Sri Lanka’s west coast attracts the bulk of the holidaymakers who flock to the sandy beaches of the Indian Ocean for a traditional beach holiday.

But the region offers not just traditional package hotels – many of them recently upgraded – but small, independent properties and luxury boutique properties. A mood to suit all travellers.

About one-and-a-quarter hours south of Colombo, as you cross the Kalu Ganga bridge, you have reached the point where Sri Lanka’s West Coast starts for real. You enter a region of beautiful sandy beaches and mangrove-lined lagoons, ideal for a restful beach holiday.

Watch turtles hatch at Koskoda and release juvinelle hatchlings onto a nearby deserted beach, dripping with palm trees. Snorkel or dive on Hikkaduwa's coral reef and marvel at the myriad of sealife on offer.