17 Beaches to Explore in Sri Lanka

It is known locally as Arugam Kudah, a bay situated on the Indian Ocean, and a historic village of the ancient Batticaloa Territory. The bay is located 117 km south from Batticaloa. Arugam Kudah translation to Tamil is the Bay of Cynodon dactylon(Bermuda Grass). Arugam Bay attracts tourists through surf tourism, thanks to several quality local beaches, lagoons, historic temples, and the nearby Kumana National Park.

45 Minutes away from Colombo near the Southern expressway, Bentota Beach area is recognized as a premier resort town with at least 15 Star class Hotels and many small boutique style hotels. The beach has many activities like speed boats and jet ski riding, windsurfing, boogie boarding, water skiing, kite surfing, to the rides on a banana boat.

Casuarina Beach is about 20 km from Jaffna. The beach is known for its crystal clear water and white sand. The beach is named after the Casoorina Trees which dominates the beach. The beach has limited options for water sports but it is a fabulous place for walking and swimming.

Delft island is also known as Neduntheevu among locals. It's in the Palk Strait, northern Sri Lanka. The island has a 1,000-year-old temple on its west coast and remains of a Dutch fort.

Fort Fredrick is located in Trincomalee, Eastern Province, Sri Lanka and built by the Portuguese in 1624 on Swami Rock-Konamamalai near Koneswaram temple. The Fort named Triquillimale was dismantled and rebuilt by the Dutch in 1665 and renamed as Fort Fredrick.

Galle Fort in the Bay of Galle was built first in 1588 by the Portuguese, then widely fortified by the Dutch in the 17th century. It is a historical, archaeological and architectural heritage monument. The fort has recognized as a cultural heritage by UNESCO.

Galle Face Green is famous for its abundance of plants and trees. With an area of 5 Hectares, people can enjoy their favorite activities in nature, making it one of the most attractive places especially for families. Also, the beach is distinguished by its beautiful white sand and clear waters.

It is reputed as the second best-surfing spot in Sri Lanka. The beach is known for its Coral Reef that visitors can access.

Mannar Island located in the Northern province in Sri Lanka, the island is best known for the sunny weather, palm trees, and the and large areas of white sands. It is recommended to visit the island between July and September.

Marble Beach or Marble Bay Beach, is a beautiful golden beach located in the north of Sri Lanka at the Marble Bay within the Trincomalee’s natural harbor area. It is best to go on weekdays to avoid crowdedness. When the day is bright and the sea is calm, you can see the surface shining like marble and that’s how the name was derived.

It is the best places to see one of the only recorded resident blue whale colonies in their natural habitat. You could also see dolphins on whale the watching trips from Mirissa and Dondra head on the south coast.

Negombo Beach is an amazing white sand beach. The beach offers a stunning sunset views, it also has some beach activities. There are a lot of local street foods restaurants around the beach. Just offshore of the beach are some well-preserved coral reefs and a 40-year-old shipwreck which is great for spotting colourful fish.

It is a 16 kilometers long beach North of Trincomalee. Across the beach, about 2 km toward the ocean you will find the famous pigeon island.

Pasikuda means the green algae bay and is located in the Eastern seaside of Sri Lanka around 35 kilometers from Batticaloa. The beach comes with turquoise blue waters, along with many activities such as kite surfing, boogie boarding to surfing and sailing across in a canoe. It has Coconut palms and Borassus adorn the shores. Sunscreen and a beach brimmed hat are recommended along with lots of liquid, to be hydrated.

Pigeon Island National Park lies 1 km off the coast of Nilaveli in Eastern Province, containing a total area of 471.429 hectares. The island's name came from the rock pigeon which colonized it. The park includes some of the best remaining coral reefs of Sri Lanka. This place in the 17th century used as a shooting range during the colonial era. Pigeon Island was one of the several protected areas affected by the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004.

Tangalle Beach is a perfect breathtaking place to go for a quiet and calm vacation. The beautiful white sand beach is like paradise, which goes on for kilometers. Originally, Tallanga was a fishing village but suffered hugely in the tsunami in 2004, and they have been rebuilding ever since.

You will see fishers on the beach with fishing rods in hand seated on stilts without moving, a unique fishing method in this area. This is a great place to learn surfing.