Sri Lanka is a great place for a varied holiday. Here you can surf the waves and catch the wind on a kite; snorkel among coral reefs and scuba dive to see the beauty of the underwater world; enjoy fresh seafood and sweet tropical fruits; get acquainted with local history and culture, visit ancient architectural monuments, temples, cities and wander through the endless green hills, among the Ceylon tea plantations, and, of course, sunbathe and relax on the endless beaches. The sand on many of them is fine and pleasant to the touch, coconut palms hang over the sea, and the water is clean and clear.
The best beaches are located mainly on the southwest coast and a little on the east. But nevertheless, there are more than fifteen large beaches on the island alone, not to mention the wild and unpopular sandy areas. Among the variety of beaches, 6 main ones can be distinguished, the most attractive for tourists.
Bentota
One of the most popular beaches in Sri Lanka and many, not unreasonably, consider it the best on the entire island for a relaxing holiday. Part of Bentota’s popularity can be explained by the fact that, of all the major beaches, it is located closest to the international airport (100 kilometers away). The beach is quite wide, long and, despite its popularity, not too crowded.
The resort is often chosen by newlyweds for a relaxing holiday and honeymoon. There is a good selection of first-class hotels, restaurants, massage parlors, in general, the tourist infrastructure is well developed.
Hikkaduwa
Hikkaduwa Beach is located 30 kilometers south of Bentota, but the atmosphere on it is completely different – it is a youth resort with all the appropriate attributes: many bars, beach parties, a fairly large selection of budget accommodation.
The resort has gained popularity among young people thanks to its big waves – this is one of the best places for surfing on the island. Hikkaduwa stretches for 7 kilometers and actually consists of two beaches. The first, the eponymous Hikkaduwa, is located in a lagoon (therefore there are almost no waves near it),
calm, fairly wide and not very long. The second is Narigama, longer, but narrow, with decent depth near the shore and large waves, which makes it unsuitable for swimming, but it is excellent for surfing.
In the sea off the coast you can see sea turtles and a small coral reef. Vacationers in the vicinity of Hikkaduwa will always have something to do: surf in the morning, sunbathe, swim and snorkel in the afternoon, have fun in bars and parties in the evening and periodically go somewhere to neighboring resorts or go on excursions.
Unawatuna
A small but very popular beach among tourists. During the season it can get quite crowded here. Cozy, with a well-developed infrastructure, it is located in a small lagoon, protected from the open ocean by a coral reef on which the waves break. Therefore, the sea near the shore is often clean and calm, which is why Unawatuna is very popular among families with children.
The sea is quite shallow near the coast, so it warms up well during the day, the water temperature does not drop below 27 degrees throughout the year.
There is a good selection of small hotels and guesthouses near the beach, but there are no large or chain hotels that work with large travel agencies, so Unawatuna is popular among independent travelers. In the evening, the beach turns into a large open-air restaurant – nearby restaurants set up tables on the sand, light torches around them and offer fresh seafood dinner.
When choosing Unawatuna for your holiday, be prepared for the fact that there are quite a lot of fragments of corals and stones in the water, so going into the water is not very pleasant. For a comfortable stay, take coral slippers with you. Locals also like to come here (especially on weekends),
who show increased attention to white tourists.
Mirissa
This is another beautiful beach that is very popular among tourists. The beach in Mirissa is very picturesque with pretty palm trees on the shore and pleasant fine sand without large stones. The water in the sea is clean and transparent without algae and debris. The sea near the shore is very shallow.
The infrastructure is not very well developed, but if you make an order at one of the beach restaurants, you can use their sun loungers and umbrellas at no additional cost.
Tangalle
Tangalle Beach is long, wide, incredibly picturesque and almost deserted. This is the most distant resort area from the capital on the southern coast, so either a few backpacker travelers or tourists craving solitude come here. In the western part of the beach, where the village of Tangalle is located, there are inexpensive guesthouses and restaurants, and further beyond the village you can walk along the beach for many kilometers, occasionally encountering hotels of a fairly good standard along the way.
The water here is clear, the beach is clean, you can snorkel near the shore, but there are almost always big waves in the sea, so only those who are good swimmers decide to swim far from the shore.
Trincomalee
There are not very many beaches on the northeastern coast; they are even wilder and more deserted than on the southwestern coast. Only nature lovers and those who are willing to spend 9 hours on a train or pay a tidy sum for a comfortable taxi ride come here. Nevertheless, those who still get to the beaches of Trincomalee call these places the most beautiful part of the island.
Rest in the city of Trincomalee is calm, there is practically no entertainment, the infrastructure was significantly damaged by the tsunami in 2004 and is being restored very slowly. Many hotels have remained empty and abandoned ever since. Not far from the coast there is a small, uninhabited Pigeon Island with snow-white coral sand and clear water. The island is surrounded by a large coral reef, which attracts lovers of snorkeling and diving – here underwater you can see colorful tropical fish, sea turtles and, they say, even reef sharks.
You can book hotels online on the website or in the OneTwoTrip app.
