Joanna James
You can't think of Sri Lanka without your mind drifting to the glorious unspoilt stretches of beach that surround the tiny isle. Each of the country's coasts can boast beaches that are beautiful and unique in their own right with what they have to offer.
Negombo is the closest beach to the Katunayake airport from where you will most likely enter the country. It's very close to Colombo and a great place to start your trip. Negombo doesn't have the calmest ocean, however, but has a great array of bars and restaurants that line its famous beach road.
Wadduwa is the first beach you'll come across as you travel south from the capitol. It's quite modest and not as famous as its counterparts further south. But it is this rustic charm that makes Wadduwa worth visiting. The beaches are quite empty though beautiful and you can find many vendors selling fried fish and cassava with fiery chilli paste.
Bentota is gorgeous, home to a booming gold and gem business as well as expansive coconut plantations by the sea. Bentota has some amazing villas, bungalows and resorts for you to pick from. Heritance Ahungalla is not too far away and should be considered when picking your choice of accommodation. In Bentota, things to do are plentiful, be it wandering among the shops or trying out different water sports.
If there was a flagship for beaches in Sri Lanka, Galle would be it. It is one of the most beautiful coastal towns you'll find anywhere in the world. It is steeped in history and local culture and home to an old-Dutch fort which serves as the cornerstone for this magnificent city by the sea. The beaches here are clean and stunning. You can easily spend your whole holiday here just visiting the cafes and soaking the sun on the golden sand.
As you reach Unawatuna the calm, cultured and historic feel of Galle begins to fade and the tempo of the trip gets a bit upbeat. Many of the younger travellers visiting the country usually first make camp here. By day you can see the surfers at their trade, coasting the sweet waves that coming in from the sea. By night Unawatuna is a party and you can find plenty of great bars and restaurants to meet people and listen to some beats playing loudly while people dance to their heart's content.
Mirissa is a beach that has found popularity only quite recently, the beaches here are truly unspoilt and the locals are very helpful to travellers. The beach is lined with an amazing place to party and have an overall good time. Some might argue it's the best beach destination in the country for the first part of the year.
Arugambay is the hub of the east where all the surfers gather towards the latter part of the year to enjoy the best waves the island has to offer. It is far more isolated than any of the other beaches mentioned here which brings about its charm. It is a gathering place of foreigners out to have a great time. Parties are plentiful and the bars and restaurants a scene of their own.
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