Head south to slow down

There’s something therapeutic about watching ocean waves gently crash into rocks. Especially when that’s the only sound you can hear as you sip your favourite drink on a palm-fringed beach. I’m at the Peace Haven Resort, Anantara’s first luxury retreat in South Asia at Tangalle along Sri Lanka’s southern coast. I still remember my first visit to Sri Lanka a decade ago when Bentota was as far most beach bums would venture. One decade later, the Southern Expressway has changed it all.

Tangalle is no Goa or Phuket. There’s no bustling nightlife or rows of cafés; it is a laidback coastal town where a 10-kilometre drive can transport you deep into the verdant Sri Lankan countryside. There’s a quiet beach nearby and people are friendlier here than in Sri Lanka’s established tourist hubs. It’s this rustic charm and pristine beaches that are responsible for the debut of a handful of resorts like Anantara, aimed at second-time visitors to the Emerald Isle who are seeking a more personal luxury experience.

Anantara Peace Haven boasts a stunning location in Tangalle — hidden on a rocky outcrop along a secluded beach set amidst a coconut plantation.

Most rooms offer sweeping views of the Indian Ocean while the interiors connect the dots between Sri Lanka’s indigenous culture, colonial past and coastal allure.

The secluded spa is the best place to drop off into ‘Alpha state’ or even better, grab one of the larger beach chairs and count waves; discover what relaxation truly means.

The new Southern Expressway has made Sri Lanka’s Southern coast more accessible from the Colombo airport. My first stop en route to Tangalle was Galle, easily one of the country’s most charming towns and one of the largest surviving European fortifications anywhere in Asia. It’s easy to spend a whole weekend here; check into a heritage villa and meander around Galle’s historic streets — something I’ve added to my travel ‘to-do’ list.

And yet it is possible to explore Galle in one afternoon — from a picture perfect lighthouse to churches steeped in history to a charming mosque, and countless quaint cafés. I managed to cover a lot of ground and yet I wouldn’t advise you cover Galle at breakneck speed.

It’s easy to spend a whole weekend in Tangalle without venturing out of your ocean retreat but eventually I made the short trek to Mulkirigala, an ancient Buddhist temple and monastery located on a tall hillock with spectacular views. Locals call this hillock ‘little Sigiriya’; it’s not as busy as Sigiriya in the country’s northern ‘cultural triangle’. Tangalle is also the perfect base to visit the Yala Wildlife Reserve where leopard sightings are almost always in the mix. Enjoy a sundowner while the fading orb creates a new palette of colours every evening. The ultimate luxury is getting away from it all, and that’s almost a given when you’re in Tangalle.

Ashwin Rajagopalanis a Chennai-based travel and lifestyle writer