Wattura Resort and Spa

Sandwiched between a sunset-facing beach and the Gin Oya river, this resort near Negombo pulls off the rare trick of feeling genuinely remote while sitting an hour from Colombo. The architecture runs in Sri Lanka's tropical modernist tradition, polished concrete beside richly figured wood. Suites start at 800 square feet and climb through plunge pools and jacuzzis to a rooftop infinity pool. Whale-watching and rainforest walks round out the program.