Author: Shaima Nizar
The Sri Lankan air is heavy with the scent of food that is richly spiced while the landscape is one of utter splendour—from lush forests to verdant rice paddy fields to golden beaches, Sri Lanka easily ticks the boxes of anyone’s definition of paradise. “Undoubtedly the finest island of its size in all the world,” –is how the famous Venetian traveller Marco Polo described Sri Lanka, then known as Ceylon.
For many visitors this little isle is always summed up in two words: the beach. With 1,340 km of tropical coastline, Sri Lanka is certainly not short on beaches and to help you decide the right beach for you, let’s take a look across the island.
For a classic and convenient beach paradise, travellers would have to venture down south to towns like Hikkaduwa, Unawatuna, Mirissa and Tangalle to name a few. The southern coast of island is one of the best kept secrets in Asia, though more and more people flock to the pearl of the Indian Ocean every year. One thing is for sure, travelling down south doesn’t require (a lot of) time and patience. On the weekends, people from Colombo often go to these beaches to escape the city life. Sunbathing is one thing to do here but there is so much more!
Roughly a one-hour ride from Colombo, Unawatuna is a perfect area to stay and unwind. The famous beach rope swing at Wijaya Beach went viral on Instagram not too long ago and before long, every single visitor to the country wanted the famous shot. It doesn’t hurt that the place also serves one of the best pizzas in town. If you’re planning on beach-hopping along the coastline, make sure you spend ample amount of time at the Una beach. The main beach is one of the most famous beaches in the country and is popular with both tourists and locals alike.
While Una might not be the best place to learn how to surf on the Southern Coast, travellers can head further south towards to Weligama or north towards Hikkaduwa, an area with some good waves from November through April. With the ability to entertain those looking to jump into the sea and those reaching for the sky, Hikkaduwa is sought after by thousands of tourists each year thanks to the waves.
We then make our way to a southeast coastal area known as Arugam Bay. This place is a must-visit and a true gem. The wide stretches of beach are filled with very chilled-out beach clubs, surfers, and snorkelling points. Surfing is huge in this area! Although travellers can surf here all year, the optimal season is from April to October with the average height of waves being 1.5 to 2.5 meters. During the season, the wind is primarily offshore. Key surf spots are Main Break, Pottuvil point and Crocodile Rock. Apart from surfing, the beach consists of a coral reef that is home to plenty of tropical fish and is a snorkelling utopia.
Ultimately, we recommend heading to the north eastern tip of the island, Trincomalee. With its practically deserted beaches and brightly buoyant Hindu temples, the area is surrounded by rich wildlife. The beach is straight out of a postcard. A pro-tip would be to visit this area from March to August, as travellers often get the chance to spot dolphins and blue whales. Nilaveli (meaning: open-land of the moon-shine) beach is an untouched, white-sand and aquamarine water bay. Parasailing, scuba diving, snorkelling, swimming with dolphins and whales, sailing and kayaking are a handful of the activities available! It doesn’t end there, just half an hour away is a lush marine national park named Pigeon Island. It is home to a plethora of wildlife creatures including small reef sharks, sea turtles and several namesake pigeons.
There is nothing more synonymous with travel as the beach, and it’s one of the biggest assets to any holiday destination. Over the years, the world’s most renowned beaches ranged from the Jurassic-like shores of Bali, to the lush aquatic underwater world in Rio de Janeiro, to deep red sandy beaches in the Galapagos Island, and ultimately the pristine blue waters in the Mauritius. But what sets Sri Lanka apart is the fact that the island encompasses tropical beaches, colonial cityscapes, ancient heritage landmarks, diverse wildlife parks as well as a multitude of Buddhist and Hindu shrines and temples—all within a few hours of travel within the paradise isle.