Beruwela Holidays

If you’re looking for an authentic beach escape in Sri Lanka, Beruwala is it. Just north of Bentota, it’s a plum spot for serious beach lovers, thanks to its winning combination of sun, sea and sand. The beach is something else – imagine soft, biscuit-coloured sand that feels like warm talcum powder underfoot.

When you fancy swapping the scenery for a taste of authentic Sri Lankan food, tuck in to a spicy prawn korma or fish curry at one of the cheap and cheerful cafés edging the sands. Follow it with a sticky rice pudding drizzled in sweet palm treacle. And as a fitting finale, order a glass of the locally made firewater, arrack, which is fermented from the sap of the coconut palms swaying above you.

While you’re here, take time to visit Aluthgama. Squeezed between Beruwala and Bentota, this vibrant little town brims with fascinating food, souvenir and sari stalls. It also boasts a lively seafood market where fishermen offload the morning’s catch from outrigger canoes. Or, if you fancy staying put, you can take a boat over to Barberyn Island, which floats off Beruwala’s shore. A 19th-century lighthouse is the big attraction here.