HIKKADUWA, THE CAPITAL OF SRI LANKAN BEACH TOURISM,

has a number of hotels with strong hotel/guest bonds, but can boast visitors who have returned over 30 times in the hotel's 25 years of existence? Photographs on the walls at Coral Sands confirm this small hotel's commitment to a personal service and a happy holiday for the whole family. Equally telling is the fact that many of the staff members have been at the hotel for fifteen to twenty years. This adds enormously to the "Welcome back" feel.

This is essentially a quiet, family establishment that caters almost exclusively to the Scandinavian and German markets. There are just 30 air conditioned rooms on two floors around a swimming pool and outside bar and restaurant. Beyond that, is the beach and the sea. For longer stays, the hotel also has five self-serviced, two room apartments.

Coral Sands is happily situated in a small bay that gives the feeling of having your own private beach in the middle of Hikkaduwa's long stretch of coastline. The beach here is broad, soft and golden. An even bigger advantage over neighbouring hotels is the shallow, safe 'pool' of water that is created by the coral reef running 50 metres off-shore. This enables safe sea bathing all year round, particularly for children.

Beginners at snorkeling will find plenty to get excited about in the 'pool' or lagoon. More experienced snorkelers will enjoy the myriad tropical fish found around the reef edge, whilst qualified divers will head further out to sea to other reefs and the famous local shipwrecks. The hotel diving center is located right at the beach side, underneath the pool bar and restaurant. From here you can learn to snorkel and dive and rent out all the equipment you might need. That includes surf boards, of course, as world class surf sites are just a few minutes away. And it includes fishing equipment, as nearby both line fishing and deep sea game fishing are offered by the hotel.

At the end of the day, it is always a pleasure to return to familiar surroundings, to friends and acquaintances, to relive the highlights of that day and plan for the next. Coral Sands is just that sort of place. Come once and you may find you can't keep away!