Waves Of Contentment

SRI LANKA's South is a wonder to discover. But imagine finding the best Italian food on our side of the equator?

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There is a particular quality to the light on Sri Lanka's deep south. Gold and unfiltered, it shimmers through fronds of coconut palms so tall they seem to be consulting the clouds. It glints off the water of the Indian Ocean, calling to surfers and other thalassophiles. And hence we flock to the ends of the island nation – to the sun-soaked towns of Mirissa and Weligama. To the historic Colonial fort of Galle, or the quieter Ahangama or Bentota. Hipsters in the know will find themselves on Hirikiteya Beach, and, while we've done all of the above, we have a new suggestion for you. Consider the undeniably scenic Tangalle, which is just about three hours away from Bandaranaike International Airport and within easy driving distance of the other Southern hotspots mentioned. Not that you'd ever leave. This lush hidden gem will give you something that's more precious than gold – it will give you peace of mind.

Tangalle hasn't been sanded smooth for tourists. It runs a bit wilder. The town itself is salt-bitten and real, the kind of place where fishermen still launch out into the waves before dawn and the market is actually for people who live here. The surrounding areas are overrun with green and blue – nature and water. It's a bit like what Goa used to be decades ago, when you could actually walk down the Baga strip to the beach and spend a sleepy afternoon in little shacks. Between December and April, blue whales surface in the feeding grounds off Dondra Head, the southernmost tip of Sri Lanka, a short boat ride away.