Sri Lanka is not only train rides, elephants, and tea plantations. The southern part of Sri Lanka is a must visit. It has many beautiful beaches and cute little beach towns. Each of these towns has something that you should not miss. We recommend choosing Mirissa as your base yet still explore the other beaches. Here are some ideas for day trips from Mirissa.
Let's explore
Day Trips From Mirissa
Related: Mirissa – Best Sri Lanka Beach Town
Weligama
Surfing
Weligama is a great place for surfing. It is located in a little bay and the waves are very suitable for beginners. It was the place where we stepped on a surfing board for the first time. GOALS! The best time to go surf for beginners mostly is the early morning as the tide is low then. There are many different surfing schools down the beach. You can just show up and choose which one you like. Another option is to book a hotel which also offers surfing lessons. Price for renting a surfboard is around 1,20 USD (1 EUR) per hour but doesn’t include a lesson from an instructor. Most likely, you will pay around 11 – 14 USD (10 – 12 EUR) for about two hours of surfing with an instructor.
However, note that that will be a local instructor, so a local beach guy who just freelances as a surf instructor. If you would like to get a lesson from a certified instructor, you will have to go to one of the surf schools there. Check out the reviews of any surf school you want to attend online before you commit! But most of them are really, really good!
Look at those surfing views.
Our favorite place to stay in Weligama on: Booking.com – Kaori Cafe and Villa | Agoda.com – Aura Weligama
Galle
Visit Galle Fort
The fort is the most popular place to visit in Galle. it is located on the southern part of the town. Take a walk along the ramparts and enjoy the great view of the sea. As it is very popular be aware of the tourist groups. Haha! Otherwise, the place is great to walk around and explore the narrow streets and admire Dutch architecture. Make sure not to miss the Galle Lighthouse as it is another great place for some good shots.
Walk Around the Old Town
Galle is relatively bigger than other beach towns in Sri Lanka. You can spend a few hours just wandering around its little streets, do some shopping and of course try local cuisine. The fort and the old town is also declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The old town is full of great creperies, gelato cafes and other dessert places which feel nice after all the Sri Lankan food. Treat yourself! Also, it is a great area for souvenir shopping as there are many local crafts and goodies!
Galle Fort is a must visit!
Related: What to Do in Kandy, Sri Lanka?
Our favorite place to stay in Galle on: Booking.com – Secret Garden Fort | Agoda.com – Arabella on Boosa
Unawatuna
Unawatuna Beach
This is another great option for a day trip from Mirissa. It is a small beach town with cute little cafes and shops. The beach, of course, is the center of it all. There are many beach restaurants and bars which offers you a great variety of seafood, drink, and all other goodies. The beach is perfect for swimming and sunbathing. On the west end of it, there is a pagoda from which you can see all the beach.
Having fun on one of the many swings again!
Dalawella Beach
Dalawella beach is just next to Unawatuna beach. Is most known because of the swing and the big rock. This is the top spot for all those Instagram pictures. As the swing became so popular, it costs 2,80 USD (2,50 EUR) now which is kind of funny as it is nothing more than a rope on the palm tree. However, locals will hang around and try to charge you, otherwise, you cannot use the swing made by local children. We must admit, pictures can turn out just gorgeous if you can manage to do them without a crowd in the background.
Our favorite place to stay in Unawatuna on: Booking.com – Open Space Villa | Agoda.com – Insight Resort
Tangalle
Tangalle Beaches
The best beach we have seen in Sri Lanka! It is sooooo beautiful and there is no one around. We had so many peaceful days by the beach. Crushing the huge waves and just lazing around. If you want to escape the crowds plan to visit Tangalle as one of your day trips from Mirissa and just enjoy the peace. We spent 3 days here because when we arrived, we decided, Tangalle is the place! There’s little going on there so you won’t find many parties around, but the beach bars serve cold beer and cocktails and you’ll always find someone to chat to. But we just preferred doing nothing at all in Tangalle.
Our top beaches in Tangalle:
↠ Mediketiya Beach
➳ Silent Beach
↠ Goyambokka Beach
Go to Tangalle if you want to get away from the crowds and experience as little tourists around as you can imagine in Sri Lanka.
Having fun on the swing in the sunset
Our favorite place to stay in Tangalle on: Booking.com – Conch Villa | Agoda.com – Esperanza Beach Villa
Summary of Best Daytrips from Mirissa
Choosing Mirissa as the main location while exploring the Southern Province of Sri Lanka is a great choice. It is very easy to take day trips from Mirissa by tuk-tuk or taxi as all the must-visit beaches are located about an hour drive away. No doubt, there are many great things to do in Mirissa but to experience all the great things that this part of the island offers, you should plan ahead and allocate enough time! We recommend dropping your bags in Mirissa and planning at least 3-day trips to the nearby beach towns – Weligama, Galle, and Tangalle.
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