With year-round sunshine and genial air, Colombo remains strikingly laid back for a capital city, helping to relax even the most stressed-out traveller. A compact and easily-explored city, Colombo offers bargain seekers an attractive range of clothing, handicrafts and jewellery in attractive surroundings. A sprinkling of excellent restaurants and intimate bars will help you while the night away.

An hour along the coast lies the town of Negombo. The broad, sandy beach now rivals all but the best on the west coast. For a convenient, value-for-money tropical holiday, there is no denying its appeal. The resort caters largely for the budget traveller but with the arrival of its first five-star hotel – The Beach – and followed by the opening of a Mark Warner watersports centre it is already stirring new investment elsewhere.

Negombo’s proximity to the airport makes it the first port of call for many tourists and ensures that it retains a relative buzz for much of the year. It also offers the chance to mix a beach holiday with forays into the country's capital.