In 2025, we launched "Win a Trip to Sri Lanka" campaign, giving our lucky winners the opportunity to visit the home of Dilmah tea and experience the beauty, culture, and tea heritage of Sri Lanka firsthand. As a way of saying thank you to the customers who have supported us over the years, we created a once-in-a-lifetime journey filled with unforgettable memories. In this story, Kathryn Molloy - one of our winners shares her experiences, favourite moments, and reflections from this extraordinary adventure.
We are one of the winners from last year's Dilmah Tea competition and we have just returned from an amazing and unforgettable trip to Sri Lanka.
From the luxurious Wild Coast Tented Village in Yala National Park, on the shores of the rugged south coast, where we went on safaris and watched a family of elephants cross the road right in front of us and spotted a leopard, to the special high teas and exceptional meals, to the stunning Ceylon Tea Trails, with the beautiful gardens and scenery.
It was like a genteel journey into the colonial past and we were made to feel very much at home. We gained a whole new appreciation and understanding of tea on the Tea Factory Tour and we learnt about the huge effort that goes into making the end product. We enjoyed sampling different teas and now we have a few new favourites. We also enjoyed the high tea and the meals from the Michelin restaurant were, as you would expect, superb.
We extended our trip for 8 days, exploring the south coast, staying in Hiriketiya, Mirissa, Galle and Hikkaduwa before heading home.
What we remember most is the warmth of the Sri Lankan people, the wildlife, the complex history and colonial influence, the delicious food and the chaotic driving that somehow always worked.
Thank you to Dilmah and Singapore Airlines for making it possible. We return home with wonderful memories of a beautiful country and we would love to return.
Mr Miles & Ms Kathryn Molloy
New Zealand
