Waikkal Holidays

Waikkal’s a peaceful village planted on Sri Lanka’s western coast, which is coated with golden-sand beaches broken up only by the winding, man-made canals. Here, most of the hotels are so close to the waterfront that you can practically roll out of bed and dunk straight into the Indian Ocean.

A 10-minute drive down the road, you’ll find the city of Negombo, which is filled with a mix of fishing huts and Instagram-worthy historic Dutch buildings. Trundle another hour south by train and you’ll hit Colombo, the capital city. Here, 19th-century architecture goes toe-to-toe with luxurious, modern shopping centres.

The water around Sri Lanka’s teeming with wildlife, so you’ll find whale-watching trips in harbours in good supply. And since Waikkal’s a stone’s throw from the coast, you’re in a great spot for hopping on a boat and getting out on the water. Humpback, sperm and killer whales are here all-year-round. But if you visit in February and March, you might be lucky enough to spot blue whales, the biggest mammals in the world.