Last House, Tangalle

For a beautiful architectural property in Sri Lanka, look no further than this beautiful place in Mahawella, near Tengalle, on the forgotten and beautiful southern coastline.

Sri Lanka's pre-eminent architect, Geoffrey Bawa, designed The Last House, and it can either be booked per room or exclusively. The house is characteristically Bawa; a wrap-around veranda encircles the house while the natural light and the beautiful views play seductively from every angle.

The rooms are spacious and designed in a simple, uncluttered, but elegant style. The first floor rooms have sea views, while the ground floor rooms are wonderfully private. The last room is raised on stilts at the back and commands a view of the lagoon behind, complete with a wonderful array of water birds such as adjutant storks, pond herons, Indian darters and many, many others.

The interiors are simple but lovely: planter’s chairs face out to sea, and rattan daybeds offer magnificent repose while whitewashed walls. Original wooden doors and a polished cement finish lend a crisp counterpoint to the Asian sculptures and temple wall hangings scattered tastefully about. The central courtyard surrounds a 10m swimming pool while a gate leads directly onto a deserted sandy beach from the shady coconut grove lawn.

The area is thinly populated and so staying here is a real experience, way off the beaten tourist and backpacker trail. There are some wonderful excursions nearby: Uda Walawe National Park, the best place in Sri Lanka for elephant spotting is just an hour and a half away. Kalametiya Bird Sanctuary and Bundalla National Park are much closer and offer some unrivalled and world-famous bird spotting opportunities, as well as being beautiful spots in their own right. Further afield, Yala is also accessible on a day trip and is one of the finest places in the world to see the elusive leopard.