Sleep in Colombo's colonial era Park Street Hotel, bed down at the immaculately restored Illuketia estate near Galle, or, if urges for the beach are simply too strong to ignore, opt for an extended stay at the Dutch colonial Beach House bungalow near Tangalle, where, amid antiques and attentive staff and a personal stretch of private beach, you can experience history and hedonism in equal, enchanting measure.

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Colonial towns, beach resorts and a year-round mild climate have contributed to a growing tourist industry, and the economy has benefited from offshore banking.

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