Joanna James
Starting from Colombo as you head down towards the south coast, let's look at the best places to stop, explore and why.
The Hikkaduwa beach is located roughly 98 km from Colombo, towards the south of Sri Lanka and is roughly another 14 km away from Galle. This is a fun coastal town that was of the very first Sri Lankan beaches to be discovered by tourists. Activities like diving and snorkelling in the clear waters of Hikkaduwa have become immensely popular over the years, you'll be able to witness some gorgeous and colourful fish simply dart around. Along the coast of Hikkaduwa, you will come across its coral sanctuary which is a large shallow body of water that is enclosed by a reef, all beautifully decorated with layers of gorgeous multi-colored corals and much colourful fish. The area is also home to more than 4 different shipwrecks that can be explored if you are a diving enthusiast. You'll find a few dive shops in the area that offer PADI courses and equipment.
Galle is a seaside town that is a mere 116 km away from Colombo, accessible both by rail or road found on the south coast of this is a beautiful island. Whichever route you take, you'll be rewarded with some picturesque scenery all around. While everything continues to develop rapidly, the heart of Galle will always be its fort, which shares a whole lot of history and significance. This walled city has existed since the 16th century, through the Colonial era of the Portuguese, Dutch and British, all the while today it is considered as living World Heritage Site. The etymology of the name Galle is often considered to be an altered form of the Sinhalese word "gala" which translated to 'rock'.
Weligama is a massively popular tourist destination that hosts a myriad of different boutique hotels. The name Weligama itself translates from Sinhala to English as "Sandy Village" which refers to the sandy bay beach located in the town. Often considered one of the loveliest stretched of the beaches in the area, you'll find dozens of colourful traditional outrigger boats that are used every night in fishing expeditions. Weligama beach is also famous for a special Sri Lankan visual treat, the stilt fishermen. You'll find them in chest-deep waters, a few meters away from the shore, all perched on a crossbar which is fixed to a single pole planted to the seabed. These poor fishermen spend hours on end with their lines cast out awaiting their catch of small fish to sell or to use for their everyday meals. This area is a wonderful place to stay at while you explore the other areas within this list. So if you're on the lookout for Weligama accommodation, you'll find a ton of options to choose from, Like We Escape for example.
Koggala is a relatively calm location, but a beautiful one that deserves a spot on this list. Generally recommended as a location to visit the Martin Wickramasinghe Folk Art Museum, or for simply a ride to one of the islands on the lake. Koggala however, has a lot more to offer. You'll have the opportunity to ride on a catamaran with a local villager all around the lake and even go fishing with him as well.
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