Blue Parrot Beach Villa

Blue Parrot Beach Villa sits right on the sand at Ambalangoda, on Sri Lanka’s south-west coast, a quiet stretch of shore where fishing boats are pulled up on the beach and the sun sets straight over the Indian Ocean. It is a characterful two-bedroom beach house of white walls, dark timber and clay-tiled roofs, and it suits couples and small families who want the sea on the doorstep without the bustle of a resort. Next door is its sister house, Red Parrot, so two families can take both side by side.

The pool sits just behind the beach wall, with loungers along its edge and a thatched sala looking out to the water, and a few steps take you from the pool deck down to the sand. A broad covered terrace with timber pillars runs along the front of the house, with a dining table and built-in seating where breakfast and sunset suppers are served with the sound of the waves. Low stone walls keep the garden private without blocking the view.

Inside, the living room is simple and airy, with striped cushions, shelves of books and doors that open towards the sea, and there is a separate dining room and a kitchen with stone counters and timber cabinets. Both bedrooms are air-conditioned, with four-poster beds draped in mosquito nets, and the second room has a king bed plus a single for a child. Two staff look after housekeeping, and lunch and dinner can be cooked at the villa from a menu.