Luxury Passikudah Holidays

The once sleepy village of Passikudah is now emerging as a favoured holiday resort. Located on Sri Lanka's eastern coast, its long wide beach and shallow seas make it ideal for family holidays. It's the place to come for lazy days of sunbathing, swimming and snoozing on the sands. Water sports are popular too, especially snorkelling; Passikudah's clear waters are home to colourful tropical fish and coral reefs.

Just an hour's drive away, the Tamil town of Batticaloa offers a compelling insight into the history of this part of Sri Lanka. Once colonised by the Dutch as well as the Portuguese, this bustling settlement suffered during the civil war, but is rapidly being revitalised. Perched on a peninsular, it sits beside a sleepy lagoon from which, on moonlit nights, an eerie sound is said to emanate. Theories differ as to the source, but some say it is made by singing fish. Magical.