Things To Do On Sri Lanka’s South Coast 2024
Are you looking to plan a trip to Sri Lanka’s south coast? Read on!
There’s no shortage of awesome things to do on Sri Lanka’s South Coast. We planned for one week in Sri Lanka, but during our time in Mirissa we decided to extend our time by another week because we weren’t ready to leave the beautiful beaches.
Best Things To Do on the South Coast of Sri Lanka
With the natural beauty of the coast and the ocean you don’t need to pay to see the best of the Sri Lanka’s south coast. Bonus: the first 7 things listed below are all FREE!
1. Walk the Fort Walls at Galle
You can easily circle the whole fort in an hour, but it’s nice to take your time stopping to admire the views and take pictures. We walked the walls at sunset two days in a row and were still discovering new corners to enjoy. We even spotted some giant sea turtles floating in the break below.
Galle is worth a full day a minimum. There’s plenty of shops and restaurants to explore. We actually spent two nights there and didn’t run out of things to do, but you can hit the highlights in one full day or a quick overnight trip.
2. Watch the sunset from Parrot Rock
You’ll need to cross through the water at certain times of day to get to Parrot Rock, depending on the tide. But that’s part of the fun! You get 360 views of Mirissa beach and the Indian Ocean. The sky put on a show for us both nights we were there for the sun set.
3. Take a picture on Coconut Tree Hill
Try to go on a sunny day. It’s all about the content on this little hill, so if you can go first thing before it gets too crowded. We were there on a cloudy day so the pictures could have been better. But it was still nice to sit on a rock near the bottom and listen to the waves crash.
4. Swim at Jungle Beach
Hike down about five to seven minutes to find a perfect spot for relaxing in the sand and taking a dip in the water. The waves here are small (the smallest we came across during our time in Sri Lanka) so it’s perfect for a relaxing swim in the water.
5. Relax at Secret Beach
This beach is definitely no longer a secret, but it’s still worth a visit. You can take a tuk tuk or ride your scooter through some small roads to reach this beach. It’s not hard to find; we got confused at one point on which way to turn and a local directed us before we even asked which way to go.
6. Watch the surfers at Midigama Beach
If surfing is your thing, this beach is a must visit. We enjoyed the sunset view from a reclining chair at one of the many shacks, while drinking a Lion beer. We only watched the surfers and still had a good time here.
7. Chill at Silent Beach
We came across this beach during a drive from Mirissa to Tangelle. We headed east from Mirissa in hopes of finding less populated beaches and Silent Beach delivered! There’s a private resort, but there’s also a couple shacks at the west end of the beach where we enjoyed some food.
8. Rent a scooter
Along the main road in Mirissa you’ll see several places renting out bikes for inexpensive day rates. You can drive across the coast and stop at any one of the many amazing beaches.
I took the roads along the coast from Mirissa out to Tangalle. There’s so many beautiful beaches to stop at along the way. It’s about 2 hours if you take the roads along the coast the whole way, but you’ll want to account for more time to stop and enjoy the sights.
9. Swing from a Rope Swing
Right on the beach is Dream Cabana, offering rooms, food and drink, but most importantly a palm tree with a rope swing hanging over the water. It’s a small fee to use the rope swing. Don’t worry, you get multiple swings to make sure you can capture the moment for your Instagram 😉
It’s near Unawatuna Beach, another popular beach that is worth visiting on Sri Lanka’s South Coast.
10. Enjoy a meal out
My favorite thing to do in any destination is enjoy good food and drinks! Below are some of my favorite restaurants from my time staying in and around Mirissa.
Shady Lane
Cute cafe off the main street in Mirissa with delicious brunch foods, including avocado toast and smoothie bowls. Note: it’s down a little street and behind a building so don’t expect to see it right on the main road.
Wood Space Cafe
Tucked away in the streets near Madiha Beach, this spot has great food and a serene atmosphere. It’s a cozy outdoor spot (don’t worry, they provide bug spray) with a few tables and exceptional service.
Sea Cafe Vibes
The most peaceful coffee shop I have ever been to. More like a coffee stand, than a shop. It’s right on the water with only a handful of wooden tables. The coffee was good and the vibes were immaculate.
The Doctor’s House
This place is owned by Australians and they’ve managed to nail the cool coastal vibes. They offer cocktails, coffee, food, a fun atmosphere and even rooms if you’re looking for somewhere to stay just outside of Mirissa.
DelTano’s
Classic Italian food off the main road in Mirissa. If you’re staying in town, it’s the perfect place to walk to for lunch or dinner. As someone who is particular about Italian food I enjoyed it so much we came back here another night.
Petti Petti
This spot right on the beach in Mirissa is worth it mostly for the atmosphere. You get an elevated beach shack setting and there’s even a pool on the first floor you can lounge in to beat the heat. The food was nothing special but we enjoyed our drinks and the view!
Best Time to Visit Sri Lanka’s South Coast
The monsoon season in the South-West coast of Sri Lanka runs from May to September, meaning you should travel the south coast during it’s dry season from December to March. Or you could also plan a trip during the shoulder seasons in October, November, or April.
If you are planning on visiting the north and east coast of the country, be aware of the north-east monsoon season that brings rains from October to January.
How to Get to Sri Lanka’s South Coast
You can take a train or a car from Colombo to the South Coast.
By Train
We opted for the train to travel from Colombo to Galle. The train ride from took about five hours and it did leave Colombo about an hour late. It runs south along the western coast so you get pretty ocean views for small sections of the journey. Tickets only cost the equivalent of a few dollars, but the train was very crowded. We got lucky because they opened up some reserved cars at the back due to the over crowding and we found a seat there.
If you take the train in one place in Sri Lanka, definitely take it from at least Ella to Nuwara Eliya (an shortened version of the famous Ella to Kandy ride). Read more about taking the train from Badulla to Nuwara Eliya here.
By Car
In Colombo you can get Ubers fairly easily, but they are scarce in the rest of the country. If you are headed to the south coast from Colombo, you’ll be able to get an Uber for about the equivalent of $40-$50 for the 2.5 hour drive. You can also use the Pick Me app for rides in cities like Colombo and Kandy.
Alternatively, your hotel can arrange a car for you. This is likely the pricier of options, but may also be easiest because they have local drivers on call.
TL;DR: Things To Do On Sri Lanka’s South Coast
If you’re looking for the best things to do on the South Coast of Sri Lanka, there’s an abundance of beautiful beaches to enjoy and beautiful spots for photo ops. Mirissa and the surrounding towns offer plenty of opportunities for relaxing and having fun with gorgeous views.
Are you headed to the center of the country before or after your time on the coast? Check out these posts on hiking Sigiriya Rock and the best things to do in Ella, Nuwara Eliya, and Kandy.