Bentota

This laid back beach town is the perfect place to conclude your trip. What started out as a small Portuguese fort at the mouth of the Bentota River, later became the location of a colonial rest house for Dutch officers. Today the town is still very much a place of rest. Walking along the vast open beach, you won’t find any bars or restaurants, only well-spaced hotels and villas. Many of these buildings were designed by Geoffrey Bawa, one of the most influential architects of the twentieth century. Bawa pioneered a style known as “tropical modernism” which is characterised by spacious living areas that seamlessly combine with the outdoors. The Cinnamon Hotel is an example of his work.

Bentota is a two hour drive from Colombo: near enough to catch a flight, but distant enough to escape the hustle and bustle of the capital.