If you are attending the literary festival why not plan a trip to Sri Lanka around it?

Accommodation around Galle is usually tight around the Festival period and we strongly urge you to book in advance.  

On your way to Galle (from Colombo), consider taking a breather at the gardens of the Bawa brothers in Bentota or poke around the antique shops of Ambalangoda. The new highway from Colombo opened recently so getting to Galle takes half the time! If you are coming from the south, you could go whale watching off Mirissa or visit the inland temples and rainforest in the Galle hinterland.