The visionary Sun Aqua brand is delighted to announce that their first property, Sun Aqua Pasikduah officially opened its doors today following a soft launch in December 2014. One of the first five-star boutique resorts in Pasikudah Bay, Sun Aqua Pasikudah is located on the unspoilt East Coast of Sri Lanka. 35km northwest of Batticaloa, the resort will offer guests a whimsical and wonderfully colourful welcome with a chance to experience Sri Lanka’s renowned hospitality and discover its rich artistic traditions. The Sun Aqua brand is set to add a further two properties to the portfolio throughout 2015 & 2016 (both located in the Maldives) with the overall aim of attracting international travellers by offering simple luxury along with warm service, wide smiles and whole-hearted hospitality.

Property & Accommodation - Sun Aqua Pasikudah is easily accessible from Colombo and the International Airport via a 60 minute seaplane flight or a 5 hour drive through breath-taking scenery. Inspired by local architecture, Sun Aqua Pasikudah is surrounded by incredible natural beauty and a welcoming temperature year round. The boutique-designed five-star suites and villas are the highlight of this property of which there are 34 suites and 2 grand beach pavilions. Tastefully designed, each suite includes an oversized bathroom, an elevated bedroom and a lower level lounge area opening out onto breath taking views of the sea, beach and lush manicured gardens from floor to ceiling glass doors – some even have their very own plunge pools. The interior designs offer tasteful ivory and mocha with splashes of bright jewel tones, complimenting the playful nature of the Sun Aqua brand. The 2 grand beach pavilions offer more spacious surrounding for families or groups and include an infinity edge pool & 2 master bedrooms. Their position close to the crystal clear water is second to none and allows guests to walk directly from their pavilion straight out onto the pearly white beach.

Gourmet - Whether fine dining or casual sophistication is on the cards, Sun Aqua Pasikudah has a selection of sensational dining experiences to delight and surprise. Gourmet cuisine from around the world is on offer, created using home grown vegetables from the gardens to ensure that a fresh taste sensation is provided every time.  All day dining is available at ‘Latitude’, relax on the beach and enjoy the sounds and tastes of fresh food sizzling from the open kitchen of ‘Medium Rare’ or visit ‘Pavilion’ the intimate and exclusive glass enclosed wine cellar and be introduced to new wines and guided through a sophisticated tasting with one of the experienced sommeliers.  For a truly private affair, ‘In-Villa Dining & Destination Dining’ is available throughout the resort, so whether it is a table for 2 on the beach or a private boat or perhaps fresh seafood on the terrace overlooking the turquoise waters, anything is possible!

Spa & Leisure - From lounging on the sun warmed beaches or floating in the infinity pool to a massage using traditional Sri-Lankan products at the holistic Sun Spa, guests will no doubt leave feeling relaxed and rejuvenated. Boasting four treatment pavilions, a fully equipped beauty salon, hydrotherapy and wellness rituals both local and international, enjoy new realms of relaxation at Pasikudah’s Sun Spa - think rich scrubs using local ingredients such as coconut or coffee and detox herbal Udavarthanam to fragrant flower baths.

Pasikudah Bay is home to one of the longest stretches of shallow coastline in the world along with incredible coral reefs and offers the perfect setting to enjoy the numerous activities on offer at Sun Aqua Pasikudah’s water sports centre. On dry land you’ll find the Baywatch Gym, Tennis and Badminton courts too! For those wishing to explore further, Deep Sea Fishing Boats are available in addition to an experienced and multi-lingual PADI Five Star Dive Facility. The East Coast of Sri Lanka is home to some of the most incredible and undiscovered dive sites in the world with historical wrecks from the Colonial Period and WWII to beautiful reefs covered with hard and soft coral. HMS Hermes was the first purpose built aircraft carrier in the world and is now one of the world’s greatest wreck dives within easy reach from the hotel having sunk in less than an hour after an onslaught of gun fire and bombings in 1942. Other dive sites include the British Sergeant, a British ship commissioned as a tanker during WWII, Lady McCullum, a steam driven transport ship and Gladys Moller, a British transport ship located in shallow water making it an ideal introduction to wreck diving for beginners. The clear, calm waters of the bay also offer idyllic snorkelling waters with an abundance of tropical fish and exotic coral reefs.

Culture - Sun Aqua Pasikudah is surrounded by a rich array of natural and historical wonders just waiting to be discovered. With cultural attractions including Buddhist landmarks and archaeological sites such as the UNESCO heritage site of Sigiriya and ancient ruins of Polonnaruwa – it’s a perfect spot for your inner explorer! Take the chance to embrace Sri Lanka’s colourful history with an excursion to a nearby tea plantation or a Jungle Safari to Minneriya National Park, offering exciting opportunities to experience the culture and heritage of Sri Lanka.

Family - With all the exciting activities on offer on both land and sea, this property is a fun-filled base for children. Accommodation is spacious and family friendly, all villas and suites take up to 2 children under 12 and the dedicated family suites offer a loft bedroom too! Children’s menus are available at the all-day dining restaurant and essential items such as bottle warmers, baby monitors and high chairs are all on offer. A separate pool and kids club activity area for children means they can play in a safe and secure environment and babysitting services are available to allow parents to relax a little too.

Rates - Experience Travel Group (experiencetravelgroup.com, 020 7924 7133) offers 7 nights at Sun Aqua Pasikudah from £1,751 per person on a half board basis, including return flights from the UK.