub. Its décor is a combination of expedition style and contemporary design, highlighted in natural colours and premium materials, from teak floor to dark leather details. The private outdoor viewing deck overlooks a watering hole designed to attract a diverse array of fauna and flora, perfect for early morning bird-watching.  The Cocoon Suite offers a most glamorous camping experience.

Family Cocoon Suite with Urchin

We offer 8 Family Cocoon Suites, comprising a 55 sqm Cocoon and an adjoining (about 5m away) twin-bedded 20 sqm Urchin, offering privacy and space for parents and children alike.  The Urchin is enchanting for older kids, ideally aged 8 and above. Like the Cocoon the Urchin is uniquely designed to tickle the senses and trigger the imagination. The two single beds in the Urchin are even suitable for adults. An additional futon can be added for a 3rd child in the Urchin.

Location

Yala National Park is Sri Lanka’s second largest, and most visited park. Located on the southeastern tip of the country, it is bordered by the sea. The area was declared a national park in 1939 and it occupies almost 1,000 square kilometers divided into five blocks each with its own vegetation and characteristics. The park’s vegetation features forests, scrubs, grasslands, lagoons and everything in between. Although its 44 mammal species and 215 birds are all protected today, the park was originally a hunting grounds during colonial times. What made Yala famous recently is research that indicated that it may have the highest concentration of leopards in the world (although this does not necessarily correlate with exponentially more frequent sightings).

Yala is also a public, national park and appeals to both local and foreign visitors and offers a different experience to that of a South African private game reserve. Our talented team of rangers manage such parameters using their guiding prowess to track animals, avoid crowded areas and deliver an entertaining and detailed narrative – from the smallest critters, flowers, and birds, to the larger, more celebrated species – to deliver a world-class wilderness experience.

Dining

Two Dome-shaped pavilions house the Ten Tuskers bar, restaurant and library, crafted from a woven grid shell bamboo structure clad in reclaimed teak shingles. Large, arched openings and high vaulted ceilings create a strong sense of space and welcome ocean breezes. The pool winds itself between the restaurant and the bar, which are connected by a bridge.

The Ten Tuskers bar serves an array of signature cocktails with local ingredients. The restaurant features gourmet safari cuisine with a Sri Lankan flair. Or dine romantically in our beautiful natural beach garden under a star-studded night sky.

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