Honeymooners, families— even singletons, will find plenty of action to bring them closer in the playful arena of sun sand, and sea in these amazing beach destinations on the Spice Islands. Singletons despair not…you may even find a new love…or just thrill to bonding with Nature at her very best.

When you are planning that special time together remember the weather shapes the mood of the beaches. So, from November to April, it’s the southwest coast and the eastern beaches from May to September.

What is the point of visiting a new land without meeting the people who enrich it with their culture, spiritual moorings, and creative spirit? What adds that extra twist to your sojourns in these parts is the promise of exploring its laid-back rural landscape dotted with tiny hamlets and picturesque village settlements. Other allurements pull in visitors around the southwestern beaches— Colonial outposts dripping with the atmospherics of Sri Lanka’s global linkages from its colorful past; beautiful game parks rich in exotic flora and fauna and temples that date back many centuries that beg to be explored.

Mirissa Beach

Readily accessible from the historic port town of Galle, Mirissa, sandwiched between the Weligama and Matara beaches, is an idyllic spot for spending days lazing around the beach area. The beach is a lively haven of cafes and pubs and jolly beach bums.

The waters are great as they are the calmest at this time for swimming or jumping on a boat to go blue whale spotting, accompanied occasionally by pods of smiling spinner dolphins. Mirissa is also popular with the surfing community. Beginners can learn from trainers at the Mirissa Beach Surf Break. On the occasion, witness the annual celebration of nesting five varieties of turtles, the green turtle, the Leatherback, the Hawksbill, the Loggerhead, and the Olive Ridley which wash up along the coast between Unawatuna and Mirissa where they come ashore to nest from January to April, in the quieter areas of the beach. You can even go snorkeling and swim at low tide with turtles at Turtle Bay on the southern end of Mirissa Beach.

Unawatuna Beach

The embrace of the horseshoe shape of this popular beach offers an intimate setting for its varied diversions. Protected from the full fury of the waves by rocky outcrops offshore, the waters here are inviting for safe swimming all year round.

Hiriketiya Beach

This is a lovely spot, close to Dikwella, for an uncrowded beach vacay on the southern shoreline. Hiriketiya Beach with its pretty horseshoe bay offers many reasons to linger in this picturesque setting.

Arugam Beach

This is just the place if you want an action-packed holiday on the beach Arugam Bay on the east coast is the Mecca for surfers and their ilk from around the globe. It’s supposed to offer some of the best rides in the country. Even novices can try their hand at surfing under the watchful eye of licensed trainers. Boats filled with excited visitors head out for the lovely Pottuvil Lagoon and dolphin spotting in the open sea.

Beaches offer some of the most exciting explorations of Sri Lanka’s natural splendor. One trip, you’ll discover is simply not enough!