Saraii Village_the idea

The idea of setting up a sustainable tourism model, “Saraii” is the brainchild of Charitha Abeyratne. She was involved in building an organic Agro-Forestry business with her husband Prasanna, which inspired her to create a sustainable tourism business with an agro/eco platform.

In order to further this idea she moved to the United States and enrolled in a MBA program that focused on Global Social Sustainable Enterprise at the Colorado State University; securing a Fulbright scholarship. She made the implementation of this project a part of her MBA programme, breathing life to her idea of setting up a tourist destination that promotes sustainability, encouraging the guests to become one with nature while enjoying the simple luxuries of life.

Saraii Village is a dream, a concept, a connection and a business venture all rolled into one. We are an eco-tourism resort in the South of Sri Lanka built for responsible travelers from around the globe to experience the true essence of Sri Lankan life. It’s a return to basics and a lesson on how to enjoy simple pleasures, healthy food and sustain a lifestyle that retains a message of giving back to the community, our planet and ourselves.

Charitha named the venture, ‘Saraii’, meaning ‘the essence’, in Hebrew and true to this word, she hopes to allow tourists who visit Saraii feel the true essence of being Sri Lankan.

15 years ago this was Saraii - a barren plot

of land in the south of Sri Lanka. Dry, sunny and no shade cover. Prasanna who loves

nature, started planting hardwood and fruit

trees. Now it’s a mini jungle that sustains

Saraii.

She chose Wirawila as her project location and the first phase of the compound consisted of 2 tree houses and 2 wattle and daub ground structures with a common restaurant cum lobby area where guests can gather for meals and for relaxation.

Sara i i V i l l age i s a newcomer and we are cont inu ing to exp lore new ways to contr ibu te to the Tr ip l e Bot tom L ine - We are constant l y l earn ing be t ter ways to create a pos i t i ve change , g i ve our v i s i tors an au thent i c exper ience , ensure we re ta in the “essence” o f Sr i Lanka and what i t means to l i ve i n th i s beaut i f u l countr y .

The evolution of Saraii from barren land to lush forest.

The locationThe idea

The road to Weerawila

We recycle our waste, use solar path lighting and engage in rainwater harvesting These are just a few of the reasons which qualified us for EU Switch Asia certification.

B uild ing and runn ing a t ru l y sus ta inab le eco - tour i sm

es tab l i shment was unchar ted terra in , and tha t meant I had a great dea l o f research to do be fore dec id ing on the f i na l mode l . Dur ing the p lann ing s tages , I sought the adv i ce o f Mr Sr i l a l M i th thapa la , the Pro jec t D i rec tor o f EU - Sw i tch As ia - Green ing Sr i Lanka Hote l s (GSLH) to he lp i dent i f y i deas and concepts regard ing e f f i c i en t env i ronmenta l management tha t cou ld be used to des ign the resor t .

T hroughout the imp lementa t i on GSLH has been cr i t i ca l

suppor ters by carry ing ou t wa l k through aud i ts to ensure Sara i i s tays t rue to i t s Green ph i l osophy . Tak ing a concept f rom paper to rea l i t y i s tough w i th any i dea bu t th i s was an i dea tha t I had to de fend , an i dea tha t needed conv ic t i on j us t to ge t o f f the ground . For tunate l y I am b lessed w i th pos i t i ve peop le who saw the po tent ia l o f what I saw in Sara i i V i l l age and here we are today .

The Concept

It took a lot of work, conviction and dirt under the fingernails to get Saraii off the ground.

Our message is simple - new age travelers seek new experiences, and

travel because they want to discover something different from their stereotypical lifestyles, get away from the choreographed rhythm of their everyday humdrum lives. So we need to let them discover our country through the eyes of our people, how we see life, how we live it and do it in an unassuming, honest and simple way.

The Sr i Lankan v i l l ager i s the t rue pract i t i oner o f Green L i v i ng

and Sara i i V i l l age i s our a t tempt a t shar ing th i s concept w i th the res t o f the wor ld . A t the same t ime we are i n t roduc ing new techno logy new concepts to the v i l l age i n order to make them rea l i ze the va lue o f conserv ing , sav ing , and cu l t i va t i ng new ways to sus ta in themse l ves and the commun i t y .

Guests take part in a fishing tour to understand how the local fisherman

practice their livelihood. They can bring back the catch of the day and have the opportunity to be involved in preparing a local meal learning about local cuisine and what influences our food habits. pick vegetables from Saraii’s Organic garden to prepare a Slow Food evening meal. Saraii strives to provide the responsible traveler a truly sustainable and authentic experience.

Our culture of sharing, hospitality and traditions are unique, we need to offer the

visitor this experience, not something contrived where we try to imitate western hospitality, practices or food.

Through this we hope to not only create a novel experience of Sri Lanka but also position Sri Lanka as the unique destination it really is, not just the beauty of the location but the entire package.

The Philosophy The Philosophy

We want to package the real essence of our

beautiful country, an authentic unadulterated experience of real Sri Lanka. The evolution of Saraii will be about expanding the level of sustainable experiences we offer each visitor.

Saraii Village is a unique and quaint little hideout in the South of Sri Lanka.

The name denotes what this place stands for; showcasing The Essence of Sri Lanka to those interested in an authentic, adventurous, nature based holiday. Breathtaking landscapes, gently gliding rivers, horizons of green paddy fields, a myriad birds on the wing over a lake at sunset are just a few of the picturesque discoveries our visitors make with every second spent at Saraii.

We uphold the values of the “Slow Food” philosophy

where “good, clean and fair” food is of paramount importance, we ensure this philosophy is followed at Saraii. The produce is sourced locally, harvested in a sustainable manner, ensuring a revenue source to the community. In addition to the safari rides, lake or city tours available everywhere, the experiences offered to guests at Saraii are unique and community based.

The food is an experience where tasteful and wholesome blends

of traditional Sri Lankan cuisine are artistically fused with a wide variety western and eastern cuisine, by our versatile culinary artists to give you a fine dining “Slow Food” experience with consciousness.

The Experience The Experience

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“Every th ing ’s so na tura l and pure . Thanks to the person who got the i dea o f a t ree house ! ”

““Amaz ing Exper ience ! My ch i l dhood dream o f l i v i ng i n a t ree house come t rue ! ”

“Stay ing i n a t ree house for two n igh ts was a bucket l i s t moment ! ”

“The food was exce l l en t and the che f was ready to he lp w i th spec ia l requests f rom the

ch i l d ren . Keep up the Good Serv i ce ! ”

The Guests

“The architecture of the place is so local.If you wish to visit Sri Lanka for a local authentic experience then it is the right place.”

Tripadvisor rates Saraii among Top 10 Extraordinary Treetop hotels in the World.

Saraii Village was rated on par with Treehotel, Sweden. Chateux Dans les Abres in France and the Ariau Ama-zon Towers Hotel in Brazil.

Recognition

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Saraii is close to some of the most visited tourist destinations in Southern Sri Lanka.

Yala National Park

Bundala National Park

Kirinda Beach

SithulPawwa Caves

Rock Meditation Sites

Historical monuments

Kataragama

Yatala Temple

The best experience at Saraii comes from taking the time to enjoy the surroundings.

Here’s how

Cycling

Trekking

Nature Walks

Photography Tour

Please leave only footprints behind.

The Environment The Environment

More and more travelers are seeking out experiences that

will put them back in touch with nature, with simplicity and peace and quiet. Saraii Village offers that ultimate feeling in a Sri Lankan setting - life as we live it in the village but with comforts and facilities offered at any hotel.

Saraii is ideal for nature loving discerning consumers who appreciate and live a

low carbon lifestyle. Travelers who want to take a moment away from the pace and monotony of a time bound life and the planned stereo type holiday to get away from it all. We want every visitor to step into an aura of timeless oneness with nature and discover true peace with themselves, immerse themselves in the splendor, mystique and romance of the unknown, the thrill of discovery. That is the experience of Saraii!

One of 5 lakes in Weerawila Guests at Saraii discover the local wildlife at leisure

Prof. Sarath W. Kotagama

He is presently a Professor of Environmental Science at the University

of Colombo, Department of Zoology, and is a Senior Ornithologist, Vice President of the Ecotourism Society of Sri Lanka, and Environmentalist in the Society for Conservation Biology. He currently lectures on Environmental Science, Ecology, Sustainable Development, Ecotourism, Ornithology and other subjects.

Prof. Kotagama served as a Wetland Consultant from September 1992 to October 1992 and as a Biodiversity

Consultant from October 1994 to September 1995. He founded the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka (FOGSL), the ‘March for Conservation’, ‘The Young Zoologists Association’, ‘The Sri Lanka Environmental Foundation’, ‘The Mihikatha Foundation’, ‘The Mihikatha Institute’ and the semi-government ‘Wild LifeTrust’.

He has received the Presidential Award for contribution to environmental activities

in 2004, and was a recipient of the distinguish service award for Conservation Education from the Society for Conservation Biology (SCB) in 2003.

“From the time I met her, I can see that it got translated on the ground. And then of course it needs to be operationalised. I have seen she has the elements that are required - a good blend with the modern and the old . The most important -however authentic you want to be you have to be very clean that is very important, so the cleanliness is always there. She has been able to get into the system by studying it and getting to know it and has put it together for a time. I think the future is very good.” - Prof. Sarath Kotagama

Endorsements

“Charitha championed the cause. She’s conceptualised it from the bottom up, did it all on her own with a little help from here and there - being a woman in Sri Lanka its not easy. A lot of people have ideas but to make it happen is another thing. And as you know Sustainability is about the three P’s, People Planet and Profit. The business model is also working from what I see. The challenge is to maintain that essence. I know they are very particular about what type of manager they hire, they keep in touch everyday. So that is the energy and vitality that this small unit brings.” - Srilal Miththapala

Currently he is a Consultant at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. He is the Project

Director of the EU - SWITCH ASIA greening hotels project and is helping Sri Lanka Hotels to improve their environment and energy conservation practices.

Mr. Srilal Miththapala

He is a Wild life, Nature and Elephant enthusiast, who worked in the hospitality industry of

Sri Lanka for many years. Mr. Miththapala was the CEO of Serendib Leisure Management Ltd, one of the largest hotel chains in Sri Lanka. He is the immediate past President of the Hotels Association of Sri Lanka and is a former Board Member of the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism & Hotel Management.

Endorsements

Sanjaya Pathirage Managing Director - Sri Lanka & India

Control Union Certifications

Control Union Certifications offers you a global one-stop-shop for a wide range

of certification programs. Our certificates are accepted by authorities in nearly every country. Control Union is the largest certifications body in South Asia & South East Asia.

From the beginning, sustainability has been the main focus of our certification

services. Control Union presents a wide range of programmes in agriculture, food, feed, forest products, textiles and bio energy. Our programmes are managed in a more decentralised way, with accreditations that reduce dependency on any one authoritative body. Key programme issues are food safety, sustainability, recycling, footprint and social aspects.

“Charitha always wanted to think out of the box. She never looked at things from the angle everyone else saw things. That’s actually how she started a venture that is totally away from the city and in a place where nobody will think of starting a project”

Sanjaya Pathirage

Endorsements

“Saraii is literally an eco friendly place and they are keeping that to the letter - the mud chalets - the food they serve the location - everything is really blended in well together. I love the food there and I love the silence I love the sound of the cicadas in the evening I love the ambience I love the host I love everything about it. I think this can be expanded to other areas - this is helping nature and this is in keeping with the natural resources that are available. Sri Lanka needs these kind of entrepreneurs who have different kind of ideas who have innovative ideas.” - Rishan Seraphim

In 2012, Sri Lanka welcomed 1.04 million tourists! And is

set to achieve its 2013 target of 1.25 million tourists.

In the UK, the Association of British Tour Operators (ABTA)

finds that 17% of respondents agreed that they would pay more for a greener company and travel experience

TripAdvisor: 71% of respond-ents plan to make eco-

friendly choices in the com-ing year, up by 7 percentage points

Source: Hermione Nevill, ‘Promises and

progress: sustainable tourism and Rio +20’

(9 July 2012)

Rishan Seraphim - GuestMovie director, married to French-Belgium Film director Samy Pavel

Pavel, has had a passionate interest in Sri Lanka since he met Rishan in 1994. Rishan also operates a small restau-rant specializing in Sri Lankan cuisine, and Pavel has lately started teaching one-off acting classes

Both Rishan and Samy are fre-quent guests at Saraii and find inspiration in the setting and the message it holds.

Endorsements

Is there an end to the story of Saraii? We don’t think so - because our journey has just unfolded and Saraii is here to stay. We hope only to weave

new chapters to this story as we go on this long road to sustainable travel with the help of like-minded stakeholders and supporters of our message of responsible travel.

Saraii Village is our best example of how an entire community becomes stronger, more aware and more empowered by a business venture that makes a profit and is a win-win for all. You reach the Triple Bottom Line without question, smoothly and the transition is magical and rewarding.

You can find us here

Saraii Village

Randunu Kele Watte,

Weerawila, Hambantota District,

Sri Lanka

+94 774 227 122

+94 112 577 772

[email protected]

www.saraiivillage.com

Saraii is always connected

The End ?

“In the end, our society will be defined not only by what we create, but by what we refuse to destroy”

- John Sawhill