Motorbike heaven: Sri Lanka’s laid-back and friendly southern coast

It is proving difficult to concentrate. A cocktail of adrenalin, astonishment and apprehension is leaving me intoxicated by my surroundings. Watching the road, however, should be the priority; I’m riding a motorbike in unpredictable traffic yet the sights flanking the tarmac are demanding my attention – and often receive it.

Waves are rolling in off the Indian Ocean, sending foam sliding across golden sand to the feet of tilted palm trees, where fishermen are resting. Exotic birds circle and swoop to the sea’s surface, snatch prey and glide off towards  the dense jungle. In the sky, deep pinks bleed into scorching oranges as amber rays bounce across the water.

Here, in Sri Lanka’s Southern Province, the prime tourist attraction is the provincial capital of Galle and its charming Fort precinct, which is embellished by a cluster of impressively preserved colonial buildings. Tourists to Sri Lanka tend to come only on short trips, following the well-worn path between Galle, the low-key national capital Colombo and the cool, mountainous setting of Kandy. A decade ago they  would have admired the enchanting coastline between Colombo and Galle through a bus window. Now, an expressway has cut journey times in half but it courses through a far less picturesque interior route.

To get a feel for the area, I’m venturing beyond downtown Galle, along the coast – and there is no more exhilarating way to do that than on a motorbike.