This three-bedroom villa – its name evocatively inspired by the Rudyard Kipling poem IF – sits on the tranquil banks of lush Koggala Lake, one of Sri Lanka’s largest inland waterways. The villa sleeps up to six and thanks to a huge first-floor master suite Mandalay Lake Villa is as ideal for families and groups as it is for decadent couples looking for an indulgent and immensely private retreat.

Common areas in the villa include a ground floor lounge with satellite TV and a spacious tiled pool house with a dining table and pantry kitchen. The villa’s pool is incredibly generous and the perfect place to cool off during the hottest hours of the day. The spacious tropical lakeside garden is home to much wildlife including monitor lizards, mongoose, and electric blue kingfishers.

The villa is staffed by an efficient team including cook and backed up by an on-call management company that can assist with local transport and tours.