Rainforest River Edge

I went here so that I could visit the nearby tropical rainforest, Sinharaja. It is very much remote, on the edge of a rice paddy. The owner and his wife are terrific -- he leads tours of the forest (I actually went with his brother, who spotted creatures that I would have never seen), and his wife cooked a delicious meal. They couldn't have been friendlier or more helpful. My only regret is not having had the time to spend a second night there and do the night tour of the jungle.

Staying here is what ‘be like home’ really means! An exceptional experience here with the host Saman. And as an official guide, Saman provides an unforgettable adventure into the Sinharja forest.

No, everything is perfect!

I loved the peacefulness and great air quality in the place, Saman and Mesha were extremely accommodating and were excellent hosts I really felt like I was in my second home. The bungalow is clean and well insulated from insects and has all needed amenities. Saman is a great guide and Mesha is an amazing cook both very friendly and speak great English. I will really miss this place I can’t wait to come back!

I honestly have no negative comments, this was one of my best and comfortable stays ever :)

Super nice owners. Husband is great tour guide and wife is an awesome cook (especially her fried eggs). Nice view from balcony of rice fields.

Spectacular scenary, beautiful houses, friendly family taking care of it all, perfect guidance to the Rainforest, delicious food. Saman told us not only the name of the very many animals we saw but also explained us interesting things about them. He knows so much!!! He provided us with special "socks" and salt to protect us from leeches and when back in the hotel, he washed our boots himself before we realised it. So wonderful caring people! My man had problem in his back and he tool extra time so that he could do the tour without risks and didn't charge any more for the extra time. His wife Umesha cooked many different currys every evening to eat with rice. And breakfast was also delicious and different every day so that we could taste local specialities. We can absolutely recommend it!! Right now I am sitting in the terrace while watching a varan, peacoks, a fisher king and hearing the the sounds of nature. Heaven.

Beautiful location and rooms were lovely and clean. Hosts were so friendly and nothing was too much trouble. The home cooked food was the best

Nothing really. Maybe a little hot in the room but not much of an issue with the fan

Amazing place with amazing hosts. We enjoyed our stay very much. Everything was perfect - bungalow with a view, food, friendly hosts, perfect walking tour through the rainforest! We stayed at 9 different places during our trip around Sri Lanka and this one is in our top 2 together with one more place:)

Such a gorgeous place to stay in the rainforest! The hosts can also do a guided forest walk with you which was the highlight of our stay! They were so knowledgeable and the food here was INCREDIBLE!!

Amazing location , beautiful view and the rooms where really well done , with a lot of attention to detail 100 percent recommended

I had an absolutely amazing stay at Rainforest Next! The value for money is incredible—each bungalow is separate and overlooks lush rice fields that blend into the rainforest, creating a truly peaceful and immersive experience. The room itself was comfortable, with a big veranda and a cozy double bed where I fell asleep to the soothing sounds of the jungle.The couple running the place go above and beyond to make sure every guest feels at home. Even though I arrived past midnight, there was no hesitation in preparing a meal for me, which I really appreciated. The next morning, I enjoyed a delicious complimentary breakfast made exactly to my request. The portions are generous, so if you prefer smaller servings, it might be good to mention it.One of the highlights of my stay was the private rainforest tour with the owner, who is a professional guide. It was such a fun and educational experience—his ability to spot animals is just unreal! After an adventurous day, we returned to a fantastic homecooked meal that was the perfect way to end the evening.Unfortunately, I fell ill overnight, but the care and concern from the hosts made all the difference. They were genuinely worried and made sure I had everything I needed, which I truly appreciated.Overall, Rainforest Next is a hidden gem—beautiful surroundings, wonderful hospitality, and an experience you won’t forget. Highly recommend!

I literally have no complaints :)

Very sweet people and amazing surroundings.The views are so nice and you can see so many beautiful birds. The owner took us to the rainforest and we also went for the night tour. Everything was really nice!

The bathroom has a lot of traces of mold. It must be hard to fight this in a climate with high humidity (rainforest)

I had the most wonderful time at Rainforest Nest and recommend it highly to anyone seeking comfortable, peaceful accommodation run by amazingly kind and lovely people with a stunning view. The home-cooked breakfasts and dinners prepared by Umesha were amazing and so were the mango and papaya smoothies! Saman took me and my two fellow guests on a five-hour walk through the rainforest and we saw amazing wildlife. Saman was so good at spotting lizards and snakes and brave in getting up close with our cameras! It was lovely to stay in a small place with just two other guests and be so well looked after by people who really cared that their guests had a wonderful experience. The wooden cabin was private and very comfortable. I got there easily by bus from Galle and then went back to Matara afterwards by bus - Saman kindly gave me a lift in his tuk-tuk to the bus stop. Thank you Saman and Umesha I had a brilliant time!

The view is incredible, and lot of birds can be seen form the balcony of the room . The room is super nice ( but have to close the door of the bathroom to not have the smell of it ) We did a tour ; was super cool ! Saw lots of different birds & small insects & animals . Food was super good ! The family is super nice & welcoming.

Not really negative but informative; they won’t tell you themselves the prices for the food ,tour, tuktuk & extra, so don’t hesitate to ask them.

Fantastic friendly hosts. Welcoming and providing excellent food. Saman is a brilliant guide to take you into the forest with excellent knowledge of Sinharaja, birds and wildlife. Very generous with time, waiting while we swam in the jungle pool. The husband and wife team were really well organised, food was delicious, communication outstanding.

Rainforest Nest was hands down the highlight of our entire trip! The accommodation is spotlessly clean and has the most stunning view over the surrounding rice fields. On top of that, it’s just a few minutes away from the entrance to the Sinharaja Forest Reserve, which made it the perfect base for exploring the area.What really made our stay special, though, were the hosts, Saman and Umesha. They are such warm and welcoming people that we instantly felt at home. Umesha spoiled us every day with the most delicious breakfasts and dinners, all cooked with so much love. Her food was absolutely incredible, and we couldn’t wait to see what she’d prepare next!We also went on a rainforest tour with Saman, and it was unforgettable. He knows so much about the plants and animals in the forest and has an incredible eye for spotting even the tiniest creatures. He went above and beyond to make sure we didn’t miss anything—he even spent the entire next day searching for a snake we didn’t manage to see on the tour and showed it to us the morning we left. That kind of dedication and passion is so rare, and it made the whole experience even more special.We couldn’t have been happier with our stay. If you’re visiting Sinharaja, you absolutely have to stay here and take a tour with Saman. We can’t wait to come back someday!

Lovely owners, great atmosphere and good food. The beautiful small house has stunning views from the balcony. The guided tour with the owner trough the rainforest was very interesting; he sees everything and takes the time to explain. The shower has hot water.

Saman and Umesha are wonderful hosts; Saman is a very capable rainforest guide with a sharp eye and very good knowledge, and Umesha is so welcoming - they are lovely, kind people, nothing is too much trouble for them. The property was easy to get to by tuktuk from the nearest village and the comfortable room had the loveliest views over the paddy fields. The internet connection was exceptionally good!My brother in law and I thoroughly recommend Rainforest Nest and would love to return there one day!

Nothing springs to mind!

Highly recommend! The cottage has beautiful views with peacocks visible from the porch. Saman & Umesha (the hosts) are incredibly warm & welcoming people. They will go out of their way to make sure your stay is comfortable & enjoyable. I came to this cottage because I heard Saman is an excellent nature tour guide & Umesha is an excellent cook. Both I can verify are true! :) Saman went out of his way to find the animals I wanted to see (vipers, white monkey, etc.) & Umesha easily accommodated my vegetarian diet.

This was one of the best accommodations I've had in Sri Lanka. The Stuff is so friendly and we hat an awesome time with the hosts. Also, the jungle Tour with Saman was perfect. I wanted to see a snake and he did everything to find one. I can totally recommend this place!

Spent a lovely 3 nights here with Saman and his family making sure we had a great time. Bungalow was modern and well equipped with a fantastic view over rice paddy with lots of birds. We did a day time rainforest tour with Saman which was excellent and the other 2 days we walked alone in the local area with a 20k walk to a waterfall one day which was beautiful. Can highly recommend staying here to get a real feel of local Sri Lankan life.

Nothing we didn’t like.