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Beaches |
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Negombo
A characteristic fishing town north of Colombo
and a mere 6km away from Sri Lanka’s International
airport is Negombo, a fascinating beach resort
situated by the shores of a lagoon. The town is
vibrant and quite a busy place dotted with numerous
hotels and guest houses. Negombo is a gourmet’s
paradise with sea food in plenty. Its location
on the west coast made it a popular fishing and
trading port. World fishing craft like the outrigger
canoe and the Catermaran bring Seer, Skipjack,
Herring, Mullet among other large fish while Lobster
and Prawn are caught in the lagoon. Once colonized
by the Dutch, Portuguese and the British, their
imprint is clearly visible from the high percentage
of Roman Catholics and the many churches found
in and around the town
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Mount
Lavinia
12 km South of Colombo, Mount
Lavinia is an immediate city suburb considered
to have one of the best beaches close to any
metropolis in the world. It’s proximity
to the commercial capital makes it an ideal
getaway and the beach was one of the better
known , even in colonial times. It lies alongside
a wind swept headland jutting in to the waters
of the Indian Ocean.
The once Governor’s House built in 1805
by Sir Thomas Maitland now forms the famous
Mt Lavinia Hotel, a legacy of Sri Lanka 's Colonial
Heritage. It stands as a monument to the forbidden
love of a Governor General and a local mestizo
dancer who cast a spell on his heart.
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Wadduwa
& Kalutara
The towns of Wadduwa and Kalutara have become
very popular tourist destinations within the last
two decades. The development in tourism has fast
seen excellent beach resorts immerging in these
areas As you cross the Bridge over the Kalu Ganga
(River) the first thing to attract your attention
will be the Gangatilaka Temple in Kalutara you
will notice passers-by of all faiths making it
a point to make a stop outside the Dagoba to offer
a small donation in one of the till boxes. As
it the believe that paying respects to this temple
will ensure that their journey is safe from any
ill-fate and goes as planned. Once popular for
its spices, especially cinnamon, Kalutara is now
more popular for the delicious mangoosteen fruit
sold on the roadsides, and for “Toddy”
Sri Lanka’s most common alcoholic beverage
obtained by fermenting the sap of the coconut
flower, the area is also popular for producing
Sri Lanka’s most beautifully woven baskets
and mats.
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Beruwala
& Bentota
Beruwala marks the 130 km stretch of beaches where
resort development has made immense strides in
recent years. The sparkling blue ocean, long sandy
beaches and shallow reefs make it ideal for bathing,
all year-round
many popular hotels define the coastal towns of
Beruwala and Bentota
Beruwala marks the spot where the first Arab
Muslim settlers are believed to have landed
around the eighth century. Which is evident
due to the large population of Muslims residing
in this area. Kitchimalai Mosque only about
3 km away is worth seeing, a major pilgrimage
centre at the end of Ramadan, there is also
a shrine of a 10th century Muslim saint. Looking
east form the mosque Beruwala harbor is an interesting
place to watch the fisherman unload their catch.
The fish market is busy early each morning where
you may well see fresh fish change hands even
before the sun is up. You can also hire a boat
to the lighthouse raised on a small island offshore
which offers an excellent view of the coastline
from the top.
A romantic rendezvous of river and sea, Bentota
is only 4 km south of Beruwala. Bentota Bridge
marks the border between the Western and Southern
Provinces. Here are some of the most sumptuous
places to stay in the entire island. The area
is also gaining reputation for providing excellent
Ayurvedic healing centers. For the intrepid
there’s plenty to do and tons of places
to explore. The area is also very popular for
Water sports such as windsurfing, water skiing
and sailing which is mainly conducted along
the Bentota River. For the traveler looking
to experience more of Sri Lanka’s deep
sea wonders, then diving and snorkeling in the
clear blue ocean waters filled with dazzling
and colourful fish and other mystical creatures
will certainly be a treat for the senses, or
if you’re the kind of person whose notion
of an ideal holiday is just lazing on unspoilt
golden beaches, feeling the warm seas gently
lapping against you, letting your imagination
drift as far it wants to go and just enjoying
the moment…then this area is the prefect
setting.
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Hikkaduwa
Approximately 100 km south, lies one of the most
popular beach venues in Sri Lanka Hikkaduwa is
famous for its clear waters, golden sandy beaches,
and breathtaking coral reefs with it’s abundance
of tropical fish The area is most popular for
all kinds of water sports and one of the best
locations for diving and snorkeling and ideal
for board or body-surfing . The Hikkaduwa Coral
Sanctuary is a shallow protected reef carpeted
with brilliant hues of coral and inhabited by
a beautiful tropical fish. The reef, which runs
parallel to the shore, can be explored by snorkeling
or in a glass-bottomed boat There are also good
chances to see the Manta rays and Sea turtles
, In fact a trip on the glass bottom boat is a
must at Hikkaduwa providing a great opportunity
to observe the excitement of the underwater world.
The area was declared as a Marine Sanctuary in
1979, in accordance with the Flora and Fauna Protection
Ordinance. Hikkaduwa’s fabulous beaches
combined with the excellent water sport activities,
great restaurants, pubs, and nightlife make this
vibrant town the ideal place to satisfy everybody’s
requirement of a memorable beach holiday.
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Galle
& Unawatuna
Situated near the southern end of the coast, 116
km from Colombo lies Galle, the cities’
origin goes back even before the Western settlers
arrived here in the 16th century. Its strategic
location made it once a major trading port of
precious stones, spices etc, and was Sri Lanka’s
first international commerce and trade centre.
Galle is a city with a colorful history and an
old world charm. Its natural harbor was a famous
fort in days gone by. Reminders of the Dutch is
still very much alive specially within the magnificent
300 year old Forts where churches and homes are
built entirely within the walls and mighty ramparts
of the Fort, these fortifications have been remarkably
preserved and declared as a UNESCO world Heritage
site, other places worth visiting while in Galle
include the fascinating Dutch Church, Dutch Museum
and the Dutch Government House.
Not far away, approximately 7 km south of Galle
is Unawatuna, probably the best and safest beach
in the entire west coast of Sri Lanka This stunning
beach which lies along a sheltered bay is protected
by a double reef and therefore an excellent
location for year-round swimming. If you are
in to diving it also may serve as an ideal base
To explore some of the ship wrecks which exist
around Galle Bay.
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Tangalle
195 km south of Colombo, rounding the tip at Dondra
lies Tnagalle, the journey takes a northerly deviation
following the contour of the Island to arrive
at this town, this is where the continuous popular
beach stretch ends. Areas such as Tangalle were
the remoter beaches not too long ago, but have
developed in to one of the most sort after beach
holiday destinations for those who require more
peace and tranquility, its secluded bays, and
stretches of unspoiled sandy beaches allow you
to just laze and soak up the sun, there is excellent
accommodation facilities available in the area
including boutique type hotels for those who yearn
for even more privacy. Sea conditions in Tangalle
are also known for being one of the best places
for bathing and snorkeling, diving off the coast
is also a possibility.
A few km east of Tangalle lies the Rekawa Turtle
Sanctuary which provides visitors the rare opportunity
to watch the marine turtles nest. Sri Lanka
is home to 5 of the 7 marine turtles of the
world, all of which are endangered
Species. Check our link for further etails
Close to Tangalle lies the Ancient Buddhist
rock temple “Mulgirigala” which
is worth a visit. the monastery has a history
which dates back to the 2nd century B.C it holds
several Buddha statues, and unique paintings.
There are beliefs that the temple possesses
special powers in making wishes come true, which
draws many devotees throughout the year.
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Arugam
Bay
Due to the significant eradication of terrorism
in the recent past, Arugambay is more and more
frequently visited and is a very popular beach
in the eastern coast. The unspoilt secluded white
sandy palm fringed beach is the ideal spot to
relax and get a bit of sun tan, it is also known
to be one of the worlds best surfing destinations,
there are also excellent places for bathing where
the water is only waist high, there are quite
a few quality guesthouses and restaurants offering
excellent food and clean moderate accommodation
for those who are on a strict budget, seafood
of course is the specialty in the area
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Trincomalee
Trincomalee is the largest city in the Eastern
Province and has a fine deep natural harbor which
is one of the biggest natural harbours in the
world. The sparkling blue water and white sandy
beaches lined with swaying palm trees is the ideal
tropical setting for the dream beach vacation.
If you are visiting between the months of April
to October, then bathing conditions are ideal
at Nilaveli, 6 km north of Trincomalee town where
relatively shallow waters go on for many meters
to the sea, Just off Nilaveli Beach is the popular
Pigeon Island where snorkeling conditions are
ideal. Whale watching is also an attraction in
this area. The city also boasts of many Buddhist
and Hindu religious historical sites, some of
which date back to the 2nd century BC .The Tirukoneswaram
Temple is perhaps the most popular Hindu place
of worship and is certainly worth a visit. |
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