Best Beaches in Sri Lanka. Are you planning a visit to Sri Lanka? Sri Lanka is one of the most beautiful island destinations in the world. That being said, you cannot forget the fact that it has many things for you to see and do, starting from the stunning beaches to amazing adrenaline rushing activities and tasteful cuisine. And therefore, whatever you do, you shouldn't skip visiting the below listed best beaches in Sri Lanka on your trip here! Arugam Bay. It’s a bay situated in the southeast coast of Sri Lanka. This is popular among Sri Lankans and foreigners as the only spot in Sri Lanka where international surfing competitions are held! Therefore, Arugam Bay is awarded as one of the 10 best-surfing destinations in the world. The beach is home to plenty of tropical fish among colourful coral reefs. It is a delightful paradise of snorkelling. The Arugam Bay beach lies around the village of Ulla. It's a wide sweeping sandy beach abundant with mangroves and dunes making the surrounding lovelier. Unawatuna Jungle Beach. This is a quite isolated beach destination, which is rarely trampled by locals as well as foreigners. There is a little restaurant on the beach bed. You will have to hike up the Peace Pagoda and then hike down through jungle vegetation to arrive at the Jungle beach. Swimming here is very easy as the waves are not rough at all. The waters are crystal clear and cool. Suitable for the entire family to have a sunbed along with a refreshing drink on the Jungle Beach. The surrounding environment is ideal to relax departing from the bustling city life. Mirissa. A beach paradise in the south coast of Sri Lanka is Mirissa beach. The beachfront restaurants gift awesome dining experiences to the visitors. The Nightlife in Mirissa beach boosts rocking parties filled with mouthwatering seafood under light-up lanterns. Its clean waters make Mirissa a super spot for snorkelling within tiny reefs and rocks. The waves are pretty big adjusting a better spot for surfing for all kinds of surfers. You can also find surfing schools nearby the beach. However, the best way to relax on Mirissa beach is to sip some king coconut water from a local seller and sit on a sunbed under the warm sunshine or you can head to the Parrot Rock to witness incredible sunset. Hikkaduwa. One of the most popular beach destinations among locals as well as foreigners is Hikkaduwa. Since ancient times tourists have been logging here to relax and swim beneath the cool vibes of waving palm trees. Hikkaduwa is a town that locates in 100km from Colombo on the southern coast of Sri Lanka. In front of the blue sea waters, the beach is full of a large array of restaurants from simple to luxury as well as street food huts. If you want to do surfing, visit Hikkaduwa in the months November to April. It's a better spot for scuba diving and snorkelling as well. Hiriketiya. One of the safest beaches in Sri Lanka to have a quick sea bath is Hiriketiya. This beach is like an untouched gem in Sri Lanka because it was discovered recently and is mostly uncrowded. Although the wave tides are high, surfing at Hiriketiya beach is awesome for experienced surfers and safe for beginners. The beachside eateries offer you mouthwatering foods. Nights are also lively with beachside bars and restaurants. Get here early in the morning to catch some colourful sea waves to surf. While you relax in the shady backdrop keep your eyes probing sea turtles! Bentota. A stunning beach in the West coast of Sri Lanka located 62km from Sri Lanka's capital is Bentota beach. The resorts on the beach beds offer swimming pools directing the backdrop towards the sea. It's a perfect beach destination to do swimming all year round. But the best season is the period from October to April. The evening environment on the beachside hotels is dynamic. Locals find Bentota beach as a safe place to do water sports of all sorts; surfing, jet skiing, windsurfing, banana ride, wakeboarding, tube rides, sea diving, snorkelling etc. Tangalle. It's a white sandy beach stretching over a wide area as far as your eyes can see. Waters are soft and turquoise. Palm tree shades along the long coastline support to attract tourists here all year round. Many locals, as well as foreigners, enjoy playing beach ball over here. An ideal place to find peacefulness where one can relax lying down on the beach with air pods on. Since ancient times Tangalle has been a fishing village where you can still find fishermen on the sea with nets. But this isn't a perfect beach destination for swimming as waves are often rough. But you can come here to admire the sunset and sunrise views! Mihiripenna. This is a popular beach destination in Unawatuna in the southern coast of Sri Lanka. The entire family can soak up with fun at Mihiripenna beach. There is a natural lagoon built up by reefs where both visitors and birds do diving and snorkelling. Beach sands are abundant with shells and corals. Sea turtles find this safe and unspoiled as they usually roam on the beach sands. One of the most awesome things about Mihiripenna beach is you can do windsurfing here! Kalpitiya. This is mostly about waterfront beauty. It's an ideal place for dolphin and whale watching. It's a habitat of marine creatures and a marine sanctuary. There is a beautiful coral garden in the middle of the sea waters that gifts you amazing sights of great biodiversity. But the climate is bestowed for sunbathing on the long stretch of sand. Apart from that, a jeep ride on dunes, boat rides and canoe rides will offer you some new experiences in Sri Lanka. Also, the spectacular views of sunset and sunrise are worthy to die for! Pasikudah. Pasikudah or the green-algae-bay is located in the eastern coast of Sri Lanka. The beach bed is often occupied by kite surfers while the blue turquoise waters are full of tourists with surfing boards in hands. The shore is adorned with coconut and palm trees ideal for the semi-arid zone. Don't forget to bring a hat with a large brim and sunscreen as the sun above the Pasikudah beach is always too hot. The shallow front region of the sea awards delightful views of coral reefs. Beneath the azure waves, you can indulge in snorkelling and diving as well. Nilaveli. Approximately within 16km from Trincomalee, Nilaveli beach sands with soft white sands shaded by an array of palm trees. A small island visible to one who stands on the Nilaveli beach is the famous Pigeon Island. Toward the North from the Nilaweli beach, there's a cluster of reddish rocks called Red Rock Beach. The most common water sports here are surfing, windsurfing and scuba diving. Another great option at Nilaveli beach is sunbathing. Come here to take a break from the hectic busy lifestyle from April to October. View over the bay is breath-taking. Talalla South. Set in 29 miles away from Galle at Talalla South. Its golden sand is a perfect match to the deep blue waters of the Indian Ocean. This is also the least known beach destination even among locals of Sri Lanka. Therefore, it can be said as the least crowded beach destination as well on the island. The serene surrounding plus the beautiful backdrop creates a positive vibe for relaxation, and it is the best place to be if you want a peaceful vacation away from the crowds. This beach stands as an example for other beaches as how they must be with an unpolluted natural beauty. Dikwella. While this isn't a famous beach destination among locals, its beauty creates a reason to worth a visit. A great place for parents to relax on the sand allowing their kids to swim alone in the sea waters as this beach destination is very safe and its location prevents swimmers form drawing towards the sea accidentally. This is also an ideal spot to play beach volleyball. The best time to visit Dikwella is in the months April to June. Negombo Beach. A nice beach destination facing the west in Sri Lanka. It is not exactly the 'go-to' type of beach but if you are in a rush at Sri Lanka and wants to have at least one beach experience you can head to the Negombo Beach as it is a beach spot near the airport and easily accessible even by a tuk-tuk. Also, you must be very careful when swimming in the Negombo beach as rip wave currents can catch swimmers into the sea. Wijaya Beach. A popular beach destination in Dalawella in Sri Lanka. Beachfront restaurants serve an eclectic mix of European and Asian food. Nightlife at Wijaya beach is warm with cocktail parties. It’s a safer place to do swimming all year round as Wijaya beach claims a lagoon created by protective reefs.