“The war and 2004 tsunami conspired to keep tourists away for years, but the advent of peace combined with a wealth of affordable boutique hotels and cultural riches has piqued the interest of style-seekers around the world,” the report said.

The writer says, the first sight that greets us at capital Colombo's Bandaranaike International Airport is memorable. Instead of the haul of whisky and cigarettes you find in most duty-free stores, here it's all about whitegoods, with stacks of microwaves, fridges and washing machines lining the path to customs. So far, so intriguing.

Surely the quickest way to make a destination a must-visit is to utter the word "undiscovered" the mere whisper of off-the-radar has travellers racing for the latest hot spot. We've lapped up Laos, pored over Cambodia and now we want the next big thing, the news.com.au writer said.

“Enter Sri Lanka, a laid-back island nation lolling off the southern tip of India, which, for now at least, remains blissfully untapped,” the writer added.

For full report please visit:

http://www.news.com.au/travel/world/boutique-break-in-stylish-sri-lanka/story-e6frfqb9-1226302619456