Villa Ahasa

Villa Ahasa sits right on the beach at Talpe, on Sri Lanka’s south coast between Galle and Koggala, with a lawn that runs from the house straight down to the sand and the Indian Ocean filling the view. It is a gracious, whitewashed two-storey home of wide verandas, louvred doors and tropical gardens, set on a generous plot of more than 1,800 square metres. Three bedrooms and a warm, attentive team make it a lovely choice for families and couples travelling together who want a calm base within easy reach of Galle Fort.

Days are spent around a long swimming pool that stretches across the lawn towards the sea, with a broad deck of sunloungers and big umbrellas alongside. The house is arranged around a leafy courtyard, and the clipped gardens give children room to play and are well suited to morning yoga. Step from the pool onto the beach for a swim, best in the early morning or late afternoon, and stay for the sunsets, which you can watch from the terrace with an arrack cocktail in hand.

The main terrace leads into a curated living room filled with collected art, antiques and deep sofas, with a library of books and DVDs for slow afternoons. Meals are served in a traditional open-sided ambalama pavilion facing the ocean. The upstairs master suite has a canopy king bed, a veranda and a bathroom with a bathtub, and connects to a second bedroom with twin beds that can be joined as a king; the third bedroom is on the ground floor with its own outdoor shower. Every bedroom is air-conditioned with an en-suite bathroom, breakfast is included daily, and a chef can cook other meals on request.