Sri Lanka’s Best Beaches: Which One is Right for You?

A quick google search of “Sri Lanka’s Best Beaches” results in page after page of blogs listing the same three resort-covered crowded beaches. But after spending three-weeks exploring the lesser-visited regions of Sri Lanka we knew there had to be better options. Lucky for you we did the legwork.

11 days of sandy beach hair and barefoot strolls along 13 unique Sri Lankan beaches later…we’re experts on Sri Lanka’s southern coast.

Yes, regrettably only the Southern coastline. The Western and Eastern coasts of Sri Lanka also boast of some phenomenal sandy shores but with limited time we focused on the “best beaches” in Sri Lanka and honed in on the South.

We’re beach bums through and through. From Bali to the Thai Islands we have been on a mission to find the clearest fish-filled waters, softest sands, and emptiest beach paradises. & Sri Lanka’s beaches blew us away. But before I dive into my selections for Sri Lanka’s best beaches, it’s important to note that because every beach was SO different–there really is no right answer.

There is a beach for everyone but every beach isn’t going to be right for you. In this guide, I’ll highlight what makes each of my favorite beaches the best so that you can focus on beach activities that interest you—whether that’s surfing, snorkeling, or swimming.

Without further ado, here is my guide to the best beaches in Sri Lanka from East to West. Be sure to check out my recommendations on which beaches to book your accommodation at near the bottom. Some beaches are best for day visits.

How Long Should I Plan to Beach Bum?

The beaches came last on our month long tour of Sri Lanka. So when we ended up with 11 days set for exploring the coastline, we worried we were going to get “beached out”. But we couldn’t have been more wrong. I could easily have done with an additional week! But with a 30-day Sri Lankan visa that time-frame simply isn’t feasible for most.

I recommend picking 3-4 beaches that catch your eye most. & spending 1 week on the Southern coast to achieve the perfect balance of relaxing beach time and amazing underwater activities. There’s just simply too much to see in Sri Lanka.

Tangalle

Pros: This is my family-friendly resort pick. Typically, I avoid resorty beaches but Tangalle makes up for it with loads of killer food options, many sitting directly on the beach, & a relaxed atmosphere. The beach is palm-fringed (complete with sunset palm swings) and layered in golden sand that stretches on for miles. Absolutely gorgeous.

Cons: Tangalle isn’t your swimming beach. The waves can be pretty intense here on this exposed beach. There also isn’t a whole lot to do in this area. Aside from eat that is. It’s also pretty exposed to the wind & can get pretty gusty.

I can’t let you leave without recommending The Lounge. It’s a wonderful French-owned restaurant sitting right on the beach with AMAZING food & cocktails. Local ingredients & local chefs. It’s pricier (by Sri Lanka standards) but absolutely worth it.

Overall Score: 5/10

Goyambokka Beach

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Pros: This beach is a stunner. It’s more private than most and palms stacked on palms line the shore. The sand is golden-yellow flecked with rust-red grains speckled throughout. It’s a decent swimming beach but be careful as the waves and current can still get pretty wild. Perfect for sunbathing.

Insider tip: If you want more privacy you can climb over the rocks at the far end of the beach & reach a more isolated portion where you can sunbathe in peace.

Cons: Not a whole lot to do here other than sunbathe, enjoy the views, and take a quick dip in the cool blue. There’s only one place to grab a bite to eat near the beach.

Overall Score: 7/10

Silent Beach

Pros: Finally a great swimming beach!! This beach is protected from the harsh Indian Ocean currents and creates a nice calm lagoon for swimming. This beach is only accessible via a long scenic path through small local beachy villages. This means not only is the beach super private but also gives you a glimpse of the beautiful Sri Lankan culture.

Cons: No food, no amenities, not a whole lot to do aside from swim.

Overall Score: 7/10

Hiriketiya

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Pros: This is one of my FAVORITE beaches. It’s one of the most beautiful in Sri Lanka—golden sand shores framed by towering palms and massive rocky coves, you know the drill. It also has the best local food options on the Southern Coast. & the best surfing. The shores are packed with surf rental shops and boho beach cafes. We spent several days hanging out with the beach pups here.

Often times beaches mean sub-par food. But not here. Hiriketiya has some of the best food we had in Sri Lanka. & not from the trendy beachside cafe’s either (although they do whip up a mean veg burger & tuna steaks). From the local joints. My recommendations: Garlic Cafe for their bargain vegetarian curry dinner buffet & Cafe Taprobane for a super cheap and tasty lunch deal.

Cons: This beach is packed. The secret is out on this once hippy-backpacker haven. From dawn till dusk the shores were full of surfers and sunbathers. Another downside is because of all the people, it’s not the best beach for those just learning to surf. The beachside restaurants are also quite expensive.

Overall Score: 9/10

Dickwella Beach

Pros: Great calm water for swimming, easy waves for surfing, palm tree swings, & an absolutely massive beach. Loads of lounge beds, wide open beach with waaaay less people than Hiriketiya. The cocktail shacks here make the tastiest concoctions for a reasonable price. If you’re lucky you’ll even get to see some monitor lizards passing by.

Cons: It’s pretty isolated & a bit of a hike from the bus stop. Food options are also very limited. There’s no shade on the beach at all, which means you’ll be forced into purchasing a lounge bed for $5. There’s also no on-site surf rentals so you’ll have to bring your board from elsewhere.

Overall Score: 8/10

Polhena Beach

Pros: This might take the cake for one of my favorite Sri Lanka stops. This underrated beach has plenty of natural shade for laying out, white sand-shores, swimmable water & some of the best snorkeling in Sri Lanka. Just a short swim offshore you’ll find giant floppy stingrays, colorful reef fish, and a herd of resident sea turtles that reach 4 feet in diameter. They live & feed in the cove year-round and you can swim right up to them!!

It’s important to not touch the turtles. Although they will get that close. Just try to observe from a safe distance and watch them munch the seagrass in the shallows.

Cons: You have to take the bus about 30-minutes from either Mirissa or Hiriketiya to get here. Also, no food on the beach so be prepared to look elsewhere.

Overall Score: 9/10

Secret Beach

Pros: It’s a backpacker favorite. Following a long winding hike through the hills you’ll reach the small rural beach with a simple & cheap beach bar tucked into the trees. When the waters are calm they boast great snorkeling too.

Cons: The beach isn’t super soft & sandy. It has a ton of coral broken onto the beach and there is a surprising amount of rocks just offshore. When we visited the beach the waves were quite choppy & snorkeling wasn’t an option.

Overall Score: 6/10

Mirissa

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Pros: Coconut tree hill, parrot rock, & the opportunity to see humpback whales in their natural habitat. Need I say more? This beach has the most activities, the most food options, and a great vibe. Sunsets here are epic. I highly recommend watching from atop parrot rock & watching the spotted reef sharks swimming just offshore. Another perk? There are plenty of wine stores to grab some discounted brews for laying out on the beach.

Raja & the Whales is the only choice for whale watching. It’s definitely the only ethical choice. With experienced guides & loads of whale knowledge, they take you out to sea & maintain the proper distance from the whales to keep them safe. $54 per person.

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Cons: Needless to say it’s the most popular beach which means it’s busy. But it’s still worth marveling at the amazing views & paying top dollar for the once-in-a-lifetime whale watching experience.

Overall Score: 10/10

Weligama

Pros: The best beginner surfer beach. Weligama is one long flat stretch of sand sheltered from the wind & providing perfect surf breaks for those just starting out.

Weligama beach is divided into three separate sections. One for surfing, one for restaurants, and one for local fishing. Keep that in mind as you are exploring the area.

Cons: The town is lacking in cheap local food options and I found the areas off the beach to be quite charmless. Honestly, aside from the amazing surfing this wasn’t my favorite area.

Overall Score: 9/10 for a morning or evening surf, 4/10 for everything else

Wijaya Beach

Pros: Yet another place to swim with Sri Lanka’s Green sea turtles. I wouldn’t neccesarily call Wijaya one of Sri Lanka’s best beaches but it’s not bad.

Cons: I’m not really sure how ethical it is to visit the turtles here. In stark contrast to Polhena beach, the turtles here get trapped by the shallow reef at low tide. To me, it felt like the tourists were chasing the nervous turtles around the shallows. No cheap food options here either only fancy resort restaurants. The beach itself is also kinda narrow. Only about 10 feet of sand separates you and the water.

Overall Score: 6/10

Dalawella Beach

Pros: The infamous sunset swing beach. Calm waters & long stretch of white sand. Can’t complain but also not a whole lot to rave about.

Cons: Not a whole lot goin on here. Aside from the massive palm tree swing perfectly positioned to catch the pink sunset glow I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit.

Overall Score: 7/10

Koggala Beach

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Pros: Made famous for its bright blue waters & unique local fishing techniques. I can’t deny the beach is pretty but in my personal opinion, there are better options.

Cons: The beach is pressed up against the highway & the “local fishermen” are posed for tourist photos. Not my kind of thing. We saw it from the window of the local bus as we passed on by to Unawatuna.

Overall Score: 4/10

Unawatuna

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Pros: Quite possibly the longest beach on the southern coastline (and there are many competitors) this impossibly long curving gold beach has coarser sand than many but great options for food & it’s calm waters although deep–make for some great swimming. Also, you can rent water sports equipment for kite-surfing, paddleboarding, and jet-skiing here.

Cons: Not the softest sand & not the cleanest beach.

Overall Score: 8/10

Where should I Stay? Sri Lanka’s Best Beaches with Affordable Accommodation.

The bad news is some of the beaches have little to no food/lodging options. The good news is Sri Lanka is a small well-connected country. The entire Southern coastline can be traversed in 4.5 hours on a public bus. That means you can choose a couple of beach towns to call your home base & NOT have to move every other day.

Here’s a handy list of where to stay for each group of beaches.

Stay in Tangalle for:

• Tangalle Beach
• Goyambokka Beach
• Silent Beach

I highly recommend staying at Mermaid Cabana & Treehouses. They have several dirt-cheap private rooms for super budget travelers & these stunning hand-crafted treehouses for those who can afford to fork out $25 a night.

Stay in Hiriketiya for:

• Hiriketiya Beach
• Dickwella Beach
• Polhena Beach (2 options)

Stay in Mirissa for:

• Mirissa Beach
• Secret Beach
• Polhena Beach (2 options)
• Weligama

Stay in Unawatuna for:

• Unawatuna Beach
• Koggala Beach
• Wijaya Beach
• Dalawella Beach

There isn’t really a BAD beach in Sri Lanka but this guide to Sri Lanka’s best beaches will help you pick the stretch of sand that’s right for you.

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