- Active and athletic
- The most beautiful resorts in Sri Lanka
- Wellness
- Wildlife lovers
- Top 3 best resorts in Sri Lanka
Once called Ceylon, this island in the Indian Ocean is known to everyone, even if he skipped school geography lessons. Suffice it to recall Ceylon tea, which still ranks among the highest in the ratings of the world's best flavored drinks.
You can get acquainted with the traditions of Ceylon tea growers during excursions offered to tourists by the best resorts of Sri Lanka, located on the shores of the Indian Ocean. The island is also ready to please its guests with magnificent landscapes, clean beaches, surfing, diving and a solid set of attractions - both cultural, architectural and natural.
Active and athletic
Negombo
The ideal resort for the lover of water sports is Negombo with its gorgeous beach, where waves, to the delight of athletes, appear very often. Negombo Beach stretches for a couple of kilometers. It has several centers where you can rent kitesurfing, windsurfing and diving equipment.
Boats are rented at the resort's marina, which is convenient for getting to know the inhabitants of the surrounding mangrove forests. Nature lovers are happy to take excursions to the reserve, where dozens of species of exotic birds live. It is separated from Negombo by only fifty kilometers.
Arugam Bay
Arugam Bay is ready to challenge Negombo for surfing opportunities. In April, a southeasterly wind hits the resort, bringing perfect waves for adrenaline junkies. Surfers feel great at one of the best resorts in Sri Lanka until mid-autumn, when the wind changes direction and relative calm reigns on the ocean until next spring.
The beach, where surfers hang out, does not boast of any infrastructure, and therefore it is important to bring everything you need with you. Other entertainments of Arugam Bey's guests include canoe trips to the mangrove forest, walks in national parks where elephants and leopards live, and in a bird sanctuary.
Kalutara
On the southwestern Sri Lankan coast, Kalutara is popular with active and at the same time very wealthy guests. One of the best resorts in Sri Lanka, Kalutara has active recreation centers and a well-groomed beach, along which a chain of expensive hotels stretches. The climate of Kalutara and the surrounding area is ideal for a good wave, and surfers feel like a fish in water here. Diving is another popular activity at the resort. During the wind season, guests of Kalutara practice sailing and windsurfing.
The beaches of the resort are covered with sand of a golden hue, and rich vegetation forms secluded islands on them, covered with foliage from prying eyes.
Kandy
Kandy was the last capital of the ancient Sri Lankan kings, and its historical and cultural heritage is highly appreciated by the world community: the architectural ensemble of the old city is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Active tourists are impressed by Kandy not only in terms of excursions to ancient monuments. In its vicinity there are many hiking trails: to the Udawattakelle National Park, and to the mountains, and to tea plantations, and to authentic villages, whose inhabitants have preserved the customs and traditions of their ancestors.
Kandy is only 115 km away from Colombo, and it is not difficult to go here for a couple of days.
Top 15 places of interest in Sri Lanka
The most beautiful resorts in Sri Lanka
Unawatuna
Unawatuna is often found in the lists of world travel agencies - a resort whose beaches are certainly included in the top 10 most beautiful in the world. Perhaps the reason for this is the sufficient privacy of the resort and the lack of a developed tourist infrastructure on it. You will not find expensive and comfortable hotels in Unawatuna, while there are always a lot of tourists sunbathing on the local beach.
The coral reef, located a few dozen meters from the coast, serves as a natural breakwater, and the sea in the resort area is always calm. The entrance to it is shallow, and therefore not very experienced swimmers can safely swim in Unawatuna.
There are sun loungers and umbrellas on the shore here and there, but the atmosphere of a secluded beach and detachment from civilization in Unawatuna is strong, like nowhere else in Sri Lanka.
Mirissa
Mirissa is very cozy and homely, and the surrounding nature is picturesque and magnificent, like everywhere else in Sri Lanka. The resort offers its guests the perfect travel magazine cover picture - a deserted sandy beach framed by beautiful cliffs, emerald palms leaning over it and a blue sky merging with the ocean over the horizon.
Surfers love to come to Mirissa, who catch the waves here from November to April. There is a center on the beach of the resort where boards are rented and instructed for beginners. Tourists with children in Mirissa are also not uncommon: the resort has a coastal area where waves do not happen, the sand is fine and clean, and the entrance to the water is shallow.
There is one very interesting item in the small list of entertainment for vacationers in Mirissa - a walk in the open ocean and whale watching. Sea giants migrate to Sri Lankan waters in December and remain there until mid-spring. During the excursion, whales are guaranteed to be seen and photographed.
Bentota
Bentota is a very romantic place and, despite its popularity, has retained the charm and beauty of wild beaches and deserted coves.
Today the resort has hotels and restaurants to suit all tastes, and its water sports centers cater to the needs of surfers, water skiers, canoes and divers. And yet, the main advantage of one of the best resorts in Sri Lanka is its sunsets, which captivate guests of Bentota every day.
Wellness
A beach vacation in a tropical resort is always a health improvement, if you do not abuse direct sunlight. And yet, there are places where not only the sea and sunburn help to restore strength. In Sri Lanka, there are hot springs located a few kilometers from the Trincomalee resort. Locals claim that their water helps those who have problems with the musculoskeletal system. There are only seven sources of Kanniyai and the water of each of them helps to relieve pain and relieve inflammation in rheumatism and arthritis of various etiologies.
The Trincomalee resort itself is the perfect place to stay. Its beaches are sheltered from the winds by nestling in small bays. Even children will be able to swim comfortably and safely in such places.
Several ancient buildings have survived in the city, including a hilltop fort and an ancient Hindu temple. In the vicinity of Trincomalee, you can see ruins dating back to the 1st century. and included in the archaeological reserve.
Wildlife lovers
Mount Lavinia
Mount Lavinia is only a few minutes away from the capital by car, and therefore it is easy and not long to get here.
The resort is known among naturalists: in its vicinity is the Dehiwela Zoo or the National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka. The zoo is one of the largest among its kind in the entire region of Southeast Asia. Representatives of 360 species of animals peacefully coexist in the park - lions and elephants, leopards and macaques, flamingos and crocodiles. Most of the park is built in accordance with the principles of free content. Inhabitants of such spaces live as close to natural conditions as possible, and visitors can observe them freely, being nearby.
Lake Bolgoda is another popular excursion route in the vicinity of the resort. The largest freshwater reservoir on the island, the lake is home to a huge number of birds. It is especially lively on the banks of Bolgoda in autumn and winter, when the bird population significantly increases due to migratory flocks.
The beach at Mount Lavinia is quite quiet and you can relax on it in relative seclusion. Hotels in the resort are represented by both inexpensive hostels and quite comfortable "fours" with a reasonable combination of price and quality of service.
Beruwala
The ideal landscapes of Beruwala are not the only advantage of the resort. In addition to the azure water of the sea, shaded by the greenery of palm groves, Beruwala offers tourists numerous excursions to nature reserves and reserves.
For example, the Sinharaja Forest is a piece of relict jungle that has been preserved almost untouched for millions of years. This biosphere reserve is home to very interesting species of animals. During the walk, tourists can see leopards, armadillos, elephants and many primates.
Top 3 best resorts in Sri Lanka
Tourists in Sri Lanka are special. Here you rarely find married couples with children, but there are plenty of newlyweds and fans of solitude and complete merging with nature. Romantics and photographers, surfers and divers love to visit the island, and the rating of the best resorts in Sri Lanka is usually compiled in the light of their preferences:
Hikkaduwa
Hikkaduwa is especially loved by divers. The coral reserve in the coastal waters of the resort is a real paradise for fans of diving. More than seventy species of coral form a veritable forest in the ocean 50 meters offshore, and it is home to hundreds of species of fish of all shapes, sizes and colors.
The waters off the coast of Hikkaduwa are no less interesting for fans of wreck diving. Here they dive to the remains of sunken ships that were at the bottom of the sea more than a hundred years ago. The first divers arrive at the resort in late autumn, and the season lasts until mid-April.
Surfers have also chosen the beaches of Hikkaduwa: the waves here are quite decent, the water is warm, and you can choose a very budget hotel, which is important for young people.
Weligama
Weligama is good for everyone! The town lies on the shores of a bay, the sides of which are very different from each other. If in the west fans of quiet lazy relaxation feel especially at ease, and waves in this part of Weligama are extremely rare, then the east coast is known for its rough ocean and is especially suitable for surfing.
Hotels in Weligama can be found both very comfortable and very inexpensive with a Spartan set of amenities.
The list of popular entertainments for the guests of the resort includes walking along the old colonial streets in the historic center, excursions to the surrounding caves, and watching the fishermen who catch their catch in a special way, sitting on a pole in the ocean. Galle is located just three dozen kilometers from Weligama. The city is always present in excursions recommended for guests of the island.
Tangalle
Tangalle is suitable both for lovers of expensive vacations and for travelers of limited means, content with little for the sake of the opportunity to see the world. The resort is located in the southwest of the island, and its beaches stretch for several kilometers, delighting lovers of seclusion.
The ocean water in Tangalle is very clean. Not surprisingly, snorkeling has become one of the resort's most popular leisure activities. Divers in Tangalle also meet: the purpose of their arrival is a coral reef off the coast of the island.
Fans of ancient buildings can take an excursion to the cave sanctuary, which was built by Buddhists back in the 3rd century. BC NS. The statue of Buddha and the ancient temple of Vevurukannala in the vicinity of Tangalle are another popular tourist destination for excursions.
Wildlife lovers can get acquainted with the feathered inhabitants of Sri Lanka in the Kalametiya bird sanctuary. Some of the birds are endemic and are found only on the island and nowhere else in the world.
Tangalle is ideal for those who love a relaxing break, lovers of sunset meditation, and those travelers who consider the perfect holiday away from civilization.
Leisure safety in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka and its best resorts will appeal to everyone if they choose the right destination.
Going on vacation with children, keep in mind that the excitement of the ocean washing the island in many places is a common thing. To swim with babies safely and comfortably, choose Unawatuna or Ahungalla.
Pay attention to the signals of rescuers, even if you consider yourself a confident swimmer: in the waters off the coast of the resorts of Sri Lanka, currents often occur that can confuse even a professional.
