Honest review
A sensible script for a first Sri Lanka: a beachfront setting, Ayurveda and straightforward logistics in one place.
The Palms stands in Beruwela on the south-west coast, right on the Indian Ocean: a bay of golden sand framed by palms, a refreshing breeze around the clock, and sunsets worth claiming a sun lounger for in advance.
The Ayurvedic spa here is not decorative: the treatments draw on 3,000 years of knowledge, use herbal oils and plant-based moisturisers, and the doctors tailor them individually. Advice: if you want a result rather than one-off exotica, plan several sessions.
On food — two restaurants and two bars with different moods, from buffet to signature cuisine, all open-plan tropical spaces with a view.
The journey: 60 km from Colombo, about two hours' transfer from the airport.
For couples, honeymooners and everyone coming for the ocean, the sunsets and wellness without complicated routes.
