Alex Untola
Mirissa is a popular holiday destination for those who visit Sri Lanka. There is plenty to do and to experience as well as to purchase to take back home.
Weligama is located about 4km in the direction of Colombo. If you are to take a bus ride, it would only take about 15 minutes. Weligama is a fishing town with a market that many travellers love to get lost in. Taking walks along the beautiful seashore and checking out the fish market stalls are also great ways to spend a few hours. There are also a few souvenir shops to buy a few gifts to take back home.
The port of Galle is about a 30 minute trip towards Colombo. Galle is a port town with one of the most beautiful Portugese/Dutch ports in South East Asia. Visitors can freely walk the neighboring streets and find plenty of great places to eat and drink as well as to sit back and enjoy the delightful view. The fort is always open and entrance is completely free of charge. Don't forget to try some King Coconut from one of the road-side vendors to cool you down.
If you are on the lookout for the perfect location to catch a glimpse of the bustling urban ride, the town of Matara is only 12 KM away from Mirissa. This is one of the main transportation hubs in the entire Southern Province and will offer visitors an authentic look into the average Sri Lankan life.
Mirissa is a fantastic spot for dolphin and whale watching. You can make reservations early at one of the two guesthouses that arrange whale watching tours. On a good day, visitors will have the magnificent chance to catch a glimpse of various species of dolphins including bottlenose, striped, spinner and spotted varieties. If the timing is right, you will also have a chance to see large whales.
Dondra is the southernmost tip of Sri Lanka as well as the entire Indian sub-continent. Dondra is definitely worth a trip simply to give you the pleasure of saying that you were there. The town is found about 8km from Mirissa and can be accessed very easily via a bus ride or a fun tuk-tuk ride. Dondra features a functioning lighthouse as well.
The town of Mirissa has its daily share of interesting activities to offer. There are quite a few Sri Lanka Beach Resorts located in Mirissa to allow you to completely immerse with the local culture. The Sri Sharavi Beach Villas, located in the village of Talaramba is a great choice for those who wish to mix and mingle with the locals.
If you are to rise early and to take a walk down the road, you will see the local villagers, hurrying about to get to work along with school children dressed in white to go to school. If you are up at around 6am, be sure to take a walk to the Mirissa Port to enjoy the unique sight of fresh fish being unloaded from trawlers and smaller boats. This is the main hub of the local fishing business and people from all over the Southern part of the country come here to buy fish and seafood. There is a high chance that you will see very large fish being unloaded by the strong fishermen.
