Twenty minutes from the airport: Dutch canals, mangrove lagoons, and a seafood culture that hasn't been absorbed by resort development.

A calm beach where the Bentota River meets the southwest coast - lagoon safaris, water sports, and Geoffrey Bawa's landmark hotels.

A coral reef accessible by snorkel, resident sea turtles, and a surf and restaurant culture that earns its long-standing reputation.

A sheltered horseshoe bay with calm swimming and a reef - close enough to Galle to combine heritage and beach in one great day.

A living 17th-century Dutch fort city: cobbled streets, boutique hotels, ocean ramparts at sunset. Stay one night inside the walls.

A south coast beach facing some of the Indian Ocean's deepest water - world-class blue whale watching from December to April.

A long, gentle bay almost perfectly designed for beginner surfers. The stilt fishermen here are still the genuine article.

The east coast's surf capital with a cult-status point break. Outside season, quiet beaches and some of the island's best casual dining.

One of Asia's finest natural harbours, a clifftop temple, and uncrowded beaches at Nilaveli and Uppuveli just north of the city.

A reef-protected bay with shallow, calm water stretching hundreds of metres from shore. At its best from April to September.