The Canopy

The Canopy is a whitewashed, colonial-style bungalow set into a green hillside near Weligama on Sri Lanka’s south coast, with terracotta roof tiles, deep-green shutters and a wide pillared veranda looking out over a valley of palms and forest. It is a small, private home rather than a big house, with two king suites for up to five guests, so it suits couples travelling together, small families or a few friends who want a quiet base among the trees within easy reach of Weligama’s surf beach, Mirissa and Galle Fort.

Outdoors, an infinity-edge pool sits at the front of the lawn and appears to spill straight into the treetops, with sun loungers on the grass and pathways winding through flowering gardens of heliconia and ginger. The covered veranda is the heart of daily life here, with rattan armchairs, ceiling fans and a long dining table where breakfasts linger and evenings are spent listening to the forest. At dusk the house and pool are softly lit, and the whole garden takes on a lovely glow.

Inside, the rooms are bright and characterful, with high ceilings, patterned floors, botanical wall murals, built-in bookshelves and arched joinery painted in soft sage. The kitchen has warm timber cabinetry, a range cooker and plenty of shelf space, and a chef can be arranged for in-villa meals. Both bedrooms have king-size four-poster beds draped in white nets, air conditioning and their own bathrooms, and the house has three bathrooms in all, with daily housekeeping and security looking after the property.