Surrounded by the great Indian Ocean on either side, the tear drop nation of Sri Lanka holds many wonders out of which beaches always regain prominence. According to the ancient chronicles, when Prince Vijaya first landed in Sri Lanka, he noticed how the reddish sand that covered the shores stained his hands and feet, which made him name the region ‘Thambapanni’, meaning the colour of copper.
Today, when you visit the country there are many beaches for you to delight in. So before you go it is better to talk with an agent such as Walkers Tours who are experts in arranging Sri Lanka Tours; as then you can plan out how you can visit all the best beaches.
So what are the best beaches? It is not an easy task to pick a few as there are so many, but pick we must. Thus, the best beaches of Sri Lanka include Arugam Bay, Hikkaduwa, Mirissa, Passikudah, and Nilaveli.
Arugam Bay located 320 kilometres east of Colombo, a beautiful bay that is famous for being one of the world’s best surfing destinations. This is because of the wide number of great surf breaks in the area such as Main Point, Peanut Farm, Elephant Rock and Pottuvil Point, to name a few.
Hikkaduwa on the southern coast of Sri Lanka is famous for another reason and that is as one of the island’s best-snorkelling destinations. It is home to the precious Hikkaduwa Coral Gardens, a protected marine park, where you will be able to see a number of coral species such as brain, staghorn, cabbage, elkhorn, table, and star corals. Mirissa, further to the south of Hikkaduwa is renowned to be one of the best when it comes to whale watching as a number of whale species including the majestic Blue Whale; frequent these waters.
Passikudah and Nilaveli in the North East of the island are pristine, white beaches that are ideal for complete relaxation. Passikudah is great for snorkelling while Nilaveli is ideal for swimming.
Catalina Forbes is a travel writer who bases her content on many thrilling escapades experienced across the world.