Anantara Tangalle sits above a long, almost empty stretch of the deep-south coast. The surf here is strong, the beach raw and beautiful, the kind of place where you swim in the morning pool and watch the ocean rather than fight it. Turtles come ashore to nest on the dark-sand beaches nearby.

The point of Tangalle was to slow right down. Long breakfasts, the infinity pool over the sea, a spa afternoon, and an evening curry on the terrace as the light went. We took one trip out to the Mulkirigala rock temple, caves of reclining Buddhas cut into a cliff, and otherwise stayed put.

The transfer up the coast to Anantara Kalutara took us to where the Kalu Ganga river meets the sea, the water calmer and the beach broad. The resort sits between river and ocean, designed by Geoffrey Bawa's studio, all open courtyards and water and light.

Kalutara's last full day was a boat up the Kalu Ganga into the mangroves, then back to the beach for the afternoon. The Kalutara temple's hollow stupa, painted inside with the life of the Buddha, was the one piece of sightseeing. The rest was sea, pool and a final long dinner.