Being an island nation floating
in the turquoise water of Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal, Sri Lanka is
endowed with over a thousand miles of golden beaches. Thanks to these palm
fringed beaches, Sri Lanka is never out of season for a beach holiday. A
large percentage of Sri Lankan hotels and resorts are located along the
seacoast. So, holidaymakers can enjoy every bit of their Sri Lankan beach
holiday.
Beaches of Sri Lanka can be classified into various categories such as the
West Coast, South Coast and East Coast beaches.
West Coast Beaches:
The West Coast stretches northwards from Mt.
Lavinia a southern suburb of Colombo. Mt. Lavinia and Negombo are the best
developed beach resorts in this region. The most suitable time to visit West
Coaches beaches are from October to March.
Negombo :- Negombo boasts of Sri Lanka's first beach resort. Negombo
is a traditional fishing village whose main attractions are its wide sandy
beaches and the safe sea. Beside the narrow and long beach of the town,
fishing market is also a must-visit place. Here, you can see fishermen busy
in trading of their variety of fishes such as prawns, crabs and seer. Many a
traveler make Negombo their last stop in Sri Lanka before flying out as it
is the closest beach to the Bandaranaike International Air port.
Mt. Lavinia :- Located just 12 km south of Colombo city along the
road to Galle, Mt Lavinia is another most important beach resort of West
Coast. Mt. Lavinia lies alongside a wind swept headland jutting into the
waters of the Indian Ocean. The sea is safe for bathing and is a popular
bathing spot with clean sandy beaches. Apart from its beach activities, Mt.
Lavinia beach is also very popular for its colonial touch. The Governor's
House built in 1805 by Sir Thomas Maitland, is one of the prime evidence of
glorious colonial times. It is now converted into famous Mount Lavinia
Hotel.
Other alluring beaches of West Coast are Bentota, Kalutara, Ambalangoda,
Ahungalla etc.
South Coast Beaches:
The South Coast beaches are more popular as
compare to beaches of other coasts. These beaches come to live mainly from
October through April when the monsoon moves north-east and the sea becomes
calm. South coast beaches are ideal place to spend the winter vacation.
Beruwala :- Located 6 km south of Colombo, Beruwala beach is the
first beach that marks the beginning of 130 km long South Coast beaches.
This beach also has a significant history. Beruwala is considered to be the
first Muslim settlement in Sri Lanka. It was established by Arab traders as
far back as the 8th century. This beach is famous for its Muslim mosque,
located at the beach head and a light house, one of the several erected
along the Sri Lanka.
Hikkaduwa :- Hikkaduwa is another amazing beach of South-coast
region. It is located 99 km from Colombo and famous for its underwater
delights. Hikkaduwa is famed in entire world for its marine sanctuary which
is abundant with rare, colorful corals and tropical fishes. One can opt for
snorkeling or taking a ride in a glass boat to have a glimpse of these coral
and beautiful shoals of fish.
Unawatuna : Unawatuna is a quite but beautiful beach resort, located
just 4 km south of Galle town and 120 km from Colombo. This beautiful wide
curving golden beach has been acclaimed amongst 12 best beaches in the
world. There is a reef protecting the beach, which makes it safe for
bathing. Within its reach there is an accessible, reasonably well-preserved
coral reef that serves as the base for scuba-diving and snorkeling. Apart
from these adventure sports, the serene surroundings and the Dutch
architecture also add to the charm of the place.
East Coast Beaches:
The beaches of East Coast stretch to 300
kilometers and comes to life from April to October. East coast beaches are
less crowded as compare to beaches of other coast. Tourist resorts are
developed in Nilaveli, 16km fro Trincomalee and Kalkudah , 32 km from
Batticaloa.
Trincomalee : Situated 250 km from Colombo, Trincomalee is a natural
harbor in Eastern region. A British Admiral of 18th century named Horatio
Nelson had described Trincomalee as the finest harbor in the world. This
beach offers some of the best sea bathing in Sri Lanka. Some of the nearby
tourist attraction places of Trincomalee are hot wells, Pigeon Islands and a
Portuguese / Dutch Fort of the colonial era.
Nilaveli : Nilaveli is another prime beach of East Coast. Located
271 km from Colombo, Nilaveli beach is ideally suited for sun bathing, sea
bathing and diving. A small rocky island lies few meters away from the beach
is good for snorkeling.
Batticaloa : Similar to other coastal towns of Sri Lanka, Batticaloa
was also under Dutch and Portuguese rule, which can be evident from a Dutch
Fort built close to the picturesque Batticaloa Lagoon. Situated at a
distance of 314 km from the capital city Colombo, Batticaloa is famous for
its `Singing Fish'. On full moon nights a faint but distinct musical sound
rises from the lagoon waters. This is attributed to a noise emanated by a
kind of fish found in the lagoon.
