Wadduwa Holidays

Nestled among coconut groves on Sri Lanka’s western shores, Wadduwa's still in touch with its fishing village roots. It’s dinky in size, spanning just a few kilometres. Within that, you won’t find much more than a long palm-backed beach and less than a dozen restaurants. And that’s the charm – holidaymakers hone in on this part of the world to turn the volume down. Plus, Colombo’s just up the coast – an hour’s train ride away.

This place is all about the beach. It’s one of the best in the region, fringed by a line-up of hundreds of palms. R’n’R is the order of the day here. And a couple of seafood joints are spread out along the treasure-coloured sand. Down towards the water, local fishermen haul in the day’s catches.

As for daytrips, you’ve got the town of Kalutara for a neighbour, where you can check out the famous temple. There’s a sacred tree nearby, too, which has already clocked up over 1,000 years. An hour’s train ride, meanwhile, will plant you in Colombo. Pettah Market is a must-see here, and there’s some serious shopping to be done at the House of Fashions department store.