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Ahungalla |
Ahungalla is a small and serene traditional fishing village located on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka. The areas around Ahungalla are untouched by man and abound with fauna, flora and wildlife.
Golden beaches stretch northwards up the coastline from Ahungalla, broken only by the mouths of rivers feeding into the sea. A boat ride through the mangrove swamps of Ahungalla is the perfect way to appreciate the local flora and fauna. Ahungalla’s close proximity to the mouth of the river on the shoreline offers locals an abundance of both river and sea fish. So as you would expect, the seafood here is exquisite. |
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Bentota |
Bentota lies at the finishing end of "The Golden Mile" which is an hours drive from Colombo. Famous for it's prime beaches Bentota is today one of Sri Lanka's most sought after tourist destinations.
The town of Bentota actually, sits on an estuary, where the river and the sea meet. This makes the area quite famous for water sports like windsurfing, scuba diving & snorkeling. |
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Beruwala |
The first recorded Muslim settlement of the island took place at Beruwala in 1024 AD. The Kechimalai Mosque on a headland in the town is said to be built on the site of the landing and is the focus of an annual religious feast.
The drive down to Beruwala from Colombo is just one hour. The beaches extending from Beruwala to Bentota is known as the “Golden Mile”. The sunny beaches & the cool breeze brings about relaxation and offers leisure and recreational water sports facilities. In the vicinity of Beruwala lies the ancient “Kande Viharaya” which means Temple on the Mountain. |
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Colombo |
Colombo, Sri Lanka’s chief city and sea-port and until recently its capital, is a blend of old and new, east and west. It is a modern city, which has many reminders of its European colonial past.
Bustling bazaars, Buddhist and Hindu Temples and Muslim Mosques contrast with high rises, smart modern Shopping Malls and multi- national chain hotels. Sightseeing highlights include the Colombo National and Dutch period museums, old and new parliament houses, the Dehiwala Zoo, Gangarama Buddhist Temple, Town Hall, and the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall. Apart from excellent shopping, Colombo offers visits to one of the worlds leading tea auctions, an 18 hole Golf Course, seasonal Buddhist and Hindu pageants, international cricket tournaments, plush casinos, enjoyable evening entertainment and excellent restaurants. State-of-the-Art communications and Cyber services are available in the hotels and other outlets. Good road and rail transport links are possible from Colombo to all tourist resorts. A number of cruise lines also call at the Colombo Port. The Pettah area, which is in the heart of the Colombo, is a beehive of activity. |
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Hikkaduwa |
Hikkaduwa is a fishing village located 98 km away from Colombo and is the most popular of the beach centers in the southwestern coast of Sri Lanka.
Hikkaduwa is blessed with natural attractions of wide and sun kissed beaches and the crystal clear ocean. The attraction in Hikkaduwa is the magnificent coral gardens populated with turtles and exotic fish, snorkeling and scuba diving facilities offering the best to the water sports lovers. For the wildlife enthusiasts, a lake with many varieties of colourful birds is located in Hikkaduwa. Visitors can also take a safari down the Madhu River in Balapitiya, or witness the moon stone mines and cinnamon plantation in Meetiyagoda. Hikkaduwa is also a town of historical value, a short trip inland will bring you to the Gangarama Maha Vihara - a Buddhist temple which consists of many educational paintings. |
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Kalutara |
Kalutara, 43 kilometers south of Colombo was once an important spice training center controlled by the Portuguese, Dutch and British. Kalutara offers a stretch of sunny and pleasant beaches. Today it has a reputation for fine basketware.
South of the Kaluganga bridge on the main road is the Gangatilaka Vihara, which has a hollow Dagaba and beautiful interior paintings. Thousands of devotees flock the temple daily & travelers proceeding downsouth never fail to drop in a few coins as an offering to the gods to provide them with journey mercies. Kalutara is also famous for the fleshy & juicy mangosteen fruit. The Kalutara Temple is synonymous with the city. |
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Koggala |
The southern beach resort of Koggala is located just 05 minutes away from Galle. Koggala is the birthplace of a very famous writer & novelist the late Mr. Martin Wickramasingha.
And the most famous novel he wrote is "Madol Duwa" which revolves around a tiny island located in Koggala. It is actually this fact that has really put Koggala on the map. Koggala is also home to an interesting museum of southern folk art & culture, which contains hundreds of exhibits that attracts visitors all year round. |
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Mount Lavinia |
The town of Mount Lavinia is situated 30 minutes from the Colombo city limits. The famous landmark is the Mount Lavinia Hotel.
The Hotel was originally the weekend abode for the former governor of Sri Lanka, the late Sir Thomas Maitland during Colonial times. It is today considered the most romantic and serene relaxation hotel in Sri Lanka. The hotel overlooks the bay of Mount Lavinia and offers a breath-taking view of the Colombo skyline by night. The Mt. Lavinia beach is probably the most famous beach in Colombo and is a popular place for the Colombo city dwellers to relax and enjoy their evenings and weekends. |
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Negombo |
Negombo is a famous village North of Colombo, With Dutch build canal. The canal itself is a hive of activity with fisherman traveling up and down in their gaily-painted boats. On the shores of the canal you will find many homes and many species of birds including spectacular kingfishers.
Catamaran trips in the sea and boat trips in canal can be organized. From November to April, Diving facilities are available in this quaint village. The streets on either side of the hotels are dotted with souvenir shops, Restaurants etc. For scuba divers in Negombo is a good place. Diving equipment could be hired with the service of "PADI" dive masters, For diving to beautiful Coral Reefs where beautiful fish is found. |
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Tangalle |
Situated 195 km (122 miles) from Colombo, Tangalle is one of the nicest places along the coast particularly if you just want somewhere to laze and soak up the sun. Tangalle is becoming a popular venue for water sports due to the wide stretch of sandy beaches and is very famous for delicious and palatable seafood dishes. |
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Trincomalee |
Little visited in recent years, the atmospheric city of Trincomalee is set amongst miles of golden-sand beaches, where visitors are few and a warm welcome is assured.
Located on one of the world's best natural harbors, the city was disputed by Dutch, Portuguese and British powers, and was the headquarters for the Allied forces in World War II. Now it is one of Sri Lanka's most pristine tourist destinations, with Buddhist and Hindu Temples set alongside churches and mosques. In the agricultural hinterland rice is the major crop while around the coast undeveloped, palm-fringed beaches are perfect for swimming and scuba diving from May to October. Trincomalee can be reached in a few hours from the Cultural Triangle by road via Habarana. |
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