05 Stunning Beaches in Sri Lanka That Will Make You Go 'Wow!'

Ambalangoda is located on the southern coast of the island. Less than two hours' drive from the commercial capital Colombo, this beach is well known for its sandy banks, swaying coconut palms and sleepy vibes. The city is home to traditional mask making industry of Sri Lanka, and visiting the antique Mask Museum is a must for displays of vintage masks used in many traditional ceremonies. Devil dancing is a custom practised in Sri Lanka to ward off evil influences and wooden masks are worn by dancers to denote varied deities and demons. Ambalangoda has a fine collection of craftsmen producing these wooden disguises according to traditional methods. As such, the town is ideal to explore when you are not chilling on the expansive beach, which is a half hour from popular Bentota.

Sitting on the eastern coast, Arugam Bay was shielded from tourists due to the long drawn out civil war of the past. Today, this coast is a shining star, loved for its stunning environs, allures of surfing and fabulous beach. Arugam Bay is famous the world over for its surfing while the coral reefs are loved by scuba divers and snorkelers; take along the underwater cameras for capturing beautiful vistas of marine life and colourful sea plants.

Unawatuna although a sleepy village is a top tourist resort due to its fabulous beach. Utterly gorgeous and thoroughly inviting the sea is a lovely emerald blue around this region. The area is not too bad to explore and Unawatuna accommodation is easily available, especially when surfing booking sites similar to Yoho Bed. Here you are treated to such sites as a blowhole located on a rocky outcrop of the beach and Rumassala Hill; according to local legend this is believed to be a part of the Himalayan range, dropped accidentally by Hanuman the Monkey God; a fine story to listen to on a warm balmy night on the beach.

One of the most famous, on the southern strip, Bentota Beach is a typical tourist resort. Indulge in the latest water sports easily available around this beach. In fact, this coastal area is probably the most famous in the whole island for water sports. Be it on the sea or the lagoon, action-packed thrills on the water are plentiful ranging from waterskiing to rides on a banana boat. The surrounding area is well serviced by a bevvy of seafood restaurants while the nightlife is pretty hip.

This is just one of the top beaches on the western coast of Sri Lanka. Kalpitiya is famous for its dolphin spotting tours and one of the most picturesque on the island. You can on certain days spot the dolphins and whales right from the beach, where lures of kitesurfing are pretty popular.