The island's tropical southwest is the classical beach holiday destination of Sri Lanka, with an almost continuous chain of beach resorts between Colombo and Galle, the most famous of which are Beruwela, Bentota, and Hikkaduwa.
The southwest is the wet zone of Sri Lanka, because it is exposed to the monsoon winds and rainfalls during the summer months. The island's areas of largest annual precipitation are the foothills of the Central Highlands and the Sinharaja Range. They receice their highesst amounts of rainfall during the monsoon months from mid June to mid December. However, these are inland regions. The southwestern coastal region has a slightly different climate. Surprisingly, there are usually many hours of blue skye almost every day during the said summer months, particularly in the morning and the months of highest precipitation in coastal town are May and October immeditatle before and after the monsoon. Nonetheless, the northern summer is off-season in the southwest. The high season in the beach resorts from Mount Lavinia till Hikkaduwa is of course the sunshine season from November till April.
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Beruwela & Bentota - Focal Point of beach Holidays
The area of Beruwela and Bentota has highest bed capacity of all beach resorts on the entire island. It marks the centre of the southwestern coastline and also the border of the Western and the Southern Province, Beruwela being at the northern and Bentota at the southern side of the Bentota River.
Beruwela is not only a coastal holiday resort, it's the traditional centre of the Muslim community. The northern part of Beruwala known as Maradana has several mosques and jewellery stores and a fishing harbour. s well-known for its jewellery stores. The main hotel hub is 3 km further south, the sandy beaches stretch into the area of the neigbouring town of Aluthgama. With a length of 1200 m, Moragalla Beach is the longest strip of sand, also known as “Golden Mile”. All categories of hotels are available, luxury class and very large hotels in particular.
Beruwela is not only a coastal holiday resort, it's the traditional centre of the Muslim community. The northern part of Beruwala known as Maradana has several mosques and jewellery stores and a fishing harbour. s well-known for its jewellery stores. The main hotel hub is 3 km further south, the sandy beaches stretch into the area of the neigbouring town of Aluthgama. With a length of 1200 m, Moragalla Beach is the longest strip of sand, also known as “Golden Mile”. All categories of hotels are available, luxury class and very large hotels in particular.
Bentota, situated situated on a small peninsula between lagoon and ocean, is not only known for it's bungalow-style resorts but for a high number of Ayurvedic spas. Aluthgama and Bentota at the lagoon-like mouth of Bentota River are the water fun hotspot of Sri Lanka. Sportive facilities such as waterskiing, wakeboarding, windsurfing are available as well as fun activities such as jet-skiing, tube rides, banana boat, fly fish, jet-skiing, and speed boat rides.
Beruwela and Bentota are also perfect starting points for half-day or full-day excursions to explore the hinterland. Major attractions in the immediate surroundings are spice gardens, toddy tappers and bullock cart rides. Kande Vihara is a new temple complex on an elevated platform carrying one large Buddha statues and being a perfect lookout to the palm groves along the coastline.
Beruwela and Bentota are also perfect starting points for half-day or full-day excursions to explore the hinterland. Major attractions in the immediate surroundings are spice gardens, toddy tappers and bullock cart rides. Kande Vihara is a new temple complex on an elevated platform carrying one large Buddha statues and being a perfect lookout to the palm groves along the coastline.
Higly recommendable are detours to Sri Lanka's most alluring privately created landscape gardens in only a few kilometers distance. Brief Garden near Aluthgama was the domiciled of Bevis Bawa, whereas Lunuganga Estate near Beruwela was the weekend residence of his brother, Geoffrey Bawa, Sri Lanka's most famous modern architect.
Between Beruwela and Colombo are some more beach resorts, most notably Kalutara and Wadduwa. Kalutara is the district capital and an urban area, the landmark of which the a modern temple of Gangatilaka Viharaya with the largest white dome of a stupa in Sri Lanka, whereas Wadduwa is a fishing village in a green surrounding, the large resorts being well-integrated into the landscape, consisting mostly of bungalows and twin-storey buildings. Panadura and Moratuwa and Mount Lavinia further north belong to the metropolitan area of Colombo.
Beaches between Bentota and Hikkaduwa - and More Attractions
To the south of Bentota are the coastal towns of Induruwa and Kosgoda, both well-known for turtle hatcheries as their main attractions. Balapitiya further south is not only an attracive sandy beach but also the gateway to Madu Ganga. These wetlands form the largest cluster of lagoons and mangrove swamps in southwestern Sri Lanka. Boat safaris on Madu Ganga are a must. Though this is a touristy area, they are highly recommendable indeed, because there are attractions of various kinds, such as fish massage spas, traditional prawn fising kraals, cinnamon barking and peeling and processing on Cinnamon Isle, Sri Lanka's longest footbridge, an islet Hindu shrine and a Buddhist island monastery.
Only 5 km further south is Ambalangoda, which is the village of traditional mask manufacturers. Lanka Masks in the city centre Ariyapala & Sons are the most famous ones, whith exhibition halls resp. museums. Ambalangoda has several small sandy beaches to the north and south of its small fishing port.
The beaches in between Ambalangoda and Hikkaduwa 13 km further south are less attractive because of the proximity of the coastal road A2. But only 3 km further inland is one of the major tourist attractions of this region, namely the Meetiyagoda moonstone mine, the most important one of its kind in Sri Lanka. In contrast to other moonstones found in South Asia, south of Meetiyagoda are known for their blue shine, which is very rare.
Hikkaduwa has earned a reputation as a the hippie dorado of South Asia in the 1970s. It's still more dominated by smaller hotels and guesthouses but has developed into a resort attracting backpackers and families alike. Hikkaduwa is the favourite beach of southwestern Sri Lanka for two groups of travelers in particular, namely surfers and snorkelers. While it's debatable whether the coral reefs are highly attractive, Hikkaduwa is definitely the best surf spot in along the southwest coast of Sri lanka. Surfing season is the same as "beach season", from November till begin of April, which of course is the peak season in this entire holiday region.
Day-trip destination Ratnapura - heartland of Gems
Those holiday makers who intend do discover the treasures of the inland regions of Sri Lanka are recommended to undertake a day-trip to Ratnapura. The town is crowded with gem shops and their exhibition halls, which are commonly called "gem museums". However, even those who do not intend to purchase one of Sri Lanka's sapphires or other precious stones will receive information and a cup of tea for free or could visit one of the gem mines in the surroundings or the provincial museum. The most important heritage attraction of Ratnapura is outside town. The Maha Saman Devale is one of the largest temples in the Kandyan style, second in size only to the famous Tooth Temple in Kandy. The shrine frequented by Buddhists and Hindus alike is the first place for prayers of those pilgtims who clim the top of Siri Pada alias Adam's Peak. Saman is the guardian deity of Sri Lanka's sacred mountain.
Our insider tip is: When visiting Ratnapura don't miss to see the waterfalls known as Bopath Ella 15 km further north, just outside the town of Kuruwita. Bopath Falls are a quite busy place, but almost all visitors are locals from Colombo ot the surroundings. This is to say: The highly attractive place is still untouched by foreign tourists.
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