The Sandals

The Sandals sits on a gentle rise above Balapitiya Beach, just north of Ambalangoda on Sri Lanka’s west coast, with its garden running straight down to a rocky cove and a strip of golden sand. It is a bright, modern five-bedroom house designed by a student of Geoffrey Bawa, all white walls, marble floors and big glass doors facing the Indian Ocean. Quiet, breezy and genuinely beachfront, it suits families and groups of friends who want the sea on their doorstep, with Hikkaduwa, Galle Fort and the Madu River all within easy reach.

Outside, a fifteen-metre infinity pool runs along the front of the house towards the sea, with a broad shallow ledge where small children can splash alongside their parents. Beyond it lies a large lawn shaded by coconut palms, and a few steps further are the rocks, a natural sea pool for cooling off and a sandy patch for sunbathing. The upstairs balcony stretches the length of the villa with ocean views, and a rooftop terrace is the place to be for sunset.

Indoors, the living and dining areas are flooded with light through full-length sliding doors, furnished in whitewashed wood and soft creams, with satellite TV, books and board games to hand. Two bedrooms open onto the pool on the ground floor and three sit upstairs off the sea-view balcony; four have king beds and one has twin singles, all with air conditioning and en-suite bathrooms. A resident cook prepares Sri Lankan dishes and seafood, breakfast is included, and the house is looked after by housekeeping, a gardener and round-the-clock security.