Galle and Habaraduwa (Unawatuna, Koggala)
Galle's fort, built by the Dutch on an earlier Portuguese site, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with ramparts to walk at sunset and streets of cafés, galleries and small shops inside. Unawatuna, a few minutes east, has a sheltered bay that suits swimmers. Habaraduwa covers the coast towards Koggala, known for its stilt fishermen and a lagoon with boat trips. Colombo airport is around two to two and a half hours away by expressway.
Best for: History, restaurants and sheltered swimming at Unawatuna
Not for you if: You want empty beaches: Unawatuna is busy and built up from December to March.
Hikkaduwa (west of Galle)
Hikkaduwa has a coral reef close to shore, where sea turtles often feed in the shallows, plus surf breaks for beginners and improvers. The beach strip is lined with guesthouses, cafés and bars, at their busiest from December to March. Galle is around 30 minutes south, and Colombo airport is roughly two hours away via the Southern Expressway.
Best for: Surfers, snorkellers and anyone who wants restaurants on the sand
Not for you if: You want a quiet beach: Hikkaduwa is a long-running surf town, and the main coast road runs right behind it.
Ambalangoda (west coast)
Ambalangoda is known for its carved wooden masks, made for traditional dances and sold in family workshops and a small museum on the main road. Boat trips on the Madu River, a mangrove estuary dotted with small islands, start a few minutes north at Balapitiya. Hikkaduwa's restaurants are around 15 minutes away by tuk-tuk. Colombo airport is about two hours by road.
Best for: A local town base with river trips and mask workshops
Not for you if: You want beach bars and nightlife: Ambalangoda is a working fishing town.
Weligama and Mirissa (south coast)
Weligama's wide, sandy bay has gentle waves and is one of the easiest places in Sri Lanka to learn to surf, with schools along the beach. Mirissa, the next bay east, is the main harbour for whale-watching trips, which run from around November to April, when blue whales are often seen. We have only one villa here. Colombo airport is around two and a half hours away.
Best for: Learning to surf and early-morning whale-watching trips
Not for you if: You get seasick: the whale boats go well offshore into open water.
Kudawella and Tangalle (far south)
Kudawella is a fishing village just west of Tangalle, next to the Hummanaya blowhole, which sends seawater high into the air when the swell is up. The coast around Tangalle has long, empty beaches and far fewer visitors than Galle or Mirissa. Turtles come ashore to nest at Rekawa, a short drive east. Allow around three hours from Colombo airport.
Best for: Quiet beaches and a slower pace, away from the busier west
Not for you if: You want to swim every day: several beaches here shelve steeply, with strong currents.
