ELLE.COM/UK April 2020l ORE
2O7THE RESTING PL ACE
Hiriketiya Beach
Our final destination is a small surf
bay surrounded by coconut trees,
complete with a sandy beach break
for beginners like me. Boards can be
hired at the water’s edge for just a few
pounds and bronzed bodies with
salt-tangled, sun-streaked hair dot in
and out of the water all day. We started
with a coffee hit at The Grove Lanka, run
by a couple from Byron Bay, Australia,
who serve breakfast tacos and rosti eggs benedict. We
meet some friends, who are also visiting the island, and all
check in at the secluded Saffron House (from £4OO per
night B&B, saffronhousevilla.com). With three acres of
beautiful tropical gardens, this luxe four-bedroom villa
comes with a chef (result!) and is just a short stumble from
the bay. Rooms are painted brilliant white, have polished
concrete floors and are dotted with fresh flowers. Our final
days are spent taking surfing lessons at sunrise, lazing on
the veranda and jumping in and out of the house’s infinity
pool. A Christmas cracker? You bet.GE T T ING THERE Sri Lankan Airways offers direct flights
(11 hours) to Colombo from £6OO in off-peak season. We booked
a driver for the trip, Silva (+94776 4O9661) for £35 per dayhammocks. (The couple’s impeccable interiors aesthetic will
have you filling your house with wicker and linen sheets when
you get home.) We enjoyed breakfasts of berries, coconut
yogurt and homemade granola, before walking a few minutes
to a secluded beach cove for a morning swim. For lunch, we
head to Ceylon Sliders down the road in Weligama to try their
house smoothie, the Salty Island, made with coconut, peanut
and treacle (sounds weird, but tastes wonderful), paired with
avocado toast. We also buy surf souvenirs in their chic boutique.
Those less lazy than us may like to try a yoga class, which are
held at dawn and dusk on the rooftop, with beautiful beach
views. Dinner, meanwhile, comes in the form of fish tacos
and margaritas at Cantina Lanka, a diddy joint that wouldn’t
look out of place in trendy east London. Their philosophy:
life is too short for mediocre food. Can’t argue with that.” D AY S A R E S P E N T
TA K ING SUR F ING
L ESSONS AT
sunrise, lazing
ON THE VER ANDA
A ND JUMP ING
IN AND OUT OF
THE INFINIT Y POOL”^Elle E X P LORE
Slow motion
LEFT: GENTLE WAVES
AT HIRIKETIYA BEACH.
BELOW: THE KIP
HOTEL’S RELAXING
SWING AREAPhotography: Mark Borton and Miranda Forstmanis/The Common
Wanderer, Tom Welsh, Dushan Jayasinghe, Gett y Images.
Soft shade
ABOVE: THE PALM
HOTEL, WHERE NATURE
AND ARCHITECTURE
COLLIDE. INSET: LUXE
HIDEAWAY THE KIP