Chavakachcheri, Sri Lanka

Life in Chavakachcheri is no frills. The town's lone national school, Chavakachcheri Hindu College, was founded way back in 1904 and only achieved its current 'A' grade status in 1949. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, with the school's name and management changing hands multiple times over the decades. But the locals soldier on, with the student population now numbering in the thousands. If you're after a no-nonsense, back-to-basics experience in Sri Lanka, Chavakachcheri may be worth a look.