Joanna James
A small town on the south coast of Sri Lanka Mirissa seems to elicit the wow factor from visitors. The enticing beaches, thriving marine life, and wonderous waves ideal for surfing draw them to savour those whilst the delicious food and divine coconut water lull them to a state of blissfulness.
This remarkable bay in Mirissa is an ideal place to spot this endangered species. Drawn by the warmth of the tropical waters five types out of seven species of turtles in the world have been sighted at this bay. January to April are the best months to view the tiny baby turtles find their way to the great ocean whilst one can also snorkel to view them as done by visitors from many a beach villa in Mirissa.
This rock is can be spotted with ease when you enter the main Beach of Mirissa to the left of the coastline at a distance of about 50 metres. Being a tidal island choose the period of low tide to reach the rock mound. Easy to climb, many visitors such as those from Ubuntu Beach Villas feel wowed by the spectacular view of Mirissa and the beautiful coastline, an enchanting sight at daybreak and sunset.
A beautiful gift of nature, offering a lovely stretch of beach and great waves drawing lovers of surfing. A variety of restaurants and trendy bars are dotted around to bring out the chill factor and hunger pangs away as you loll on the sunbed or your favourite towel.
Mirissa is a paradise for lovers of seafood. Even if you are not one, this is a place where you can titillate your taste buds with mouthwatering dishes. Be it the succulent lobsters, squid, the tender crabmeat or jumbo prawns the list is endless and are some of the must-try dishes.
Located on the eastern side of the Mirissa Beach, it can be easily spotted from the coconut palms. The climb on the mound is a gravelled surface, hence good footwear is important. Climbing at dawn to catch the sunrise would be ideal as lesser crowds and getting those memorable images is easier.
Your holiday in Mirissa can be complemented by savouring the abundant wildlife in the surroundings. The ideal is to do a safari at the Yala National Park famed for sightings of leopards, elephants and other species of mammals and birds thronging this mix of forest areas, open grasslands and many water bodies.
A quaint fishing village that draws visitors to the long stretch of sandy beach for leisure, and surfing, especially favoured by novice surfers for low riding waves.
This UNESCO World Heritage Site has a charm of its own taking one back to the ancient times. A fort with a long history of occupation by the Portuguese, thereafter by the Dutch and lastly the British during their respective colonization of this tiny island. View the Light House, and the clock tower and do a walk along the ramparts giving you a scenic view from the top.
On the outskirts of Weligama find these fishermen perched on stilts with a little crossbar patiently doing their fishing activity throughout the day. Although it is seemingly an easy activity, the balance required and the skill to catch the fish is something these fishermen have mastered over the years.
Mirissa is blessed with waters enriched by plankton enticing whales to feed in the vicinity, thus many whale watching tours are available for you to have this special and rare experience. Try not to miss this opportunity while you are holidaying in Mirissa.
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