Sri Lanka best beaches in winter. Sri Lanka: beaches without waves

Since most tourists still choose Sri Lanka as a place for beach holiday, then I can’t ignore this topic. I won’t say, of course, that in eight days I actually explored a bunch of beaches, but I managed to stand on four of them with my feet, and observed n number more from the window while traveling along the coast, because... The main route runs neatly along the ocean. I’ll tell you, of course, about the ones I visited.
Unawatuna beach
He has become practically family, and indeed, in my opinion, the best. When planning a trip at the turn of the seasons, we chose Unawatuna precisely because of the bay, because... All sources on the Internet said that this is the calmest place on the coast, and even when there is a storm everywhere, you can swim quite successfully here. It turned out to be true.

They also write that this beach is included in the top 10 beaches according to National Geography, I got confused, looked for this very top, and did not find Unawatuna in it, but because... Every year different beaches go there, maybe when it was.
So, in addition to the relatively calm ocean, the main advantage of Unawatuna is its wide coastline and distance from the highway. Due to this, along the entire length of the beach there are cafes one after another, on the territory of which you can not only sit, but also lie on sunbeds, ordering something there in the process, even a bottle of water will do. But I’m sure that no one is limited to this.

There is a small reef along the perimeter of the bay, because... Still, there were waves, I didn’t dare swim to it, but I still snorkeled a little closer to the shore. Nothing interesting at all, just a few fish, sea urchins in the stones, shells are the same as on the Sea of Azov, only a little larger, and the surf brings dead corals. The water is muddy due to the waves and the sandy bottom, which, by the way, also contains stones, so if you are not a fan of jumping into the sea and immediately swimming, you can even take coral slippers with you. Although, despite a couple of bruises, I felt quite comfortable without them.
But what Unawatuna is full of are small nasty jellyfish that are not averse to stinging anything that gets in their way. Not fatal, but unpleasant, plus the burn site turns red and swells for some time. Experienced tourists taught them a secret: the burn goes away faster if you spread it with lime or lemon juice.

Dalawella Beach. Wijaya Beach

These beaches are technically located on the territory of Unawatuna, but in fact it is about 2-3 kilometers from the main beach. They are located behind the bay, and the water there is no longer calm. Again, during the high season the ocean is calm throughout, so please note that my description is for April-May.

So, Dalawella and adjacent Vijaya are perhaps the most picturesque beaches in the vicinity of Unawatuna. This is where the bungee palm grows, which can be found in every fifth photo with the hashtag #unawatuna on Instagram. Just a piece of advice, if you decide to make such a photo for yourself, bring some small money, apparently, the locals make money by climbing palm trees and untying the bungee for a fee. Because We went there from Vijaya exclusively in swimsuits and with cameras, and then we left the same way, but we were too lazy to return.

The beach itself is narrow, but the hotels go directly to the shore, and for a small fee you can rent sun loungers on the territory of some hotel. There are fewer people than on the big beach, and that’s also great.
Somewhere between the stones there lives a large turtle, which periodically surfaced, but while I had time to turn to the screams of my girls, it dived back. In the end, everyone saw her except me.

You can't swim here everywhere, because... rip currents, especially strong at low tide. What this is, I already wrote in. So, it is better to ask people on the beach where it is safe to go into the water.

Jungle Beach

This famous beach on the other side of the bay, the one closer to Galle, or rather, there are even two beaches. What are they famous for? Once upon a time these were two wild beaches cut off from the world with many monkeys. Now you can’t really call them wild, but rather wildly polluted. We read about all this, but decided to go anyway, because, firstly, the path to the beach lies through the Rumasala forest, and since we didn’t go to the rain forest because of the leeches, then at least in a small and modest way everything I wanted to take a walk.

Yes, you can easily get there by tuk-tuk, but who was talking about easy ways? And, secondly, on the way we planned to visit the Japanese Peace Pagoda, which I will write about separately, otherwise it’s only the third beach, and there’s already so much text.

Well, we went to Jungle Beach exactly on the eve of Vesak Poe, this is the Buddhist holiday of the May full moon, the day on which Buddha was born, gained enlightenment and died, akin in scale to our New Year.
The path through the forest is really quite picturesque.

On the way, you can also admire the Blow Hole from one side, which I already wrote about in a post about Unawatuna, admire the trees, vines, and meet a monitor lizard, if you’re lucky.

It’s not scary to walk along it; the path is clearly visible on the maps.

The first beach you come across is small and without any amenities, but very picturesque.

What gave it a special flavor that day was the huge number of Sri Lankans who were hanging out there on the occasion of the holiday, although I read in other blogs that there were always a lot of locals there.

Such bright people that I couldn’t resist taking portraits.

When I asked permission to take a photo, everyone willingly posed.

The stairs leading to the second beach from the road are quite steep, so, by the way, I recommend wearing comfortable shoes, if not sneakers, then at least sandals or Crocs.

At some point, my friend couldn’t stand it:
— When you write on your blog about how we walked here, don’t forget to mention that the walk here is not 20 minutes, as everyone writes, but 40, and in general it’s hellish hell, not a road!
I quote almost verbatim, with the exception of some speech patterns that are untranslatable from the Belarusian language 😃

Well, yes, the beach itself is probably not worth the effort, but the forest, the pagoda, rice fields(we just got lost and stumbled across it by accident), it’s worth walking for this.

In general, the second beach is more civilized, there is a cafe, sun loungers, but everything is so shabby and dirty that you definitely don’t want to spend the whole day there.

And the promised monkeys were not there, perhaps, of course, because of the crowd of people.

Hikkaduwa Beach

This village is considered a kind of hangout place for surfers and more. After reading a bunch of reviews, we decided that we would spend the whole day in Hikkaduwa. But alas, after walking along the beach and running several times across a very busy road that runs parallel to it, we immediately grabbed a tuk-tuk and rushed off to our native village.

The beach is really long, but narrow. Maybe the water recedes during the season, but we got a strip of sand that was covered by waves up to the parapet. We never found freely available sunbeds, and somehow we didn’t want to sit on the sand and catch slippers floating into the ocean.

Large turtles live in Hikkaduwa, very tame, they swim straight to the shore, but we were not lucky to see them.

A large number of my friends vacationed in Hikkaduwa and were satisfied, but my subjective opinion is that Unawatuna is better.
This is how it turned out to be a small comparative characteristic or something. Some places I liked more, some places less, but it was definitely fun and interesting everywhere, which once again convinces me of the correctness of the saying that wherever you go, first of all you take yourself with you.

The beaches of Sri Lanka stretch along the entire coast, as if encircling the island. Typically, the beaches of Sri Lanka are divided into three large regions - Western, Southern and Eastern beaches. On Western Beaches They usually go for hotel comfort, to the South - for white sand and a pleasant atmosphere, and to the East - for an authentic experience in finding non-tourist places.

Morning in Kalpitiya Lagoon. Photo credit: Roshan Hatharasinghe, Flickr

Choosing a hotel in Sri Lanka, Always check the location on the map - in Sri Lanka there are a lot of housing options located “between” large and more or less large beaches, such hotels and villas often have access to private beaches, but at the same time cut off from the infrastructure of large beaches - restaurants, bars, local spas, etc.

If you want to live on a budget, look at the options for guest houses in villages and cities or beach hotels and villas away from popular beaches.

Western beaches of Sri Lanka

Western beaches are most often associated with the southwestern part of the coast, which stretches from Vaduva to. The beaches here are huge, with golden sand. This part of the coast is the most developed on the island; the infrastructure includes a huge number of different hotels, villas and guest houses, although on the coast you can also find tiny pretty villages with wild beaches. The northern part of the west coast, on the contrary, is underdeveloped and authentic.

The most popular beaches in the regions are Hikkaduwa.

Beaches of Kalpitiya

The Kalpitiya Peninsula is the most Northern part west coast. It is an elongated 40-kilometer strip of land, separated from the main coast by a large lagoon. This is the best place in Sri Lanka for dolphin (and sometimes whale) watching and kite surfing. On the beaches of the peninsula you can find absolutely charming eco-resorts and cute guest houses. In addition, the coast is slowly beginning to be built up with beach hotels and resorts.

Eco-lodges and guest houses: Kalpitiya
How to get there: by local bus from Negombo (about 3 hours), by taxi from/to the airport (136 km) and Anuradhapura (115 km).

Kalpitiya Lagoon. Photo credit: Indi Samarajiva, Flickr

Negombo Beach

Negombo Beach is a popular starting point for traveling around Sri Lanka as it is located close to the airport. Here you can lie on the beach for a couple of days before your trip, watch the local fishermen and eat delicious seafood. The choice of accommodation ranges from budget guest houses in the urban part of Negombo to cute beach hotels that stretch along the coast. When planning a stop in Negombo, keep in mind that swimming in the ocean in the Negombo area is unlikely to be possible, as there are always huge waves and strong currents.

Hotels and guest houses: Negombo
How to get there: by plane from anywhere in the world (CMB), from the airport by taxi ($10-15), by tuk-tuk ($7-8), hotel transfer or bus (daytime only); by bus to Colombo (30 min), Kandy (3-4 hours), Sigiriya (4 hours), Anuradhapura (4-5 hours)

Fishermen in Negombo / Beaches of Sri Lanka / Photo credit: Jason Jones, Flick

Wellaveit and Mount Lavinia beaches (Colombo)

Colombo's two city beaches are a beach alternative to Negombo as a starting point for traveling around the island. It is not worth considering the city beaches of Colombo as a beach stop, but as an alternative accommodation in Colombo it is a very good option.

City beach in Colombo. Photo credit: Nuno Reis, Flickr

Wadduwa Beach

Wadduwa is the first big beach on the way from Colombo along the southwest coast, located next to a small fishing village. The wide and long sandy beach with golden sand and generous shade of palm trees and a very calm atmosphere are ideal for a romantic holiday, and the proximity to Colombo makes Wadduwa quite an attractive beach for the first/last stop on the island.

A pleasant feature of housing in Wadduwa is that almost all hotels, both stylish and expensive and nice and budget, stretch along the beach. Available infrastructure includes a couple of local restaurants and small shops.

Hotels and guest houses: Wadduwa

Wadduwa Beach. Photo credit: Patsy Jennings, Flickr

Beaches of Kalutara

The beaches of Kalutara stretch on both sides of the city, a little further from Kalutara itself. The holiday format here is calm, the hotels are very good, although tourism infrastructure, is largely limited to the hotel.

Beach hotels and city hotels: Kalutara
How to get there: by train from Colombo, Galle and west coast cities, by bus or taxi from south coast cities, by taxi from/to the airport

Wedding decorations on Kalutara beach. Photo credit: Prebudda Jayasinhe, Flickr

Moragala Beach (Beruwela)

Moragalla Beach is located immediately south of the village of Beruwela next to the village of Hettimula. Traditionally, on the west coast of Sri Lanka, the main part of guest houses and small hotels are located in villages, along the beaches there are beach hotels and villas. The beach itself is small by Sri Lankan standards - about 1.5 kilometers, the Bentota River overlooks the southern part of the beach, it is better to look for housing in the northern part of the beach - here, firstly, it is cleaner, and secondly, there are more cafes and restaurants. To the north of the beach there are coves and hotels located on the cliffs.

Hotels, inns, guest houses: Moragalla Beach, Beruwella, Hettimula
How to get there: by train from Colombo, Galle and the cities of the west coast to Beruwella station (to the village) or Hettimula (to the resort area of Beruwella), by bus or taxi from the cities of the southern coast, by taxi from/to the airport.

Moragalla Beach. Photo credit: Ken Farge LRPS, Flickr

Bentota Beach

- the largest and most popular resort on the South-West coast of Sri Lanka. This resort region received its name from the town of Bentota, located on the northern bank of the Bentota Ganga River flowing into the ocean. Bentota is famous for two things - good villa hotels and turtle nurseries.

The most famous and most developed beach in the region is Bentota Beach, located next to the village of the same name. There are several large ones along the beach beach hotels. The bulk of relatively inexpensive villas and budget guest houses, as well as local cafes There are plenty of restaurants along Pitharamba Road, close to the beach.

Bentota Beach /Beaches of Sri Lanka/ Photo credit: Fernand Repond, Flick

Induruwa Beach

Induruwa is a town located about 7 km from Bentota, a super great place for those who want a beach with inexpensive accommodation and turtles. The beach is quite large and clean, along the beach there are good restaurants with local seafood.

Induruwa Beach. Photo credit: Galuge, Flickr

Kosgoda Beach

Kosgoda is a small fishing village 10 km from Bentota, turtle farms along the coast, very good value for money hotels and villas. The main disadvantages are that the infrastructure is limited to hotel infrastructure; there are practically no restaurants or shops on Kosgoda beach.

Kids rush to the sea, Kosgoda beach. Photo credit: Michael, Flick

Ahungalla

- a very pleasant small town halfway from Bentota to Hikkaduwa, about 15 km from Bentota. Great beach, turtles, inexpensive housing, and the presence of very good restaurants and cafes along the beach.

Ahungalla. Photo credit: Leonora (Ellie) Enking, Flick

Hikkaduwa

- the southernmost beach on the west coast, bordering the southern one. In the 70s it was the favorite beach of the “hippies”, today it is a more democratic version of the popular and stylish Bentote. Having lost its charming hippie charm, and with it the fans of atmospheric places, Hikkaduwa relied on young backpackers, surfers and divers.

These days in Hikkaduwa you can find a lot of good inexpensive housing, restaurants, bars and nightclubs. By the way, the famous summer parties of Hikkaduwa are considered the best on the coast of Sri Lanka.

Free atmosphere of Hikkaduwa beach. Photo credit: Sri Lanka Travel and Tourism, Flick

Southern beaches of Sri Lanka

The southern beaches of Sri Lanka stretch south from Hikkaduwa all the way to the southern national parks Badulla and Yala. The undoubted favorites of the region are the beaches of Unawatuna and Tangalla - large beaches with a lot of different accommodation and beach infrastructure. Between the big beaches and towns along the coast there are many tiny beaches with large free-standing beach hotels or tiny villages offering guesthouses and homestays.

Galle beaches

Galle Beaches is a fairly large stretch of coastline that stretches from Hikkaduwa to Galle with small beaches, large hotels, small beach villas and bungalows. The beach infrastructure here is limited to hotel infrastructure; almost every hotel along the coast, regardless of class and price, has its own bar, restaurant, as well as its own piece of the beach with beach umbrellas and sunbeds. The entertainment of Hakkaduwa is just a short ride by tuk-tuk or local train.

Fishermen on the beach in Galle. Photo credit: Rebel Photo Man, Flick

Unawatuna Beach

Unawatuna is the most popular beach on the south coast. Large, with white sand, beautiful views and a large selection of accommodation from comfortable hotels to budget bungalows, good restaurants and excellent surfing spots.

Unawatuna beach. Photo credit: Milivoje Krvavac, Flick

Lazy atmosphere of Koggala beach. Photo credit: Olaf (califaxe), Flick

Ahangama and Midingama

Ahangama and Midingama are two villages bordering each other, an area of the coast that is considered the best surfing in the region. The entire infrastructure here is aimed at surfers - a lot of good cheap housing, affordable restaurants and bars, surf camps and clubs.

Ahangama is an ideal place for surfers. Photo credit: Chathurai, Flick

Weligama

- a fishing village located next to a large bay of the same name. The beach is long, sandy, built up with a mixture of hotels and guest houses. A super place for those who want to get on a board - there are small waves, many surf schools, a good beach and cheap seafood.

Weligama is a good place to learn to surf without fear of ridicule. Photo credit: IBI Productions, Flick

Mirissa Beach

– a snow-white beach, coconut palms, cozy bungalows hidden in a coconut grove, restaurants on the beach and gorgeous sunsets. You can come to Mirissa Beach for a couple of days and stay for a couple of weeks. In the northern part of the beach there is a good spot for surfing. It is also convenient to go whale watching from Mirissa.

Sunset on Mirissa. Photo credit: Su Byair, Flick

Polhena Beach

Polhena Beach is not even a beach, but rather a beach area with small beaches along the coast. There is a pretty good selection of inexpensive beach hotels and villas. Near Matara and a fishing village, it can get crowded on weekends. Beach holiday with local flavor.

Polhena on the weekend. Photo credit: Alain Bachelier, Flick

Talalla

Talalla Beach is located in a small picturesque bay just beyond Matara towards Yala. In terms of infrastructure - several hotels, beach bungalows, a couple of restaurants, a surf camp. Idyllic, peaceful place.

View of Talalla Beach. Photo credit: Dave & Hanka Midgley, Flick

Dickwella

- it's a little secret South Coast. The beach is located in a picturesque bay far from everything) The housing format here is mainly villas at a fairly reasonable price. Nearby is a fishing village with a good market and shops. There are a couple of good restaurants on the beach. Further along the coast there are small bays and beaches. Super - an option for a relaxing family vacation.

Dickwella is the South Coast's little secret. Photo credit: katoomba36, Flick

It's no secret that more than half of the beaches in Sri Lanka are considered among the best in the world. And there are explanations for this. First of all, they are clean. Secondly, they are completely covered with sand, which is a pleasure to step on with bare feet. And thirdly, all beaches are the creation of nature itself, not man. Therefore, they are unique and there are no such beaches anywhere else. But such wonderful beaches also have their downside, and this downside is the waves, and sometimes very large ones. Therefore, tourists who are going here on vacation will first find out where the beaches without waves are in Sri Lanka. We have collected information that will help you choose the best beach in Sri Lanka for families with children at any time of the year. You can relax here in January, February, March and any other month of the year. And so, let's watch.

Beach – Unawatuna

Back in 2004, the famous TV channel “Discovery” called this beach the best in the world. Years have passed, but the beach is still good and welcomes tourists. Not here big waves, there is almost always smooth surface here.

The beach itself has a semicircular shape, which decorates it and makes it special. This small lagoon is known for its shallow depth. The greatest depth is no more than 6 meters, and even then you still have to swim to it. Therefore, tourists with children prefer to come here.
The beach is sandy, there are no stones or shells on it. It is completely safe for absolutely everyone. Elephants are not allowed here and you don’t have to be afraid that when you open your eyes you will see a herd of elephants in front of you.

Diving enthusiasts gather on the beach. They dive underwater and admire the underwater world. Fish, corals. Plants and sunken ships. It's rare to see something like this in one place.

Find out about prices in Sri Lanka. To be ready for anything. You will understand from the article. Why are fruits and vegetables expensive here, but laptops are the cheapest in the world?

Nilaveli is the best beach according to travel agencies.
If a travel agency tells you that Nilaveli Beach is the best on the entire coast of Sri Lanka, then believe them. It is so indeed. Ask any tourist who has been to the country, and he will say that this is the best place to relax.

The beach has white sand, and the sea water is the cleanest in the area. Many fish swim here, who, just like people, want to enjoy the cleanliness and beauty of the place. There are a lot of tourists on the beach. Although it is located at a distance from the resort of Colombo. But tourists rush here from early morning to take a seat and enjoy their vacation.

Fans of scuba diving also do not bypass the beach. They have their favorite place here. Where they gather and dive underwater together to once again enjoy the beautiful views of the underwater life of the ocean.

Negombo is a beach with cheap seafood.
This beach not only has no waves, but is also known for its cheap seafood.
It is from here that boats and fishing ships depart to catch squid, fish, oysters and other ocean inhabitants. So local cafes and restaurants always have fresh and inexpensive seafood food.

Negombo is also famous for its centuries-old buildings. It was on this beach that fortresses and churches were built when the country was part of the Dutch colony.
The beach is very popular among tourists and local residents. It's fun here, sports games are held on the sands, and children are always under the supervision of lifeguards.

Mirissa is a beach for romantics.
There are very few hotels on the coast where this beach is located. There are only ten of them, so there are very few tourists in this place.
Newlyweds and people in love come here. Sitting by the ocean and enjoying a beautiful sunset is a favorite pastime of all couples. The beach itself is small, but there are many cozy places where you can retire and listen to the sound of the ocean, the cries of birds and say goodbye to the passing day.

Everyone will like this beach, because everything here is so natural and unique. Beach coastline made of sand of different colors. And the entrance to the water is shallow, so you can enter the ocean 10-15 meters and still be standing in the water.

These are the four beaches we offer you to choose from. Remember, these are beaches without big waves. In fact, there are more than a thousand beaches in Sri Lanka.

Review best resorts and beaches of Sri Lanka: map, description, season, pros and cons. Find out where the best beach holidays are on the island!

Sri Lanka has many wonderful resorts with good beaches and not bad developed infrastructure. In this review you will learn about the most popular resorts and beaches of Sri Lanka. We will tell you about a beach holiday in Sri Lanka: what is good about each resort, how to spend time on vacation and when is the best time to go on vacation.

Map of resorts and beaches of Sri Lanka

List of the best resorts in Sri Lanka

Negombo is located closer than other resorts to Colombo airport - the distance to it is about 30 km. This is very convenient for tourists who have had a long flight. The place is more famous for its fishing conditions than for beach holidays: the coastal waters abound with a large number of fish, their migration period occurs during the high tourist season. The large seafood market is one of Negombo's most famous attractions. Negombo has reefs, which makes the place popular among divers.

Beach holidays in Negombo are mediocre: the water is muddy, some areas of the shore are occupied by fishermen, where they lay out gear and dry fish. There are few umbrellas and sunbeds, as well as water activities, the only exceptions are expensive hotels.

Nevertheless, Negombo is considered one of the best resorts in Sri Lanka thanks to the convenient beaches that stretch along Lewis Place. In addition, there is an optimal choice of accommodation and many photogenic fishermen and beautiful scenery.

Negombo can be visited all year round, however it is very wet in May and October - November.

Hikkaduwa is located 100 km from Colombo and is the leader in attendance. Divers, surfers, snorkelers, young people and family people come here. Water activities and modest night life have made Hikkaduwa the busiest and best resort in Sri Lanka.

Here are the longest beaches in Sri Lanka and many hotels of different categories. The beaches are ideal for surfing - there is almost always a strong wave. Early in the morning, huge turtles appear near the shore; they are so accustomed to people that they take treats directly from people’s hands.

In the center of Hikkaduwa there is a coral park where you can ride a glass-bottom boat or go snorkeling, order boat trip. There are several Buddhist temples in Hikkaduwa, the most famous and popular among them is located on a small island. Entrance to the temples is free, excluding travel fees. Excursions to the mines where they are mined are popular among vacationers. gems that you can buy.

A great time to holiday in Hikkaduwa is from November to April.

Wadduwa is located 35 km from Colombo. At this Sri Lankan resort you will find golden sandy beaches, coconut palms, diving centers, sailboats, surfing and other entertainment. During the dives you can see the remains of sunken ships. Tennis courts and golf courses are equipped especially for vacationers. All hotels are comfortable.

Fans of excursions will not be bored - they will be able to visit neighboring Kalutara with the Buddhist temple Gangatilaka Vihara and the fishermen's town of Hambantota, take a boat trip along the canals and capture the local beauty.

The best time for an active and beach holiday at this resort is from October to March.

The village of Bentota is located south of Colombo - 65 km (2 hours drive), between the mouth of the river of the same name and the ocean. It is considered an elite and best resort in Sri Lanka, a favorite beach holiday destination for romantics and those seeking solitude.

Here are the largest number of comfortable hotels, uncrowded clean beaches and lush jungle nature, famous mangrove forests grow in this area. The resort offers a lot of entertainment for its guests - sea and river fishing, an exciting safari on the river with crocodiles, excursions to a turtle farm, yacht trips and much more. There is a center for diving enthusiasts.

The best time for a beach holiday in Bentota is from October to April.

Small resort village Unawatuna is located 120 km from Colombo. Once a fishing village, this rapidly developing resort is only slightly inferior in popularity to Hikkaduwa and Bentota.

This place is especially loved by tourists vacationing on their own - there are many guesthouses in the resort affordable price. The main advantage of Unawatuna is the calm water in the ocean. Central Beach is located in a bay, and coral reefs protect from strong waves, so families with children are happy to relax here.

The entire tourism infrastructure has been created. Vacationers can go diving or snorkeling; lovers of excursions can visit the neighboring resort of Galle. But this is not a place for solitude: the beaches of Unawatuna can be quite crowded.

The optimal time for vacation is from December to April. It is too rainy in May and October–November.

Due to their distance from the airport, the resorts on the northeastern coast of Sri Lanka are less popular than on the southwestern coast. Nevertheless, Trincomalee is considered one of the best resorts in Sri Lanka and the most beautiful place islands: here is a deep-water bay, discovered at one time by Admiral Nelson. Trincomalee itself is unique in terms of architecture - there are Muslim buildings, Buddhist and Hindu temples. You can get there by night train from Colombo (9 hours travel time) or by bus (7 hours).

According to some vacationers, Trincomalee beaches are the best in all of Sri Lanka. The holiday is quiet, there is little entertainment here, the infrastructure is still under development, most hotels are inexpensive, bars and restaurants are of the same level.

The natural beauty of this place is amazing - tall palm trees and lemurs roaming free. Not far from the shore - coral island, which is chosen by divers and snorkelers, there are hot springs a few kilometers away.

It is best to plan your trip from March to August, as November-December is too rainy.

List of the best beaches in Sri Lanka

All the island's beaches are sandy, many of them are surrounded by coconut palms and other tropical plants. The best beaches in Sri Lanka are located on the southwest coast and are not too far from each other.

Bentota Beach

Most famous beach on the island, and according to numerous reviews from enthusiastic tourists, it is also one of the best for a beach holiday. This is where newlyweds prefer to spend their honeymoon. Wide coastal strip, palm trees, complete privacy- these are the main advantages of this place.

A wonderful place and almost complete absence of infrastructure. Since the beach is quite far from Colombo (5 hours by bus), it is visited by single tourists or those who have undertaken independent trip around the island.

Unawatuna Beach is located in the village of the same name. The coastal strip is not as wide as in Bentota, but the calm water off the coast makes it extremely attractive. The sand is very fine and clean, part of the territory is occupied by cafes and hotels, the rest is available for swimming and water activities. There is shallow water intended for swimming with children.

Hikkaduwa Beach

The longest beach line in Sri Lanka. Orange sand and turquoise water, along the line there are numerous cafes and guesthouses. Strong waves have made this place a favorite spot for surfers, but there are relatively calm areas - near the Chaaya Tranz hotel. There are no sunbeds there, there is enough shade from palm trees, many people come there to swim with their children. Thanks to all this, Hikkaduwa Beach is considered one of the best places for a beach holiday in Sri Lanka.

The Tangalle beach complex has long been persistently included in the lists of the best beaches in Sri Lanka. This is an ideal place for a secluded holiday: you can walk a mile and not see another person. Any accommodation can be found. You can get to the place by bus from Colombo (6 hours).

It's hard to predict where and who will like it more. Sri Lanka is still amazing island, where each place deserves special attention and admiration, so it is quite difficult to compile a list of the best resorts and beaches in Sri Lanka that claims to be objective. However, we hope that our review will help you decide on a place to stay and you will have a great time.