Sri Lanka’s beautiful beaches

With a coastline extending 1,340 km, Sri Lanka offers a wealth of beautiful beaches.

Swaying palm trees, charming hammocks, fun waves and beautiful surroundings await you on the Sri Lankan beaches.

Whether you’re into peace and relaxation or adrenaline kicks and challenges, you’ll find it all on the beaches of Sri Lanka.

Read about the beaches we use on our tours to Sri Lanka here.

Negombo

Negombo Beach is a five-kilometre-long sandy beach on the west coast of Sri Lanka. Negombo is a beautiful beach and seaside resort with long, wide and golden sandy beaches.

The beach offers a variety of fun activities such as kite surfing and windsurfing. Negombo Beach has excellent wind conditions, especially in the months from January to March, which give you the power you need to whizz across the ocean. The strength of the wind also affects the sea, and you can expect a lot of big waves.

If you prefer a quiet day by the sea, you can enjoy a relaxing beach day under the palm trees. If you need a change of scenery, you can go for a lovely, long walk while looking out over the beautiful surroundings. As Negombo is an old fishing village, it’s only natural to come across the local fishing boats on your walk.

Round off the day with your toes in the soft sand while enjoying the beautiful sunset. Afterwards, you can stroll up and down the waterfront where you’ll find a large selection of exciting restaurants and atmospheric bars.

Visit the long beach in Negombo in the months from December to April if you want lots of hours of sunshine, warm temperatures and minimal rain. This is when it’s dry season on the west coast of Sri Lanka.

Hikkaduwa

The seaside resort of Hikkaduwa is located in south-western Sri Lanka and offers beaches known for their white sand and not least a beautiful and exciting coral reef with large sea turtles.

Hikkaduwa is perfect for those who love exploring life under the sea as there is a large and lively coral reef off Hikkaduwa. Here, you can enjoy a wonderful snorkelling or diving experience among brightly coloured fish and sweet sea turtles. As a diver, you can also explore the various shipwrecks off Hikkaduwa.

In addition to the amazing coral reef, Hikkaduwa is also known to be a true surfing paradise and is considered one of the best beaches for surfing in Sri Lanka. With the good and consistent waves, the beach is the perfect place for both seasoned surfers and those about to have their first lesson. You will experience the best surf waves in the period from May to September.

If you’re more into a beach day without too many activities, the beautiful beach is perfect for that, too. You have every opportunity to find a quiet spot where you can enjoy the fantastic surroundings with a good book in your hand.

The best time to go on a beach holiday in Hikkaduwa is from December to April, when it’s dry season. The dry season is the best time for hot, sunny days at the beach.

Mirissa

Mirissa is located in the southernmost part of Sri Lanka. In a secluded crescent shape, you will find a true gem of a sandy beach, considered by many to be the best beach in southern Sri Lanka.

As with many of Sri Lanka’s other beaches, there are often waves in the sea off the coast of Mirissa. The beach is therefore perfect for those who want to surf or be active on the water with bodyboards. You can rent various equipment on the beach and spend many an enjoyable hour at sea.

Mirissa is one of the best places in Sri Lanka for whale and dolphin watching during the season from November to April. At this time of the year, you are in with a chance of getting right up close to the world’s largest whale: the blue whale. Be captivated by the huge whales as they splash their tails, and the playful dolphins jumping up out of the ocean.

Whether you’ve spent the day snorkelling in the crystal-clear waters, relaxing in a cosy hammock or something else entirely, you can round off the day with a beautiful view of the sunset. Mirissa boasts some of Sri Lanka’s most amazing sunsets and sunrises.

Travel to the beautiful beach in Mirissa in the months from December to April, which is the best time to visit the southern beach holiday destinations.

Trincomalee

In the northern part of Sri Lanka’s east coast is the harbour town, Trincomalee. In Trincomalee, there are several lovely, white sandy beaches, including the beaches Nilaveli and Uppuveli.

In Trincomalee, you have the opportunity to enjoy an out-of-the-ordinary experience on a thrilling whale and dolphin watching excursion. The best time to experience the fascinating whales is between March and April. If, on the other hand, you want to see dolphins, the best time is between March and September.

As a fishing and harbour town, Trincomalee offers you every opportunity to enjoy an exciting local experience on the beaches. Experience traditional net fishing when the local Sri Lankans catch fresh fish.

With its crystal-clear water, the sea off the beaches is perfect for snorkelling and scuba diving. In particular, Pigeon Island, the national park located off Nilaveli Beach, is a fantastic diving area.

The national park has one of the best coral reefs in Sri Lanka, and an impressive underwater world awaits you here.
The north-eastern coasts of Sri Lanka are a relatively dry area. But a particularly good time to go on a beach holiday to Trincomalee is during the period from March to August, when it’s dry season. This makes Trincomalee the perfect place to visit on your summer holiday.

TourCompass – From tourist to traveller