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With some of the finest beaches in the world, Bentota has become a hot destination for Europeans - E. Wolfgang Kocska
A Touch of the Raj BENTOTA, SRI LANKA FOR A VILLA OF A DIFFERENT NATURE alto-gether, one with breezy courtyards, lush gardens, staff quarters, an expansive property line, and instant access to the Indian Ocean, you’ll need to either spend a small fortune or leave the West far behind. Conjuring images of some wayward Graham Greene hero liberating himself from the rhythms of the homeland, this colonial-style villa on Sri Lanka’s southwestern coast defies you not to set up shop, redefine your personal “good life,” and perhaps even pick up the occasional odd job for MI6. Built in 1997, but embracing centuries-old local building techniques that keep each of the 6,500 square feet passively ventilated, these sprawling digs swap the hum of the swamp cooler for the methodical lapping of waves. Though the four well-proportioned bedrooms offer ample privacy, the house is organized around its public spaces, not least of which is the raised, 1,000-square-foot pavilion, with ocean views obstructed only by the swaying trunks of the surrounding palm grove. Long a favorite spot among Sri Lankans, Bentota is less commercial than Hikkaduwa, 40 miles to the south. Its pristine beaches are some of the most beautiful on the island, and one can easily skip the congestion of the coastal road down from Colombo by taking a heli-transfer directly to town. Set where the Bentota River flows into the Indian Ocean, the area offers swimming that’s as relaxing as the deep-sea fishing farther out is challenging. All manner of wildlife prowl the interior jungles of Sri Lanka. So whether you opt for a safari with the elephants and leopards that reside in nearby Uda Walawe, Yala, and Wilpattu national parks, or you instead choose to watch the crocodiles and water monitors skulk along the banks of the Bentota, the natural world, so wholly embraced by the villa, is never far off. Such is life in the pearl of the Indian Ocean. EXPECT TO PAY $400,000–$1,500,000 ACCESS A threehour drive from Colombo International Airport Attractions First-rate beaches, fishing, safaris, and yoga centers POLITICAL UPDATE The Tamil Tigers have been vying for secession for three decades, but violence is mostly contained to northeastern Sri Lanka. HOT FACTOR Hot Bentota is popular with Europeans, including former German chancellor Helmut Kohl. It’s also home to worldclass architecture, including a slew of villas by tropical modernist master Geoffrey Bawa. |
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