After a few days in Ella, we hopped on a bus heading to the south of Sri Lanka. Drawn by its gorgeous beaches and the many activities on offer, we decided to settle in Tangalle for 4 days.
So, what is there to do in Tangalle? Where should you stay? In this article, we share our favorite beaches around Tangalle and the best things to do in the area!
Things to do in Tangalle
The key word in this part of Sri Lanka is: rest. And for that, plenty of dreamy beaches are waiting for you! But if lying on your towel gets boring quickly, you can also fill your days with surfing, kayaking, a safari or even a temple visit.
1. Explore the beaches
Long stretches of fine sand, thousands of coconut trees and turquoise water: welcome to Sri Lanka’s south coast!
Keep in mind that the south coast is best for swimming from December to April. Here, we share the perfect beach near Tangalle for swimming in any season, plus the beaches we explored to admire their beauty.
Hiriketiya Beach
No more suspense: Hiriketiya is THE beach to swim at if you’re in the Tangalle area during the monsoon. Sure, there are waves and you need to be careful, but they’re gentler than on the surrounding beaches. Its horseshoe shape also protects it from strong currents.
We fell in love with Hiriketiya, which locals call Hiri, right away. As soon as we arrived, we were treated to a beautiful sight: turquoise water dotted with a few surfers, palm trees all around the beach, traditional fishing boats pulled up on the sand and a few beach shacks to grab a bite.
For lunch or a cocktail, we recommend Utopia Bar, a slightly upscale beach club with a pool, serving delicious cocktails and European dishes (on the pricier side).
Getting there:
- From Tangalle: 25 minutes by scooter, car or tuk-tuk, or 45 minutes by bus
- From Dikwella: 5 minutes by scooter, car or tuk-tuk, or a 25-minute walk
Blue Beach Island (or Nilwella Beach)
Head to Nilwella Beach to admire the Blue Beach Island peninsula. It’s a lovely and surprising spot, actually made up of two beaches that meet. Walk across the strip of sand to reach the peninsula.
In the low season, swimming here is tricky, but in the high season the water is turquoise and great for snorkeling. Note that Blue Beach Island is private property, so you’ll have to pay to stay there. You can still lay your towel on Nilwella Beach and enjoy the view.
Getting there:
- From Tangalle: 25 minutes by scooter, car or tuk-tuk, or 1 hour by bus
- From Dikwella: 13 minutes by scooter, car or tuk-tuk
Silent Beach
Silent Beach is a large cove surrounded by jungle, which keeps it fairly sheltered from the waves (in the dry season). The view is truly heavenly, you’ll love it!
Getting there:
- From Tangalle: 7 minutes by scooter, car or tuk-tuk, or 33 minutes by bus
Tangalle Beach, Madilla Beach and Rekawa Beach
These three beaches are all in Tangalle and more or less run into each other. Together they form one huge beach, the longest in the area, stretching for miles. This long strip of fine sand lined with palm trees looks like a real postcard.
However, the sea here is quite rough, which makes swimming difficult. Come here instead to relax, watch a beautiful sunset or have dinner with your feet in the sand.
Goyambokka Beach
This is a pretty, quiet beach with a wild feel, thanks to the rocks scattered here and there. Several restaurants have set up loungers under coconut-leaf umbrellas. Perfect for soaking up the sun, but not too much!
Next to this big beach, there’s an adorable little cove that we really loved. To find it, head to the Rocky Point Beach Bungalows hotel, right next to the beach.
Getting there:
- From Tangalle: 6 minutes by scooter, car or tuk-tuk
Twin Coconut Tree Swing (on Dickwella Bay Beach)
This isn’t a beach, but rather a specific spot on Dickwella Bay Beach. Two coconut trees, known as the “twin coconut trees”, lean out toward the sea, which makes them perfect for hanging swings.
This spot is very Instagrammable and perfect for your best stories!
Getting there:
- From Tangalle: 26 minutes by scooter, car or tuk-tuk, or 45 minutes by bus
2. Go on a safari in Udawalawe
Going on a safari in one of Sri Lanka’s many national parks is a must. Since we were in the south of the island, we headed to Udawalawe National Park (or Uda Walawe), about a 1.5-hour drive from Tangalle.
The park is best known for its elephants. We were lucky enough to spot one barely 3 minutes after driving into the park in our jeep. A sight we’ll never forget!
During our safari, we came across several elephant families, as well as crocodiles, water buffalo, mongooses, deer, a hornbill, an eagle, pelicans and several peacocks.
We recommend a half-day safari, ideally in the morning before the heat knocks out both you and the animals. Half a day is more than enough to see lots of wildlife.
How much does a half-day safari in Udawalawe National Park cost?
- Park entry: about $36
- Jeep rental: about $28
A safari may seem expensive, but you can cut costs by sharing the jeep with other visitors, since the jeep price is split between passengers! In our case, it was just the two of us in our jeep.
To organize the trip, you can ask your hosts to book a driver from your hotel, or book through an agency like this one, which will pick you up at your hotel and find you a jeep to explore the park.
If you want to see leopards, head to Yala National Park instead, about a 2-hour drive from Tangalle.
3. Surf at a famous spot
Whether you’re an expert or a beginner, the south coast has plenty of surf spots: Hiriketiya near Tangalle, and Mirissa or Weligama a little farther west.
Hiriketiya is one of the best-known surf spots in Sri Lanka, in every season. We actually took our very first surf lesson there with Houra School and loved it! Expect to pay about $17 per person for a 1.5-hour private beginner lesson. More experienced surfers can also rent a board.
4. Kayak on a lagoon and go birdwatching
The Tangalle area has several lagoons that are great for kayaking: Tangalle, Rekawa and Mawella. It’s a fun way to spot Sri Lanka’s many birds and enjoy a beautiful sunset.
We paddled on the Tangalle and Rekawa lagoons. Rekawa Lagoon is really huge, so we recommend going with Kayak Journey Rekawa, a super friendly guide who’ll take you through the mangroves to the best spot for the sunset. You might even get Goucha, the guide’s adorable dog, as captain of your kayak!
Tangalle Lagoon is small and easy to explore without a guide. We really enjoyed paddling there, as we could go quite deep into the mangroves. We were lucky enough to borrow our hotel’s kayaks for free.
5. Spot sea turtles
Sea turtles have long called Sri Lanka’s beaches home. You can see them year-round, but nesting peaks between January and April, when turtles come ashore to lay their eggs in the sand. At that time of year, you might even be lucky enough to see eggs hatch. In July, we saw some in the water at Turtle Beach in Mirissa.
You can also spot them at Rekawa Beach, where five different species of sea turtles nest, or at Polhena Beach.
6. Visit a temple perched on a rock
If you’re in the mood for some culture and want to add to your list of Sri Lankan temples, the one not to miss near Tangalle is Mulkirigala Raja Maha Vihara, a Buddhist temple on a rock 670 feet (205 meters) high. That’s right, Sigiriya isn’t the only rock with its own temple!
Mulkirigala is a cave temple made up of a series of shrines carved into a huge rock. The caves are filled with murals and religious and secular sculptures, including several reclining Buddhas, some of them about 45 feet (14 meters) long.
To get there, you’ll have to climb 533 steps. A great way to burn off last night’s kottu roti!
7. Treat yourself to an Ayurvedic massage
An Ayurvedic massage is a must-do in Sri Lanka, as Ayurveda is a big part of Sri Lankan culture. This type of massage, using warm herbal oils, is known for being deeply relaxing, for both body and mind.
There are lots of massage places all over the country, so don’t hesitate to ask your hosts or hotel for advice to pick one.
Average price: about $11 to $17 per person.
Where to stay in Tangalle
Tangalle is the perfect place in Sri Lanka to rest and unwind. If there’s one place in the country where you should choose your hotel carefully, it’s here!
We stayed at Hidden Garden, across from Tangalle’s huge beach, and loved our few nights there! Our room was very spacious and the facilities were superb: a big pool lined with palm trees, free kayaks to explore Tangalle Lagoon and its mangroves, Ayurvedic massages on request and the best breakfasts of our whole trip. Not to mention the warm welcome from the family who runs this little oasis.
We had also considered Tropical Garden, right on Tangalle Beach. Book it for a stay with your toes in the sand!
Since we loved Hiriketiya Beach, we also recommend this lovely hotel, just 650 feet (200 meters) from the beach.
When is the best time to visit Tangalle?
As for the whole south coast, the best time to visit Tangalle is from December to March or April. The southwest monsoon brings rain and rough seas from May to September.
We stayed there in the middle of July, during the monsoon. Don’t worry: no torrential rain fell on us, and we were able to explore the coast without any trouble.
Just keep in mind that many beaches aren’t safe for swimming at this time of year because of the currents. But as we mentioned above, Hiriketiya is the perfect beach for swimming during the monsoon, a real gem!
How long to stay in Tangalle
It all depends on what you’re looking for, but we recommend staying at least 3 days in Tangalle. You can also stay in another town in the area, like Dikwella near Hiriketiya Beach, or Matara.
Our 4-day itinerary in the Tangalle area:
- Day 1: Arrival by bus from Ella, a stop at Madilla Beach, dinner at Dream Family
- Day 2: Silent Beach and Blue Beach Island, then swimming and chilling at Hiriketiya Beach, kayaking on Rekawa Lagoon
- Day 3: Safari in Udawalawe, downtime at our hotel and dinner at Cactus Lounge
- Day 4: Goyambokka Beach, a surf lesson at Hiriketiya, kayaking on Tangalle Lagoon, dinner at Maheshee Home
Where to eat in Tangalle
We found three great restaurants in Tangalle itself: Dream Family (delicious kottu roti), Cactus Lounge (specializing in fish and seafood) and Maheshee Home (a very good rice and curry).
At Hiriketiya Beach, we ate at Utopia Bar, which serves good European food and amazing cocktails.
How to get to Tangalle
- From Ella: 3.5 hours by bus
- From Mirissa: 1.5 hours by bus
- From Colombo: 5 hours by bus, or about 3 hours by car via the Southern Expressway
There are several bus stops in Tangalle, but Tangalle Bus Stand is the biggest and most central. Lots of buses leave from here, which makes changing buses easy.
Our take on Tangalle
We really loved our stay in Tangalle! We made the most of its huge, unspoiled beaches and our wonderful hotel to rest, while still doing a few activities. It’s well worth a stop on your itinerary, whether you’re a beach lover or someone who can’t sit still! It’s also a very pleasant area to explore with kids. Note that prices are a bit higher here than in the rest of the country.
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