Spending the Perfect Beach Holiday in Sri Lanka

Its an island with miles of beach so its understandable that you'll struggle to find the perfect place for your tropical beach holiday. But fear not, I've traveled all over Sri Lanka and this guide will definitely help you narrow down the location.

For some a beach holiday is relaxing in the sun enjoying all the modern luxuries. For others its all about adventure. But most probably fit into lot of relaxation with bit of adventure. Fortunately Sri Lanka has you covered in all fronts.

Sri Lanka has been a tourist hot spot for years. Its one of the most desirable beach destinations because you can still pretty much have a beach for yourself in some areas. Because of the civil war the northern and eastern part of Sri Lanka wasn't accessible for tourists. So the tourism boomed in the southern coast.

Starting from Mount Lavinia and all the way to Dickwella, the southern coast is filled with luxury hotels, boutique hotels and beach villas. The beach between Bentota and Beruwela is popular among business tourists because of its close proximity to the commercial hub of Colombo.

Then you come to the beach stretch between Galle to Matara, which has the famous Unawatuna and Thalpe beaches. Galle is famous for the world heritage site Galle Fort and has plenty of high class hotels as well. Because its a world heritage site building is restricted inside the Galle Fort so there are no large hotels. But you'll find plenty of villas for rent inside Galle Fort. You get easy access to the rich cultural sites, enjoy a sunset in the fort ramparts, watch Cricket in the nearby international Cricket stadium or simply visit the beautiful Thalpe and Unawatuna beaches.

Although southern coast is filled with hotels that doesn't mean other areas doesn't have luxury hotels. Negombo area is another famous tourist destination that's filled with luxury hotels. But after that you're most likely to find top quality hotels only in popular tourist towns like Trincomalee and Arugam Bay.

If you're looking for some adventure during your beach holiday then Sri Lanka won't disappoint you. From whale watching to wreck diving, the island has it all.

If you're passionate about diving among corals Sri Lanka has two marina national parts. The most popular one is the Hikkaduwa national park found in the south coast. It was affected by the tsunami in 2005 but still offers a lot for the eager divers. If you're not into diving but still want to explore them you can hire a glass bottom boat. The other one is the Pigeon island national park near Trincomalee.

If you're interested in surfing then there's no place like Arugam Bay in Sri Lanka. Its considered one of the best surfing destinations in the world and during the season you'll find plenty of surfing competitions as well. There are other areas in the southern coast that are good for surfing but Arugam Bay is the most popular one. Check the Sri Lanka page in WannaSurf for more surfing spots.

During the second world war Sri Lanka played a key role in naval warfare. The naturally formed Trincomalee harbor was a safe heaven for ships. Because plenty of naval action tool place you can find plenty of shipwrecks surrounding the island. So if wreck diving is what you're after the emerald isle has plenty to offer you.

Want some adventure without breaking a sweat? Then you can try Whale and Dolphin watching. Mirissa is the most popular place for Whale watching while the Navy offer tours starting from Galle. There are resident Whales close to the Mirissa beach and its in dead center of a Whale migration path so you have a very high chance of seeing them.

As I mentioned at the start it depends on your preference. If you're an adrenaline junkie looking for adventure then Arugam Bay is the perfect place for you. Not only can you enjoy the beach activities but you can visit the nearby Yala national park to see some wildlife or to go on a off road ride.

If you're looking to relax with some sunshine then anywhere in southern coast is good for you. However the closer you get to Galle the better it gets. Because whale watching, scuba diving and cultural sites are all close to Galle.

I hope article will guide you to make an informed decision about spending a beach holiday in Sri Lanka. Don't hesitate to comment if you have any questions.