Holidays in Kalutara offer laid back relaxation and a generous helping of authentic Sri Lankan culture, not to mention a dash of old colonial charm. This is an up-and-coming resort with a wonderful, palm fringed beach, although the nightlife remains pretty low key, so you won't get dancing 'til dawn. What you will get is plenty of beautiful, tropical scenery and several interesting sights, like the world's only hollow Buddhist shrine and an elegant plantation mansion, rather grandly named Richmond Castle.

If you're looking for cheap holidays to Kalutara, you may be lucky. But the hotels are mostly luxury, resort-style properties, so it's not the kind of place that caters much for those on a very tight budget. Typical are the Kani Lanka Resort and the Royal Palms Beach Resort, both of which have superb facilities, including health spas. As for all inclusive holidays to Kalutara, there's the Ramada Resort, where you can top up your tan, play a couple of sets of tennis, have a work out, revitalise with a massage and round off the day with a slap-up meal in one of the hotel's two fine restaurants.

Tell people you're going to travel to Kalutara and, if they know Sri Lanka, they might mention the resort's main claim to fame – the mangosteen. A slice of this luscious purple fruit with juicy white flesh is not to be missed, particularly if it's washed down with a glass of arrack, the local fire water made from sweet, milky coconut blossom