Taprobane Island is the small palm-covered rock just off Weligama Beach, close enough to walk to at low tide if the sea is calm. It is private, so for most travellers it is something to look at rather than visit, but it gives the bay a distinctive centrepiece.
The villa hidden among the trees has passed through a colourful list of owners and guests. From the beach it looks almost theatrical: a little green island, a white house, and fishing boats pulled up in the foreground.