Beaches of Sri Lanka

The soft sound of waves lapping in to the beach, endless strips of white sandy beaches contrasting with deep blue waters must be what's on your mind when you plan to travel to a beautiful tropical beach to spend a sunny holiday. Whether to set your spirit of adventure free or just to relax and enjoy the tranquil settings, Sri Lanka is the ideal holiday destination. Sri Lanka is endowed with so many beautiful beaches, many an idyllic setting with swaying palm trees bending over the white sand lapped by blue waves and coral reefs that are home to many types of tropical fish. As you travel along the western, eastern or southern coastline, around every bend you will come upon yet another inviting tropical vista, which testifies Sri Lanka, a tropical island as the best place to holiday.

If you're the active type looking for action, a variety of water sports await you. Snorkeling, windsurfing, angling and sailing are just a few activities if one wants to indulge in water sports. Exploring coral reefs, the beautiful under water flora & fauna is a must when you travel to Sri Lanka. Various types of crustaceans and hydra add to the exquisiteness of a coral reef, which is home to many authentic species. Windsurfing is a popular activity, which brings much fun and tests your competitive skills. Windsurfing races are held mainly on the southeastern coast. Not just water sports, you could socialize with the warm friendly people out there and move to the sunny vibes emitting from this beautiful and tropical culture.

What else can you find on Sri Lanka, which is studded with sunny beaches? Well, if you want to enjoy a beautiful sunset, sipping a drink made of tropical fruits or a cool beer relaxing on a hammock, listening to the hum of seagulls synchronized with music of waves lapping on to beaches where "two's company and three's crowd", Sri Lanka offers all types of sunny environment. These beaches are a paradise for honeymooners, where the environment is so romantic one could smell love in the air!

If you want to satisfy you're Epicurean desires, a variety of Sri Lankan seafood consisting exotic dishes are available. Tiger prawns, lobsters and crabs are just a few kinds of crustaceans that make in as ingredients to many types of excellent cuisine that you could try. Many restaurants specializing in seafood are found in the city of Colombo and on the western coast.

If you want to find accommodation there are many motels, which charge nominal rates. Always beware of touts when trying to locate a hotel. When you travel to Sri Lanka with the intention of experiencing the beautiful beaches, sub cultures associated with them such as quaint fishing communities would broaden your knowledge on this sunny island.

Negombo

The beach of Negombo is situated 37km from Colombo to north. It is a paradise for seafoods. There's much more in Negombo than just a sandy stretch of beach, where much history has been witnessed. During the period of time when Dutch were ruling the coastal areas of Sri Lanka, a fort, a canal and many a church was built and cinnamon cultivation took high priority. Remanents of these adorn the beach of Negombo along with fishing villages, which are sprinkled in the area. Mt-Lavinia Mt-Lavinia beach is both high in historical value and beauty. The beach of Mt-Lavinia is situated 12 km from Colombo towards south. It is an ideal place to relax and enjoy the sea. Mt-Lavinia Beach is crowded on Sundays and public holidays with large crowd gathered to participate in many beach sports activities such as swimming, surfing, beach volleyball, beach rugby. Music by Live bands & Entertainment by DJs keep the toes of the crowd tapping. Hikkaduwa The beach of Hikkaduwa is situated 98 km from Colombo towards the south of Sri Lanka. The Hikkaduwa beach is a paradise of coral reefs. Hikkaduwa beach is highly picturesque and arguably the most beautiful stretch of beach in Ceylon. The coral sanctuary found on the coast of hikkaduwa is a large shallow body of water enclosed by a reef, decorated with layers of multi coloured corals, witch is home to countless number of colourful fish. Off the beach there is a collection of tine islets surrounded by beautiful coral formations. Many species of fish and large turtles are found here. After a shot distance southwards from the center of the reef, it diminishes given rise to a wider sandy bottomed beach with good waves ideal for board surfing and body surfing. You can always rent the necessary equipment needed for snorkeling and surfing. There are many shops selling Masks, Gems, Jewellery, Batik, Antiques and etc. along with several Buddhist temples, all which add spice to life at Hikkaduwa.