Weekend Escapes

7-MIN READ7-MIN

Published: 12:00am, 6 Oct 2006

Much as the tourism types may bang on about Hong Kong being Asia's World City, the temptations beyond the confines of the SAR are legion, whether it's Bali's verdant vistas, the bravura that is Seoul or Colombo's newfound chic. The Airport Express departs Central every 12 minutes, and on the train you might just have time to book a hotel room from your BlackBerry before shutting it down for the holidays.

Colombo, Sri Lanka

Of course, no one ever actually says 'serendipity' in day-to-day conversation, but it does seem to have a knack of happening here, whether you're out shopping, thwacking balls about the place or simply chilling in the capital of the ancient isle of Serendip.

Sleep Colombo's premier man about town, Shanth Fernando, has turned the former prime minister's residence into a ten-room boutique hotel, named Tintagel after King Arthur's legendary castle in England. The hotel, in Rosmead Place, is due to open at the end of the year. E-mail [email protected], or call 94 7777 23287 for details.

Shop Relaxed yet inspiring, Elephant Walk (61 Ward Place, tel: 94 11 269 1056) is a cornucopia of locally made homeware and gifts. There's a cafe attached, so you can congratulate yourself on your purchases over a cup of coffee. EW is more like a house than a shop, so bedroom stuff is laid out in the bedroom, kitchenware in the kitchen, and so on.

Spa Balinese massage? Mud treatment? Universal Energizing Therapy? Until the much-touted spa in the Galle Face Hotel's Regency wing opens, Sanctuary (47/1 Jawatte Road, tel: 94 11 250 1269) remains the only international spa in the city.

Swing More than a century old, the Royal Colombo (tel: 94 11 269 1401; royalcolombogolf.lk) blends history with excellent golf 20 minutes' drive from the city centre. Green fees cost from 2,500 rupees (HK$190) a day.