Welcome to Unawatuna

With palm-lined beaches, turquoise waters and a good selection of guesthouses and restaurants, Unawatuna is very popular with travellers. The resort's location is superb, with the historic city of Galle just 6km away and a wooded headland to the west dotted with tiny coves.

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Years of insensitive development, however, have resulted in an unappealing sprawl of concrete hotels and restaurants packed together right on the shore, blocking views of the bay in many spots.

Erosion caused by the construction of ill-advised breakwaters have also hit Unawatuna hard, causing massive loss of sand to its fabled beaches. By 2012 the resort was in a poor state. But recent initiatives have certainly improved things, as the authorities have pumped sand from deep water offshore to widen the beach, which is now looking in better shape than it has for years.

Atmosphere-wise, Unawatuna is lively without being rowdy: think sunset drinks rather than all-night raves.

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Top experiences in Unawatuna

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Travel guides

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Unawatuna activities

$62.50 Cruises, Sailing & Water Tours

Whale Watching Cruise from Galle

Depart from your hotel in Galle or Unawatuna bright and early at 5:30am for this 6-hour whale watching cruise. Arrive at Mirissa Harbor and board the comfortable 50-foot (15-meter) passenger vessel. The ship is equipped with life jackets and all necessary safety equipment. With the warm southwest breeze blowing and the bright blue ocean unfurling below, enjoy a complimentary continental breakfast with morning tea onboard. Take plenty of time to gaze out on the water and spot blue whales, humpback whales, killer whales, and whale sharks. Perhaps you’ll also be able to see dolphins or sea turtles.
$45 Day Trips & Excursions

Private Day Tour: Kosgoda Balapitiya and Galle from Hikkaduwa

You will be starting your tour from Hikkaduwa at 8:30 am. Your chauffeur will be picking you up from your hotel and driving you to Balapitiya. You will reach the Madu River by 9:00 am and will embark on a one-hour river safari. This area of Balapitiya has a rich and dense ecosystem with swampy waters that support entire forests of mangroves, crocodiles, boars and marsh animals, and a large variety of waterbirds; including cormorants and pelicans. You will be travelling through secretive waterways created by mangrove tunnels and viewing tiny islands; some with temples or cinnamon pluckers, who you can buy fresh cinnamon from. You may also visit the fish massage parlour that stands on stilts, stretched over a portion of the river. Once you have disembarked from your boat, you will be travelling to Unawatuna, which is a one hour drive away. You will get there by 11:00 am and be spending an hour on the beach. You can bring a beach towel and some sunscreen if you wish to get a tan, or you can simply jog down the beach enjoying the fresh sea air, and bright warm sun. At 12:00 pm you will be heading to a hotel of your choice in Unawatuna to have lunch. There are quite a few hotels that serve great seafood too. You can select one according to your budget, as it will be at your own cost. At 1:10 pm you will be proceeding to the city of Galle. You will get there by 1:30 pm and will be viewing the various attractions of this picturesque colonial era city. Some of the most important places you will see are the Galle Fort which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Galle Lighthouse, the National Maritime Museum, the Dutch Reformed Church, and more; all while walking through beautifully historic cobblestoned streets with their Dutch names. At 3:00 pm you will be leaving for Meetiyagoda. You will reach Meetiyagoda by 4:30 pm, and will be spending a productive 40 minutes there. Get some new appreciation for the jewels that adorn your favourite pieces with this visit to the moonstone mines of Meetiyagoda.See the deep shafts where the stones are mined. Learn more about the rare 'blue flash' moonstones that are mined in the area. Watch the miners wash and sift the mined stones to get those of the best quality. Hear more about the difficulties faced by the miners. Grab the opportunity to purchase some marvellous pieces; though you will need to haggle to get a reasonable price. This tour shows you the traditions of one of the oldest trades in Sri Lankan history - gem mining. At 5:10 pm you will be beginning your drive back to Hikkaduwa. You’ll get back to the hotel by 5:30 pm, completing your tour.
$1059 Cultural & Theme Tours

7D - Highlights of Sri Lanka

Day 1: Airport Pick-up - Transfer to NegomboOn arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport, you will be met and transferred to your Negombo accommodation for check-in. . Spend the rest of the day at leisure to relax and settle-in. Overnight in Negombo.Day 2: Negombo - Sigiriya Rock Fortress - Dambulla (B)After breakfast, you will visit the Badagamuwa Forest Reserve. Refresh and enjoy a small traditional snack on your way. Next we’ll continue our trip to towards Sigiriya to visit its famous Rock Fortress. You will also visit the world-renowned frescoes of the 'Heavenly Maidens' of Sigiriya, which are in a sheltered pocket of the rock approached by a spiral stairway. After Sigiriya, you will be transferred to Dambulla for check-in and overnight.Day 3: Dambulla - Polonnaruwa City Tour - Minneriya National Park Safari - Dambulla (B)After breakfast, head to Polonnaruwa for a city tour. View the ruins of the Royal Palace, the Gal Viharaya, the Audience Hall, the Lotus Bath, the statue of King Parakramabahu, Parakrama Samudraya lake, and monuments of famous places of worship. You will also have a chance to visit a wood carving shop. In the afternoon, enjoy a jeep safari of the Minneriya National Park. From Aug-Oct, more than 300 wild elephants gather on the shores of the reservoir. Throughout the year you may also see spotted deer, sambur, and dozens of species of birds.Day 4: Dambulla Rock Temple - Matale Spice Garden - Kandy City Tour, Temple of the Tooth Relic and Cultural Show (B)After breakfast, journey to Kandy. Stopover at Dambulla Rock Temple, the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. Next stop is the Spice Garden in Matale. Finally, we will reach the sacred city of Kandy. During a tour of the city you will explore Kandy Lake, Kandy town and Bazaar, the arts & crafts centre, a gem museum and a lapidary. Those interested in gems & jewellery can also visit the gem museum shops in the area (not included). In the evening visit the Temple of the Tooth Relic (the sacred tooth of the Buddha), a famous pilgrimage site. Later witness the Kandy Cultural Show, where up to 12 different folk and traditional dances are performed. Overnight in Kandy.Day 5: Kandy - Nuwara Eliya (B)After breakfast, continue to Nuwara Eliya. Check-in and enjoy the rest of the day to relax in Sri Lanka's most popular hill resort. In earlier times, Nuwara Eliya was the favoured cool-climate escape for the hard-working and hard-drinking British pioneers of Sri Lanka’s tea industry. Overnight.Day 6: Nuwara Eliya - Unawatuna (B)After breakfast, you'll journey towards Unawatuna. Check-in and enjoy the rest of the day to discover this beautiful coastal town on your own. Overnight.Day 7: Airport Drop-off (B)After breakfast, you'll be transferred to Bandaranaike International Airport.
$620 Cruises, Sailing & Water Tours

Private Small-Group Sri Lanka Whale-Watching Tour

This private Whale Watching Cruise is for people who are interested in taking a private cruise just for his or her group and staying hotels around Galle, Unawatuna, Hikkaduwa, Koggala and Mirissa. Hotel Pickup and Drop is included from these areas. Savor a continental breakfast including tea, coffee, juice and fruits as you sail to areas frequented by whales. Watch for species such as blue, sperm, killer, humpback and pilot whales in the waters. Snap once-in-a-lifetime photos and look out for other marine creatures, including dolphins and sea turtles.
$108 Outdoor Activities

River Cruise for Birds Watching in Galle

We start this River cruise for birds watching form Ging River Face at Mahamodara, Galle. But we would like to consider that we provide hotel pickup and drop off that if you are staying around Galle or Unawatuna. We arrange this tour upon Guests requests and giving priority to their itinerary between 8.00am to 4.00pm every day. Maximum 6 people can board in to a one Boat. We provide a responsible service and safety. Naturalist will guide the birds watching cruise and we highly recommend late afternoon cruise start around 4.00pm to have wonderful sceneries as it is sun set draw beautiful colors on the nature.  
$80 Cruises, Sailing & Water Tours

Whale Watching Cruise from Unawatuna

Depart from your hotel in Galle or Unawatuna bright and early at 5:30am for this 6-hour whale watching cruise. Arrive at Mirissa fishery Harbor and board in to comfortable 50-foot (15-meter) passenger vessel. The ship is equipped with life jackets and all necessary safety equipment and toilet. With the warm southwest breeze blowing and the bright blue ocean unfurling below, enjoy a complimentary continental breakfast with morning tea on board. Take plenty of time to gaze out on the water and spot blue whales, humpback whales, killer whales, and whale sharks. Perhaps you’ll also be able to see dolphins or sea turtles. experienced crew will take you in to the best experience always. on the way back from whale watching could stop to see stilt fisherman upon your interest.  
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