Waikkal Holidays

Sand-swept coastlines

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.

Colombo and Negombo

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.

Whale watching territory

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.