Popular Beaches

Negombo
A fishing town located 35 km from Colombo and 6 km from island’s main International Airport. The beauty of the beach and surrounding star class hotels gave more attraction of tourists.

Mount Lavinia
The place located 12 km from Colombo is a historical city from British colonial period. The Governors House of Sir Thomas Maitland, built in 1805, has become a star class hotel today. The fantastic beach is crowded on holidays with local people who enjoy the beach sports activities such as swimming and surfing.

Kalutara
The place located 43 km from Colombo is important spice trading centre from Portuguese, Dutch and British colonial times. The city also named as one of the sacred city of Buddhist people in the country has large hollow dagoba (Buddhist shrine) near the River Kalu.

Beruwela
The place located 55 km from Colombo is the starting point of 130 km long southern coast also a main fishing centre.

Bentota
The place located in south of the country, 62 km from Colombo has romantic scenery hotels and popular for wind surfing and water skiing.

Pasikudah & Kalkudah
Kalkuda and Pasikuda are two separate beaches situated nearby in Batticloa district of eastern province nearly 300 km from Colombo. These are famous for its sand and calm water.

Unawatuna
Described as most wonderful beach location by the nature, Unawatuna is one of the best Scuba Diving Locations in Sri Lanka. It is famous beach, Scuba Diving, Surfing and Sea Food in Sri Lankan Style. The Jungle Beach, Roomassagla Hills, Kathaluwa Temple, Galle Fort are nearby interesting places. Although it had suffered heavily in the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami events that hit Sri Lanka and southeast Asia countries, this seaside community was rebuilt quickly, and touristic activity was resumed, giving the chance to travelers looking for an authentic Sri Lankan beach resort to have a unique time.[4]

Mirissa
Mirissa is a beautiful small rocky beach which is calm, relaxing and almost private.Whales and dolphins watching , Deep Sea Fishing, River Trips, Snorkeling and Bird watching are activities you could do while you travel in mirissa srilanka. these days much of tourist specially coming to mirissa as it’s very famous for whale watching.Indian ocean off the mirissa harbor you can watch the whales in November to April season.few of tour companies arrange trips for low cost.

Weligama
Weligama is a unique Bay and Beach with a wide and long sandy beach located in Mathara district of Southern province close to Mathara town. The tiny island once owned by Frenchman Count de Maunay has built a beautiful house on it. The Bay is famous for its remarkable fishermen doing stilt fishing and hand made lase, Devil Dance Shows and its seafood. Weligama is also a wonderful Scuba Diving and Surfing Location.

Polhena
Polhena beach is about 2 km inside to the Matara city. This is ideal place for scuba diving, Surfing, Sunbathing. This is a very famous destinations because of the natural swimming pool created by the coral reef. There is not only one beach, It is consisting of bunches of beaches along the coastline.

Dickwella
Dickwella beach (also called Dikwella or Dikwella South) is about 22 km east of Matara. This long sandy beach is largely protected by headlands, reefs and sand-bars, making it safer for swimming.
The headlands have reefs along their rocks, close to the beach. At both the Pehambiya end and the western end, swimmers can snorkel out from the beach to watch colourful reef fish amongst the rocks.

Hikkaduwa
The place located in south of the country, 100 km from Colombo is the first area to be developed for tourism. The famous coral reef and scuba diving gets tourist’s more pleasure there.

Koggala
The place located in south of the country, from 130 km from Colombo, has finest beach and historical Madol Duwa (island surrounded by lake) as mentioned in Sri Lankan literature. You can spot the very famous Stilt farmers here; farmers who sit on stilts and fish when there is a suitable tide.

Tangalle
Tangalle is located in down south district of Hamabanthota few km away from Mathara. It is a beautiful and natural palm fringed sea bay and a Fishing Harbor offering great sea food. The long and great beach and the corel reef are best attractions. The Dutch Fort built with corals now used as a prison.

Trincomalee
Trincomalee is a natural deep-water harbor that attracted great sea farers like Marco Polo, Ptolemy and Sea Traders China and East Asia from the ancient times. The long and wide beaches offer surfing, scuba diving and fishing and whale watching. This sea town has the largest Dutch fortress of Sri Lanka has the oldest Hindu temple Tirukonesvaram Kovil in Sri Lanka.

Pigeon Island National Park
This is approximately 1Km away from the Nilaveli Coast in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. The name was given by colonials as there were prominent sighting of Pigeons. The size of this is about 200 meters wide and about 100 meters in length. Designated originally as a Sanctuary in 1963 and as a national park in 2003, the islands are very beautiful tourist attractions in Sri Lanka today. Due to clear water and white colour sand around the island it is an ideal place to Snorkel or Scuba Dive. The resorts around the beach stretch offer scenic tours to the island at a cost of Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 5,000.00 with a stop in the island.

Nilaveli
The place located in east of the country 120 km from Colombo and 14 km from Trincomalee. The natural habour and beach is one of finest in world. Nelaveli is ideal place for water sports like scuba diving.

Kalkuda and Pasikuda
Kalkuda and Pasikuda are two separate beaches situated nearby in Batticlo district of eastern province nearly 110 km from Colombo. These are famous for its sand and calm water.

Arugam Bay
The place located in south east of the country 116 km from Colombo is a fine beach near associated with fishing villages. It has been identified as the best surfing beach in Sri Lanka and 4th best in south east Asia. It also comes with the ten best surfing beaches in the world. Wide sandy beaches and lagoons associated with neighbouring Kumana bird sanctuary are added values for visitors going to Arugam bay. Lahugal National Park are Yala East National Park are also located within 10–30 km radious from Arugambay centre. Magul Maha Viharaya (Buddhist temple), Kudumbigala Temple (Buddhist temple), Shastrwela Buddhist Temple, Okanda Hindu Temple are some of places with heritage values. In addition to beaches, wildlife, culture heritage and nature places of interest make Arugambay a unique tourist attraction in Sri Lanka. There is no LTTE threat in and around Arugam bay.[5][6]

Casuarina Beach
Casuarina Beach which is in Karainagar, Jaffna District about 20 kilometers from Jaffna of Northern Province. It used to be a popular tourist destination, but tourist numbers have declined due to [Sri Lankan Civil War]. However after the end of the 3 decade long war, the beaches unspoilt location has led to a growing number of visitors.

Kilali Beach
Kilali Beach situated in Kilali, Jaffna District of Northern Province. It is famous for calm and sand, with local Tamil sea food dishes.

Vankalai
Vankalai is a major fishing village in Mannar, of Northern Province with a beautiful beach.