Weligama Bay Marriott Resort & Spa
Experience Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy
Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy is a program that offers meaningful travel, allowing you the opportunity to create a positive impact as you explore and build deeper connections in local communities when you stay in our hotels.
With over 100 curated experiences, the program focuses on three pillars – Environmental Protection, Community Engagement, and Marine Conservation.
Discover how you can contribute meaningfully to support Community Engagement with us at Weligama Bay Marriott Resort & Spa.
The Lost Voice of the Tea Plantation Workers
Explore the Traditions of Ceylon Tea: Why it Matters
While most large-scale tea plantations receive recognition, the beautiful stories and age-old traditions of smaller plantations are often overshadowed.
Handunugoda Tea Estate, which sits at a low elevation of 100 feet above sea level in Sri Lanka, is arguably the lowest estate in the world. Surrounded by a lush forest, the estate continues to use centuries-old machinery and is best known for producing ‘virgin white tea’ – a tea inspired by the ancient Chinese tradition of cutting the leaves from the plant with golden scissors which then remain untouched by humans until they reach the teacup.
Handunugoda Tea Estate
Explore the Traditions of Ceylon Tea: Why it Matters
The Lost Voice of the Tea Plantation Workers
While most large-scale tea plantations receive recognition, the beautiful stories and age-old traditions of smaller plantations are often overshadowed.
Handunugoda Tea Estate, which sits at a low elevation of 100 feet above sea level in Sri Lanka, is arguably the lowest estate in the world. Surrounded by a lush forest, the estate continues to use centuries-old machinery and is best known for producing ‘virgin white tea’ – a tea inspired by the ancient Chinese tradition of cutting the leaves from the plant with golden scissors which then remain untouched by humans until they reach the teacup.
Explore Traditions of Ceylon Tea: The Experience
Experience the Only Tea Estate on the Coastal Belt of Sri Lanka and Learn How it
In partnership with the Handunugoda Tea Estate, guests will experience the age-old traditions used in producing Ceylon’s finest tea. White tea plucking is not generally accessible to the public, this is an opportunity for guests to experience the tradition from tea pluckers first-hand. The Herman Virgin White Tea picked at Handunugoda is currently only available at the Mariage Frères International tea salon in Paris.
The experience involves:
- A scenic walk through the Handunugoda Tea Estate
- A meaningful exchange with the tea pluckers to learn about their work and the traditions of Ceylon tea
- A lesson on the intricate art of teamaking, including making a cup of Ceylon tea
- A Ceylon tea tasting
Guests can explore the scenic Handunugoda Tea Estate as they stroll through acres of lush tea bushes before heading back to the antique tea factory to learn how this tea is collected, dried, withered, and processed before making its way to the cup.
Explore the Traditions of Ceylon Tea: The Impact
Supporting Tea Farmers
By working closely with the Handunugoda Estate, Weligama Bay Marriott Resort & Spa ensures that a portion of profits made from this experience reaches the community of the estate and enhances their quality of life.
Funds raised so far have improved the estate’s English learning center – enabling less privileged children of the village to access opportunities they wouldn’t have previously had.
