Pasikuda

Pasikuda’s gently curving bay is protected by an offshore reef, creating warm, shallow water that stays waist-deep far out from the shore. In season it is one of the calmest places to swim in Sri Lanka, and the pale sand, swaying palms and soft turquoise light make it an easy place to slow down completely.

A day here asks very little of you. Mornings might start with a swim before breakfast, when the bay is mirror-still, followed by a kayak or a snorkel over the reef in the clear water. Afternoons are for the pool, a massage or a book in the shade, and evenings for a seafood dinner by the water as the sky turns pink over the bay.

A string of contemporary beach resorts sits along the sand, while neighbouring Kalkudah offers quieter, wilder stretches of coastline. For a change of scene, the town of Batticaloa, around an hour south, has a Dutch fort, a vast lagoon and colourful Hindu kovils, and the surrounding countryside is dotted with paddy fields and fishing villages that see few visitors.

Pasikuda pairs naturally with the Cultural Triangle, a few hours inland, and with Trincomalee further up the coast. It is a particularly good choice for families and honeymooners travelling between May and September, when the west and south coasts are wetter.