Seaside and beautiful beaches

Weligama literally means "sandy village" which refers to the area's sandy sweep bay. The tiny island Taprobane was once owned by Frenchman Count de Maunay who built a beautiful house on it. The bay is famous for its remarkable stilt fishermen and handmade lace, devil dance shows and its seafood. Weligama is also a wonderful scuba diving and surfing location. There are many sites of historical importance and tourist attractions within Weligama and its vicinity.

 

Mirissa is a beautiful small beach which is calm and relaxing. Not far from Mirissa, Polhena beach is an ideal place for scuba diving. It is famous for its natural swimming pool created by the coral reef.

 

Unawatuna a coastal village famous for its beautiful beach and corals. It is ideal for swimming and scuba-diving.

 

Galle

Galle is the best example of a fortified city built by Europeans in Southeast Asia, showing the interaction between European architectural styles and Asian traditions. Galle fort is a World Heritage Site and the largest remaining fortress in Asia built by European occupiers.

Negombo has a small port. Its economy is mainly based on tourism and its centuries-old fishing industry, though it also produces cinnamon, ceramics and brass ware. Negombo provides a quick access to the international airport.

 

Trincomalee in the East is a natural deep-water harbour that attracted great sea farers. The long and wide beaches offer surfing, scuba diving, fishing and whale watching. It has the largest Dutch fortress of Sri Lanka and the oldest Hindu temple Tirukonesvaram Kovil in Sri Lanka.