he air is balmy, the sky is blue. Monkeys sing in
palm trees dotted around the bay and I’m sitting
waist-high in bath-temperature, azure sea waters
with an icy mango lassi in one hand, a novel in the other.
Welcome to Christmas Day in Sri Lanka. Last year, there
was no tree, no turkey and no fighting over the final purple
Quality Street. Instead, we – me, my boyfriend and our
18 -month-old daughter – swapped it all for deserted
beaches, beetroot curries and weather that averaged
32°C, spending three weeks trailing the southern coast
of Sri Lanka (otherwise known as the Pearl of the Indian
Ocean). Needless to say, the island has far more to it than
its coastline but, keen for some R&R, we chose to leave
mountain hiking and visiting tea plantations for another trip
and aimed simply to sniff out the best beaches the country
has to offer. Be it sweeping stretches of warm sand or coves
of rolling waves lapping at surf schools and shacks selling
açai bowls, Sri Lanka has something for every kind of beach
lover – from the adventurous Kate Bosworth inBlue Crush
surfer aspirants and Attenborough-aping explorers to the
‘lie back and lose yourself in Zadie Smith’
types. Not to mention a host of chic hotels,
the best crab curry on the planet and
a slower, kinder island way of life, all at
affordable prices. And, after the shocking
terrorist attacks in April 2O19, the Foreign
Office has declared it safe to go back.
THE BEGINNING Balapitiya
On landing in Colombo, we meet our
driver Silva and head off in his Nissan to
our first stop – The River House(doubles
from £105 per night B&B, mrandmrssmith.
com).This riverside jungle hideaway, just
outside the village of Balapitiya, might just be the greatest
place on earth to recover from a long flight. Set on the banks
of the Madu Ganga river, it’s a natural paradise. With just
five rooms, this boutique hotel feels more like a decadent
villa. Bedrooms big enough to cartwheel in come with
indulgent four-poster beds, plus your own butler who will set
up coconut curries and deadly G&Ts on the private terrace.
Days are spent lounging by the pool, visiting pretty Balapitiya
beach or river kayaking, keeping watch for crocodiles.T
2O5THE CITYGalle
This historic walled fort city, right on the island’s southwestern
tip, is home to a lighthouse, a Dutch fort and boutiques worth
paying excess baggage for. You can splurge on traditional
fabrics, local art and herbal skincare at KK The Collection,
Exotic Roots, Stick No Bills Poster Gallery and Spa Ceylon.
Once you’ve worked up an appetite, head to Fort Printers” WITH SWEEPING
STRETCHES
OF WARM SAND
AND COVES OF
rolling waves,
SRI L ANKA OFFERS
A SLOWER,KINDER
island way of life”Diverse settings
ABOVE: GALLE’S
LIGHTHOUSE.
BELOW: THE RIVER
HOUSE, BALAPITIYALaidback vibe
BELOW RIGHT:
LE GRAND HOTEL,
GALLE. BELOW LEFT:
LOCAL TREASURE
POONIE’S KITCHENELLE.COM/UK April 2020Elle EXPLORE