We spent quite some time exploring Sri Lanka. We enjoyed the beaches very much, although we couldn’t snorkel or swim properly (very high waves). Here is a quick guide to the beaches we visited:
Galle
Galle lies on a peninsula and has a small beach on the eastern side under the lighthouse. We didn’t see many swimmers, but a lot of photographers having prewedding sessions. If you look at the picture, the beach is behind the lighthouse.
Unawatuna
The sandy bay was packed when we were there because of a muslim festival held that week. But the bars on the beach were nice, the drinks were reasonably priced and the beer was cold.
Dalawella
Probably one of the most instagrammable beaches because of the swing. Although be prepared that it’s not for free anymore 😉
Habaraduwa
This long stretch of sand is nice for walks, but in August it was very choppy and the waves kept bringing plastic from the open sea. We still enjoyed our time here, as we rented a nice villa with a private pool. As there are not many restaurants around, it is good to have a motorbike to get around.
Koggala
There’s a lake with the same name, but not far from it is the beach. Next to the hotel Fortress you can see stilt fisherman (which will charge you for taking photos). When you drive further east to Ahagama and Midigama, you’ll see more stilts and sometimes fisherman on them.
Weligama
This long wide bay is perfect for surfing beginners with steady waves. We enoyed it very much. We also did a surfing course here, how it went find out here: Learning to surf in Sri Lanka. The water is a little murky as you can see, this is due to the sandy bottom. The bay is lined with guesthouses, surf schools and restaurants.
Mirissa
Probably the most famous Sri Lankan beach. We expected a bit more if I’m totally honest, but it was still ok. With restaurants directly on the beach, sunchairs and cold beer it makes a good vacation beach. But it’s not really comparable with the pristine Thai baches for instance. There are 2 sections of the beach actually and in the middle is a small island, which is connected by a sandbank. In the evening this is a popular spot for sunset watching.
Hiriketiya
This bay is really beautiful and not overcrowded at all, but watch out for the rocks. Surrounded by tropical lush greenery, tucked away from the main road it gives you a real feeling of serenity. There are also good waves for surfing further out. A few restaurants serve decent food for lunch and dinner and if you arrive by motorbike, you’ll have no problem with parking.
Tangalle
This is a really loooong golden sandy beach. It was quite choppy again, but we did some bodysurfing. The restaurants on the beach offer free sunchairs if you order drinks and food and some also have free body board (or you can cheaply rent them).
Buuuut this is not all – we also published a VLOG about the beaches of south Sri Lanka , where you can see for yourself how all these mentioned beaches look like. Enjoy 😉
sLOVEnians travel 