Historic Apa Villa Illuketia is one of Sri Lanka's most storied plantation houses. Just 5km from Apa Thalpe and Galle, the expansive house is almost 200 years old, a living reminder of the island's colonial past. Thouroughly modernised but retaining its ancient flavour, Illuketia boasts four suites in the main house and the two in the adjacent Pond House, overlooking a lotus lake. The property sits on 10 acres of sumptuous tropical garden and padi fields. Tea estates, Sinhalese villages and charming country lanes cluster close to the estate so be prepared for a unique cultural experience but never compromising on comfort.