Sri Lanka is a wonderful country known for its ancient ruins, tea plantations, lush vegetation and natural parks.
But when it comes to Sri Lanka, one cannot help but think of its splendid beaches, in fact with 1.600 km of coastline, bathed by the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka is also the perfect place to relax on its idyllic beaches.
What is often asked is which beach to choose and what is the best time to do it mare in Sri Lanka.
For example in August is it possible to go to the beach in Sri Lanka?
Of course!! In August and in general from May to September, the best coast for the sea is the East one. I have chosen the area of Trincomalee, Uppuveli e Nilaveli, because in that period there is almost always the sun but above all the sea is calm as opposed to Arugan Bay which is more of a destination for surfers.
But then in August you can not go to the South?
Although it is not recommended by many, due to the monsoon, in my opinion you can go there without problems, it depends on how many days you have available.
I on about 10 days between Mirissa, Unawatuna and Hikkaduwa, I found very little rain, just a little wind and the sea quite rough, but still swimming, just be careful of the current. Moreover, being low season everything costs half and the beaches are almost deserted.
However, if you have the opportunity to visit Sri Lanka in the period from October to March, choosing one of the southern beaches, you will enjoy even more what I think is the most beautiful sea on the island, when it will be calm, more transparent and also excellent for snorkelers
The beauty of Sri Lanka is that as a seaside destination, it can be visited practically at any time of the year. it will only be necessary to choose the best coast according to the season.
So let's see the best beaches in Sri Lanka both on the east coast and in the south of the island.
East Coast Beaches: Trincomalee, Uppuveli and Nilaveli
Uppuveli beach
The area is recently opening up to tourism since it was not possible to go there until 2009 due to the civil war, so it is not yet organized for tourism like the South.
In the period between May and September, Trincomalee and its surroundings are perfect for swimming after visiting the cultural triangle, which is beautiful but very tiring.
In particular, in my opinion, the choice must be made between Uppuveli e Nilaveli, two fishing villages with a calm and relaxed atmosphere.
I have stayed in Uppuveli, which I can recommend, here you can breathe the real holiday air, there are some restaurants on the beach with both Western and local cuisine, and other typical Sinhalese within the village.
I must say that the sea of Uppuveli, even if calm and relaxing, did not impress me, better the one of Nilaveli, more transparent. But if you choose to stay in Nilaveli keep in mind that there is practically nothing.
Nilaveli beach
In this area it was not easy to find a good place to sleep, but after several searches we finally succeeded, the choice fell on Golden Beach Cottage, not really cheap, but directly on the beach, clean and spacious room with a terrace overlooking the sea, a good restaurant and English owners, very kind and helpful. I advise.
Cosa Fare a Uppuveli / Nilaveli
The activity that is the most popular on this stretch of coast is pure relaxation, lazing on the beach. You will see that the more the days pass, the less you will want to get up from the bed. But don't be too lazy because there is one thing not to be missed, a visit to Pigeon Island.
Pigeon Island
The island is located in front of Nilaveli and can be reached in 15 minutes by boat. Just go to Nilaveli Beach where there is the box office to buy tickets. The two of us paid about 2 rupees including the entrance to the marine park.
Maybe a little expensive but it's worth it. After snorkeling in places like the Gili o Karimunjawa, in Indonesia, I can tell you that Pigeon Island will not disappoint you.
I recommend you to swim to the side of the island where you arrive by boats, it is the best for snorkeling, thanks to a beautiful coral reef, an incredible amount of colorful fish and the possibility to swim with black tip sharks. For me it was a unique emotion, I saw two, beautiful and not too small, as we would say in Milan: "to the soul of them squaletti !!".
South Coast: Unawatuna, Mirissa and Hikkaduwa
Our first stop after arriving in Colombo was right the South of Sri Lanka, we wanted to start our long tour with a few days of sea and relaxation and we decided to challenge the South monsoon !! Overwhelmed challenge, little rain and lots of sun !!
Our first choice was Unawatuna, where incredibly we found 3 wonderful days with only a few showers of about 15 minutes.
We liked Unawatuna very much, we found a relaxed atmosphere and a wonderful sea. The beauty of Unawatuna is that the village is located away from the main road and therefore it is pleasant to walk among souvenir shops and excellent restaurants.
Unawatuna Beach
Mirissa, on the other hand, is crossed by the busy Matara Road, but luckily life takes place all on the beautiful beach, especially on the western end, which is the best.
The sea of Mirissa is wonderful, incredibly transparent water, a lot of fun to swim among the imposing ocean waves. I recommend hiring the bodiboard !!
Mirissa beach
In Mirissa we stayed at the Palm Villa Hotel, located directly on the beach, in an excellent position, right in front of the small islet, where you can climb and take great photos.
Don't miss a dinner at Zephyr Restaurant, among the best restaurants I ate in Sri Lanka, I recommend the mango mojto, spectacular !!
In Mirissa we stayed 3 days and we found a great weather, always sun and no rain.
Hikkaduwa is perhaps the place in the South that I would not recommend at this time, given that, not being the season, some restaurants and clubs were closed for renovation. Better to visit it in the high season.
However we found a good climate here too, very little rain and we discovered a fabulous guest house, The Oasis Villa. Spacious and spotless rooms, nice bathroom, wonderful swimming pool and an incredible staff, if I come back in high season I will come back safely to the Oasis !!
Hikkaduwa beach
Tartaruga a Hikkaduwa
