Sri Lanka is one of the top tourist destinations in the world. Whether you like surfing the waves or watch others do, so while enjoying a wide variety of cold drinks, there are many Sri Lanka beaches you can do this. While there are many awesome beaches, in the entire country, the ones on the southwest part are the most popular ones. This is especially during the drier winter months when the north east side of the country is affected by the monsoon rains. Here are some of the awesome beaches to visit in Sri Lanka.
Unawatuna
- This is one of the most popular beaches in Sri Lanka. It is more perfect if you are having a short vacation. You can move along the beach from one end to the other within fifteen minutes. The small bay makes the waves relatively small. Despite that this is a not a beach that may offer the best experience in surfing, the calmness and soft sand make it a great family choice.
- This beach is appealing because of its easy accessibility. The narrow road leading to the beach has a lot of shops, eateries and guesthouses. With its calm water this is a perfect beach for turtle spotting trips and snorkeling.
Mirissa
- This is another awesome beach located south of Unawatuna. The beach is popular with budget travelers and surfers. Mirrisa is a small village found along a long strip of sand with a lot of beach restaurants, guesthouses. Here you experience bigger waves, but still have the protection of shallow water and lifeguards who are always on duty.
- In Mirissa, you get good deals for seafood, but the cost of accommodation is similar to the ones charged in Unawatuna. This beach is also great for whale watching when in season. There is also a rick island that can be reached by wading and offers a great photo opportunity while visiting the beach.
Hikkaduwa
- Hikkaduwa is a large sandy beach with enough sitting places to accommodate a large number of visitors. The beach has a lot of accommodation and seafood eateries. The only issue is that despite the high competition, the price of the seafood eateries is a bit high. The beach experiences medium sized waves and acts as great place for starters to take surfing lessons from many schools found on the beach.
Weligama
- This is a serene, quiet, and favorite beach if you like to learn how to surf. The beach is a perfect alternative to the other busier beaches located on the northern part. Most of the visitors who come to the beach do, so to take surfing lessons, take photographs of some of the popular SriLanka’s stick fisherman.
- There are several boutique hotels and many surfing camps. The good thing is that food in the beach is cheap and available. Some of the most interesting things to see in Weligama include Taprobane Island which is a small rock constructed by Count de Mauney after being exiled from France.
Bottom line
- To be allowed to visit the country, you need to apply for a srilanka visa. The most advisable thing is to apply in advance so that you can be able to sort any issues that may arise before your planned time to take your vacation.