Are you are looking for a golden sandy beach, warm crystal Blue Ocean and palm-fringed coast with wonderful sunsets? Yes.! The paradise beaches of Sri Lanka are the best to find exactly what you’re looking for. Sri Lanka has some of the premier beaches and the most stunning in the world, which can enjoy throughout the year. There are endless numbers of absolutely beautiful beaches located along the entire coastline of Sri Lanka. The warm weather is ideal for sunbathing on the white sand. You can catch some waves in deep blue warm waters or just simply lazing under the palm trees.
Here we have made the ultimate list of the top wonderful beaches in Sri Lanka. This guide will help you to select the most fascinating beaches at the best time. Make your holiday unforgettable and enjoyable by avoiding the monsoon season. We hope you enjoy a lot in these mesmerizing beaches and capture the perfect shots of Sri Lankan sunsets to have a truly memorable trip.
1. Tangalle Beach
If you are looking for a quiet and peaceful beach far from crowded places, Tangalle might be at the top of your list. There you will find only a few visitors and this beach is an excellent place for strolling, relaxing, or just walking around admiring the beautiful views. Tangalle is widely famous as a heavenly beach paradise with turquoise water and long palm-fringed coast. Lonely Planet has ranked Tangalle beach as the number one destination you should not miss when you are in Sri Lanka.
Above all, there are several hidden beaches in Tangalle, where views are picture-perfect with outstanding beauty. The beach offers some of the most spectacular views of the sunset. Though the water is deep blue and pretty, the waves are quite rough and strong in the Tangalle area. Therefore, swimming at Tangalle Beach needs to do only in places with a sheltering reef.
Along the Tangalle beach, a large number of restaurants and cafes are located to taste fresh seafood. The best time to visit Tangalle is December to April, the dry period with the least rainfall. Tangalle Beach is breathtaking and it is far less crowded, a peaceful beach getaway in southern Sri Lanka.
2. Unawatuna Beach
Unawatuna Beach is a highly famous tourist destination, located around 6 km from the main Galle city. The reef in Unawatuna Beach acts as a protected sanctuary. Therefore, it is a well-known place for swimming with no strong waves or currents. Unawatuna Beach is usually popular with tourists and locals, who come to enjoy a sea bath. It is famous as a family-friendly beach with shallow water levels suitable for swimming and having a sea bath safely.
The west end of the beach leads to rocks and stairs to go up a small hill with a pagoda. This beautiful, large peace pagoda is a gift from Japan. The journey to the temple is a pleasant walk with a lovely view overlooking the beach. The temple on the peak of the hill and the lush greenery in the surrounding forest make it beautiful a sight. Here you’ll find one of the gorgeous hidden beaches in Sri Lanka, the Jungle Beach.
Furthermore, Unawatuna Beach is famous for the Frog Rock located on Wijaya Beach. As well, the Dalawella rope swing is famous as an epic photogenic spot for Insta-worthy shots. It attracts many visitors to capture the best Instagram shots in Unawatuna. The best time to visit Unawatuna Beach is December to April, during the dry season of southern Sri Lanka.
3. Mirissa Beach
Mirissa Beach is a well-known tourist attraction in Southern Sri Lanka. It is the ideal place to enjoy in between the busy Unawatuna and the peaceful Tangalle beaches. Among the beaches on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, Mirissa has a charming beauty that attracts all beach lovers.
Whale watching is one of the main reasons people visit Mirissa, especially during the season from December to April. The warm ocean water around Mirissa is a feeding and breeding ground for Blue Whales. Therefore, it is 99% guaranteed to see Blue whales just meters from your boat. You can see pods of jumping dolphins around boats, as well as swimming turtles and rays during your journey.
Certainly, clear waters and lively waves in Mirissa make it a supreme place for enjoying water sports. Surfing is becoming more and more popular, and it is possible to rent a board and catch some waves. Moreover, one of the other main things to do in Mirissa is visiting Parrot Rock. It is located at the main beach in Mirissa. This rock is the top place to take perfect panoramic pictures around Mirissa Bay. Enjoy the sunset here and capture the most beautiful pictures of the palm-fringed coast in Mirissa to memorize the journey.
4. Weligama Beach
Weligama is a wonderful sandy bay beach between Galle and Mirissa. It is widely popular among tourists as a surf destination for both the beginning and the experienced ones. Surfboards can be rented and it is possible to get lessons from expert surfers.
The most prominent feature of Weligama is the tiny island called Taprobane Island. Just 200 m off the coast of the Weligama beach. This island has a restaurant and a garden covered under lush green trees. This is Sri Lanka’s only privately owned island.
This picturesque coastal town is highly famous for stilt fishing. This is a unique fishing practice that is available only in southern Sri Lanka. Stilt fishermen sit on a pole some 20-30 m from the shore to catch fish for their livelihood.
There are a lot of fresh seafood stalls available on Weligama Beach and you can try fresh and delicious seafood for a cheap price. The beautiful sandy beach, the Blue Ocean, and the rows of fishing boats bring the colours to vibrant Weligama beach.
5. Hiriketiya Beach
Hiriketiya Bay is an exquisite, secluded beach located at Dickwella on the southern coast. This is a lovely horseshoe-shaped beach that concentrates around a small bay that is surrounded by a green thicket.
Several water sports can be enjoyed in Hiriketiya, while surfing is the prime target of many visitors. Hiriketiya is considered as an awesome place for surfing because it provides pretty smooth waves for beginners and strong waves for advanced surfers. There is a separate point for the more advanced surfers to enjoy riding the waves to the fullest. Months from December to March are perfectly safe to ride the waves in Hiriketiya.
It is without a doubt a hidden gem in Southern Sri Lanka but it is fast becoming a hot destination for tourists. Many restaurants located on the beach provide fresh seafood in this area. Lovely Hiriketiya Beach has everything offered on a premiere beach. You can enjoy riding along the waves, lazing around soft sandy beaches, or the great views of the sunset in a peaceful environment.
6. Arugam Bay Beach
Arugam Bay is the most famous place for surf lovers visited by the worldwide surfing community. It is called as surfing capital of Sri Lanka and the renowned surfing hot spot of the island. Arugam Bay offers waves for all experienced, intermediate, and beginner surfers. Worldwide surfers are flocking here to enjoy and catch the waves in the season from May to September.
Although it is located on the far eastern coast of Sri Lanka, it is certainly worth visiting this lovely beach. There is an international surf competition in Arugam Bay each year, which attracts lots of expert surfers to Sri Lanka. Arugam Bay is busy year-round, and this beach is packed with visitors during the high season. There are many cafes restaurants and shops to enjoy seafood or to buy Sri Lankan souvenirs.
Arugam Bay is located in the southeast corner of Sri Lanka near Kumana Birds Park, which is one of the best places for bird watching. As well, Yala National Park is easily accessible from Arugam Bay. This is a perfect base to explore the eastern part of the country while catching Sri Lanka’s best waves.
7. Hikkaduwa Beach
Hikkaduwa Beach is located a simple 2-hour drive from the capital of Colombo. It is a well-known spot for both relaxation and recreation. Hikkaduwa is the first marine national park in Sri Lanka, with a beautiful coral garden rich in biodiversity.
It is home to a shallow fringing coral reef with an average depth of around 5 m. The sanctuary has approximately seventy varieties of multi-colored coral species. It is a world-famous destination to see colorful reefs and beautiful reef fish.
Large schools of colored reef fish and turtles are present close to the shore in Hikkaduwa. Scuba diving and snorkeling are highly famous activities at Hikkaduwa. There you can enjoy the fascinating underwater life and rainbow colors of beautiful reef fish and corals.
Those who don’t like to get wet feet can use glass-bottomed boats to see the marine life filled with bright colors. Both foreign and local tourists are flocking to Hikkaduwa to see these famous coral gardens. The calm waters with light waves in Hikkaduwa make it a wonderful family-friendly destination suitable for both adults and kids.
8. Bentota Beach
Less than 1-hour drive from Colombo, the charming beach of Bentota is a Sri Lankan tourist hotspot and major water sports hub. Several water sports are available at Bentota Beach. This area is highly famous for adrenaline-filled speed boats, jet-ski riding, windsurfing, water skiing, and kite surfing.
There is an 8 km long stretch of golden sand bordering deep blue waters on this beach. Numerous luxurious beach hotels and resorts provide excellent facilities to have a fantastic and memorable stay in the area.
Another thing that catches the attention of Bentota Beach is the fascinating view of the Bentota River. While enjoying the eye-catching view on Bentota Beach, families & kids can have a leisurely ride on a banana boat in the Bentota River. The 2-3 hour ride on a boat in the river gives a chance to witness different kinds of animals, birds, and reptiles such as crocodiles in their natural habitats.
Bentota is a famous fishing town known for its fresh seafood, the restaurants here serve some of the most delicious and freshest seafood found in Sri Lanka. Without a doubt, Bentota is one of the premium beaches in Sri Lanka that offers everything visitors are looking for.
9. Negombo Beach
If you are looking for a beach closer to the Bandaranaike International airport, Negombo Beach is the one for you. Negombo is a small beach town located just 6 km away from the airport in Sri Lanka. Because of its proximity to many airport transit hotels, Negombo beach is the easiest place to stop and relax within a short travel time. It suits best to enjoy before starting your Sri Lanka trip or after exploring the rest of Sri Lanka.
The beautiful stretch of Negombo beach is expansive and runs undisturbed for quite a long distance. It is an excellent place to hang around during the day or spend a laid-back evening. Since Negombo is full of Catholic churches, this town is called “Little Rome” in Sri Lanka.
This coastal town is mainly famous for fresh seafood such as crabs and lobsters. If you love to taste fresh seafood, Negombo is a must-visit beach. The waves are strong in this area and swimming should be done with care in Negombo. It is a nice place to relax on the beach enjoying the sea breeze and the sunset in peaceful surroundings.
10. Trincomalee Beach
Trincomalee is a beautiful, family-friendly destination with a number of fine white-sandy beaches and shallow waters for swimming. Nilaveli and Uppuveli are well-known beaches in Sri Lanka located on the eastern coast at Trincomalee.
It is home to the Pigeon Island Marine National Park in Sri Lanka. Pigeon Island is famous for its coral reef with over 300 coral reef fish species, reef sharks, and a range of sea turtles. This beach is located just 1 km off the coast of Nilaveli. The name Pigeon Island comes from the wild Blue Rock Pigeons that inhabit the islands.
Scuba diving and snorkeling are popular water sports here. You can get a great chance to get up close with underwater marine life. Snorkelers can view an exotic array of fish, colorful corals, and turtles in waters just a few meters off the beach. Take a trip to Shark Point Reef, one of a handful of locations where blacktip reef sharks can be seen. The beach season lasts from May to September, the rainy season on the southern coast. When the monsoons hit southern beaches, it is the best time to visit the Trincomalee area.
11. Kalpitiya Beach
The remote Kalpitiya beach is one of the island’s relatively undiscovered gems. Kalpitiya peninsula is a narrow line of land, with two opposite waterfronts. The mighty waves of the Indian Ocean crashing against its western coastline, where the tranquil waters of the Puttalam Lagoon on the other side. It is a well-known place in Sri Lanka for kite surfing. Since the breeze is coming across the peninsular towards the land, you can enjoy a hassle-free ride.
Kalpitiya is famous for whale watching too. Particularly, the offshore area in Kalpitiya is famous for watching Sperm whales. As well, you can witness dolphin pods up to thousands of members offshore. It will be nice to see Dolphins racing alongside the boats, occasionally jumping out of the ocean. The season for whale and dolphin watching is October – May, while the best months for whale watching are February – April.
12. Passikudah Beach
Passikudah beach locates 35 kilometers northwest of Batticaloa on the eastern coast of Sri Lanka. It is easily accessible from both Trincomalee and Batticaloa cities. This beach considers one of the best beaches on Sri Lanka’s eastern coast.
Passikudah is a safe beach hugely popular among tourists. It has one of the longest stretches of shallow reef coastline in the world. With its crystal clear shallow water, the beach is crowded all the time. It is a family-friendly destination to have a sea bath, as the waves are calm and clear.
People can walk up to a few hundred meters into the sea because the water is only a few inches deep. The best time to visit Passikudah is from May to September, the rainy season on the southern coast.
Here we have mentioned the 12 most stunning beaches in Sri Lanka, which you shouldn’t miss during your visit to this beach paradise. We hope you’ll have a nice and enjoyable time on these fascinating beaches and have the best beach holiday ever!
Text by Magnificent Sri Lanka, Images by Unsplash, Pixabay, and Wikimedia commons. Copyrights reserved by original authors.
