PRISTINE Beaches

Sri Lanka offers over 1,000 kilometers of palm fringed sandy beaches encircle the Island. Beyond the stretch of calm indigo-blue sea, a line of breaking waves marks the coral reef where the recreational divers discover vividly coloured tropical fish and living corals. With its year –round Summer and two different weather systems, there is always a beach with sunshine hence Sri Lanka is never out of season for beach holiday with a choice of calm seas or steady surf depending on what you feel like. There is a beach for all tastes, budgets and seasons in the lovely Island of Sri Lanka.


There are many options to stay in a high-end hotel, villa & boutique hotel or clean and tidy Inn and enjoy the Sri Lankan spirit here as well as mouthwatering sea food. You can not only indulge in all kinds of water sport activities such riding Jet Scooters, Banana Water riding, Snorkeling, Surfing, Skinning, Speed boating and SCUBA diving, Kite Surfing and so on but also watch gentle and giant sea creatures-Whales & Dolphins.


In the South Coast area, you can enhance your fun with the nightlife centers, take wine in any of the bar and can disco the whole night before you sleep and is also known for its Ayurvedic centres where you would have to stay for at least two weeks for experiencing the effects of Ayurveda and sessions of Yoga. Enjoy rustic way of life in coastal hamlets with the refreshing feeling that pretty bays would give you.

West Coast Beaches

Two best beaches on the West Coast are Mt. Lavinia and Negombo where there are well-developed beach resorts.

Mt. Lavinia

Located 11km off Colombo, is completely safe for bathing, it is a nice bathing spot with clean sandy beaches. As this beach area is just outside the city limits of Colombo, many tourists stay in here to enhance their fun with rich nightlife in Colombo.


Negombo

The most important beach in the West Coast of Sri Lanka with may resort hotels, is just 10 -15 minutes derive from the Colombo International Airport. The long-stretched sandy beaches and a safe sea are prominent attractions in Negombo which is a conventional fishing town.
Besides enjoying various sports activities on the beach, one can visit fish market trading variety of fish including prawns, crabs and seer and visiting the place in morning can be extra beneficial for this, is the time when the fishing crafts return to the shore with their catch.


South Coast Beaches

During the months of October to April, the southern coastal belt is the most popular and vibrant. This time the monsoon moves north east and the sea becomes calm with blue skies. For passing winter vacations this is an ideal place. Prominent beach resorts in South Coast are Beruwala, Bentota and Hikkaduwa where in past few years a string of resorts have developed to cater to the influx of tourist arrivals increasing annually and now there is an excellent range of accommodation facilities to suit any taste and budget of the visitors from luxury Hotels, average Hotels, Villas & Boutique Hotels to low budget accommodations like clean & tidy Guesthouses & Inns.

Beruwala

Located 56 km off Colombo, signals the beginning of a beach stretch of 130km towards down south. One can bath in the sea year round and there well-developed beach resorts in and around this area. This place is considered the first Muslim settlement in the island.


Bentota

Is 64 km off Colombo and is a place one can bath in the sea year round. Bentota has an excellent range of developed accommodation facilities and offers many locations for great SCUBA diving and sea adventures. This area is very famous for water sport activities/ adventure available throughout the year either on the sea, lagoon or river.


Hikkaduwa

Located 35 km away from Bentota, is a segregated surfing destination among world surfing destinations. Hikkaduwa is considered most developed beach resort in Sri Lanka with an excellent range of accommodation facilities and is an ideal place for relaxation in Sri Lanka particularly popular among western tourists. Underwater beauty makes this place very attractive. This place offers many locations for great SCUBA diving and sea adventures like Fishing, Whale watching in addition to glass-bottomed boats available for admiring the view of underwater beauty. This marine sanctuary abounds with rare corals and tropical fish that you can indulge in snorkeling.


East Coast Beaches

Despite having seemingly unending beaches, great surf and mangrove lagoons the East Coast has been largely off the tourist map due to civil unrest. But now places on the East Coast are getting crowded and local people would greet you warmly there. The government too wants to re-establish tourism here. Ideal time to visit the East Coast is May to September.

Two best beaches on the East Coast are Arugam Bay and Trincomalee where there are no many places to stay in and those places existing now are less appropriate for the modern accommodation requirements of the country.

Arugam Bay

It is said, is the best surf in Sri Lanka. The wide sweeping beach is nice for swimming in all months for the year. Most surfers arrive here between April to September and most of them follow surfing with fishing. These activities and lovely scenic view ensure that you have highly productive time in Arugam Bay where there are only a few regular hotels to stay in other than small guest houses and Inns with very basic requirements.


Trincomalee

Or Trinco is located on the north-east part of Sri Lanka. Trincomalee is one of the largest deep water harbours in the world and has served Sri Lanka as an important seaport since the times of ancient days. In Second World War, Trinco was the headquarters of Allied South-East Asia Command. It has some of the most picturesque and scenic wide log-stretched white sand beaches at Uppuveli & Nilaveli, relatively unspoilt and clean that are very famous not only for bathing/ swimming due to shallowness of the sea but also for Scuba diving, Fishing, Whale & Dolphin watching and Snorkeling in Pigeon Island Marine National Park with best remaining corals and tropical fish. (most tourists who visited have rated as best in Asia) very popular with both local and foreign tourists. There are a few resort hotels are available in addition to small guest houses and inns with basic facilities.