We are currently traveling through Sri Lanka for the next month and are primarily interested in beach hopping. We are now in Trincomalee and are looking into beaches along the southern coast of the island. Does anyone know how the weather will be in Unawatuna and Mirissa during August? Is it still possible to snorkel, or will the waters be too rough?
Does anyone have any budget accommodation recommendation? We would like to find a place for 1500 Rupees or less.
Thanks for the insights!
FishRich
Hi,
First the couple of places that you've mentioned.
Unawatuna,,
a very narrow beach . Snorkelling would be around the reef which is quite a way out from the beach. Coral and fish, for snorkelling, I don't know. I also don't know of any cheap accomodation there.
Mirissa...
Lovely beach but open to the sea , so most of the time, too choppy for snorkelling. There is a small section of beach at the eastern end which is partially sheltered but usually bad viz. due to the currents.
Another place that you havn't mentioned I reckon is your best bet of a reasonably quiet beach combined with snorkelling.
Thats at Polhenna. A sort of suburb of Matara.
It's a small beach, mainly used by locals, rarely get tourists there. Not too far out there's a reef with some coral and colourful fish.
Place to stay there,
An excellent guest house built around the family home. All good rooms , en-suite and real Sri Lankan home cooking. Should get a double room for less than 1500
It lies in a little quiet lane which leads directly to the beach, about 100 metres away.
Easy way to get there is a short bus run out of Matara going west but first time it would be easier to get a tuk tuk from matara.
Without the snorkelling, I like the beach at Nilwella about half way between Tangalle and Dikwella.
Also Mirissa beach.
and Hikkduwa where you have a choice of the huge open beach southern end of Hikkaduwa or the reef sheltered beach nearer fishing harbour.
Rod.
Rod.
If you are planning a stop in Unawatuna I can recommend Thilak's restaurant and guest house. Owner is a lovely guy called Priyantha. It is on the beach, down at the far end near the Diving School and after the turning to The Strand and Jungle Beach. Lovely place to chill out.