2O6 ELLE.COM/UK^ April 2020
THE COAST Talpe
We jump on the train at Galle and about an hour later
we’re in Talpe, where Silva meets us. The nearby
Mihiripenna Beach is one of the prettiest I’ve seen.
No big waves here, rather warm pools that are ideal
for a day of relaxation. Or three, perhaps. Be sure to spend
an afternoon catching rays at WB Villa, where bowls of
seafood spaghetti are brought straight to your sun lounger
and you can swim off your lunch in the private crystal cove.
Head for drinks and dinner at The Owl and the Pussycat
hotel’s Runcible Spoon restaurant and
bar, where the sea views are almost as
charming as the house cocktail, Arrack
Sour – made from Sri Lanka’s national
beverage (pressed from the flower of the
coconut) shaken with ice, syrup and lime.
It’s the perfect aperitif ahead of the juicy
jumbo prawns and fish thali on the menu.T HE HIPST ER HANG OU T
hangama
Just a few miles east along the coast is
this cool surfing town that’s fast becoming
Sri Lanka’s hipster hangout, with new
boutique hotel openings, including Palm Hotel and Abode
Ahangama. The sandy bays offer the most consistent – and
possibly the best – surf in the whole of Sri Lanka. We check
in at The Kip (£62 per night, thekipsrilanka.com), where
owners Phoebe and Seddy (from Australia and Italy) make
us feel immediately at home. Four airy rooms face a pretty
planted courtyard complete with rattan daybeds andElle E X P LORE
Elegant design
LEFT: BEDROOM AT
BOUTIQUE HOTEL THE
KIP. RIGHT: THE PALM
HOTEL, INSPIRED BY
ART AND TRAVEL”AHANGAMA IS
FAS T BE COMING
S R I L A N K A’S
hipster hangout,
WITH THE MOST
CONSISTENT
(and best) surf
IN T HE COUNT RY ”Buena vista
LEFT: THE PALM HOTEL.
RIGHT: THE RUNCIBLE
SPOON RESTAURANT
WITH SPECTACULAR
SEA VIEWSprivate hotel, where the day’s catches are
served. Try Poonie’s Kitchen for lunch, set
in a pretty courtyard with turquoise walls.
They serve vegan Thai salads and carrot
cake to make you weak at the knees. We
spend a few nights at Jetwing Lighthouse
(£350 per night, jetwinghotels.com), with
epic sea views and rooms designed by
celebrated Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey
Bawa. Then, we head further down the coast to Le Grand
Hotel (doubles from £106 per night B&B, legrandgalle.lk) for
a few nights of modern luxury. The hotel is a short walk from
Galle station (trains from Colombo take two hours and cost
£3) with huge rooms full of mod cons and even a hot tub on
the veranda overlooking the ocean. After a day of exploring,
there’s no better place to unwind than in the infinity pool or spa.