Holidays in Unawatuna, Sri Lanka: beaches, weather and what to see. Unawatuna beach and resort in sri lanka Unawatuna sri lanka in july

Sri Lanka's iconic curved Unawatuna Bay offers excellent swimming conditions with shallow water reef protection. Unawatuna is primarily a resort for budget and independent travelers, offering a large selection of budget guest houses located close to the beach. Unawatuna's main beach road is sometimes called "Mini Goa" as it has similar restaurants and shops that open at night and even the odd nightclub.
With the opening of the new Southern Highway in Sri Lanka, the resort of Unawatuna has become a place where numerous tourists and residents of the city of Colombo come to relax.
Many tourists believe that Unawatuna Beach is the best in Sri Lanka. The beach at the far end near the Vella Devale Temple has shallow waters throughout the year, even during the monsoon season from May to October. Children can safely swim in this place at almost any time of the year.

Unawatuna on the map of Sri Lanka

Where is the resort of Unawatuna in Sri Lanka? Unawatuna is located 140 km south of Colombo, along the southern coastal belt of Sri Lanka. The main city of Sri Lanka's southern coast, Galle, is only 5 km away. Not far from the Unawatuna resort there are other popular tourist resorts such as Weligama, Mirissa, Kogalla, Tangalle, Hikkaduwa and others. If you are wondering where Unawatuna is on the map, you can see it below.

Weather in Unawatuna now and for 14 days

If you are planning to travel to the resort area of ​​Unawatuna in the near future, then you are most likely wondering about the weather in that resort area now and in the coming weeks. If this is the case, then you can look at the 14-day weather forecast in Unawatuna from Gismeteo below. But still, you must remember that the weather in the tropics is very difficult to predict even a day in advance.
As for the weather in Unawatuna by month, it is believed that in the months from May to October the southwest monsoon dominates here, which brings cloudy and rainy weather. There is no monsoon between November and April, so the weather is mostly sunny and dry. True, even during this period heavy precipitation cannot be ruled out.
In order to get the weather forecast in Unawatuna for 14 days, just click on the corresponding link on the informer.
Note: The weather forecast is for the city of Galle, but it is located only 5 km from Unawatuna.

Unawatuna Beach

Unawatuna Beach is a picturesque semicircular bay that extends no more than one kilometer. Like many other beautiful beaches on the southwestern and southern coasts of Sri Lanka, Unawatuna Beach is also fringed by lush groves of coconut palms. However, the appearance of Unawatuna Beach differs from many other beaches in Sri Lanka in that you can see headlands at both ends of the bay. On the headland in the north-west you will see an exceptionally picturesque and rare sight - the brilliant white large globe of the dagoba.
Unawatuna Beach is distinguished by its relatively calm waters. However, it is well suited for lovers of water sports, including surfing and windsurfing.

Jungle Beach in Sri Lanka

If you are going on holiday to the resort area of ​​Unawatuna, then you can also relax on another beautiful beach, such as Jang Beach, which is located 4 km from Unawatuna. It's a small beach with a jungle right behind it.
Jungle Beach is the ideal beach in Sri Lanka for those who want to enjoy snorkeling. It can be reached from Unawatuna Beach by boat or along a small winding road.
The first part of the beach you see as you enter the bay is quite crowded. There are sun loungers and a small café serving local cuisine, as well as sandwiches, drinks and snacks. This cafe has the Russian name "Forest Beach". But if you go a little further, away from the first bay with all the sun loungers, you will soon find yourself in an almost deserted bay with a few vacationers. In any case, Jungle Beach is much less crowded than the main Unawatuna beach.
Jungle Beach in Sri Lanka is a fairly quiet and peaceful beach, great for swimming. True, it is quite small, and getting to it is not so easy. However, if you want to take a break from the noise of Unawatuna Beach, you can spend the day at this beach.

When is the best time to go to Unawatuna?

There are two main seasons in Unawatuna: winter and summer. In general, the winter season is more suitable for relaxation, but during the summer season it also makes sense to go on vacation to Unawatuna.
The winter season (November - April) offers more attractive conditions for a holiday in Unawatuna, since at this time the weather is usually sunny and relatively dry, and the ocean in the Unawatuna area is quite calm. The beaches around this resort are in good condition and suitable for swimming and many water sports.
The summer season (May - October) in Unawatuna is characterized by mostly cloudy and rainy weather. In addition, there are often strong winds and high waves on the ocean. Nevertheless, this season has its advantages, for example, low housing prices and a relatively calm atmosphere in the resort, because there are few tourists here at this time.

Taxi from the airport

Excursions from Unawatuna to Sri Lanka

Since Unawatuna is one of the most popular resorts in Sri Lanka, it is not surprising that a variety of excursions are sold here to all corners of Sri Lanka. We will tell you about all the most interesting excursions in Sri Lanka in a separate article, and on this page we will tell you about local excursions, which are mainly operated from Unawatuna and other resorts on the southern and western coasts of the island.

Excursion to Galle

The historic city of Galle is the center of the Deep South. Within the walls of the old fort you will find chic boutiques, shops and restaurants that cater to expats, travelers and the local Moorish population.

Excursion to Sindharaja Forest

If you can get up really early in the morning (4 o'clock), you can head to the amazing Sindharaja Rainforest - one of the world's most biodiverse places. Trails through the forest allow you to stroll past giant ferns, carnivorous plants and huge vines.

Canoe excursion in Unawatuna

This excursion will allow you to explore the natural beauty of the landscapes and the culture of the local people. On this canoe trip through the beautiful lagoon, you'll marvel at the ever-changing landscapes and fascinating diversity of flora and fauna. A konoe ride is an ideal way to experience Sri Lanka's prolific wildlife, including beautiful birds and mangrove forest.

A trip to the beaches of the south

We recommend that you organize this excursion yourself. The southern coast of Sri Lanka has many beautiful beaches that you can visit on a day trip. You can easily hire a local taxi for the day and head east along the southern coast of Sri Lanka to explore other beautiful beaches such as Weligama, Mirissa, etc.

Sights of Unawatuna

For those who don't know what to see in Unawatuna, we present several places that deserve attention. In general, the Unawatuna resort itself has few interesting attractions, but this is compensated by its proximity to the city of Galle, which is literally packed with various historical sites.

Peace Pagoda in Unawatuna

The Peace Pagoda is located next to Jungle Beach and is worth a visit if you decide to spend time in Unawatuna. Moreover, entry to the pagoda is free. Remember to cover your knees if you are about to go inside. Sarongs are provided at the entrance.

Turtles in Unawatuna

With luck, in Unawatuna, tourists can watch turtles lay eggs along the shore. While diving you also have the opportunity to see these magnificent sea turtles swimming in the blue waters of the Indian Ocean.

Coral reefs in Unawatuna

Protected by a double reef, Unawatuna Bay is essentially a natural swimming pool. Reefs make the bay safe for swimmers
The coral reefs near Unawatuna are called Galapitheal Reef and Napoleon Reef and offer the opportunity to enjoy interesting marine life. Here you can find Napoleon fish, various eels and many other colorful fish.
Since we are already talking about diving, it would be right to also mention that there are shipwrecks near Unawatuna, which make Unawatuna Beach a popular destination among scuba divers. Of particular note is the site of the wreck of the Rangoon, a British steamship that sank 100 years ago. Nearby is the Tango wreck, which also attracts many divers. Another site is the wreck of a cargo ship called the Lord Nelson, which sank relatively recently.

Housing in Unawatuna: where is the best place to live?

If you want to rent a house in Unawatuna, Sri Lanka, you must first decide on your priorities. If you need more comfortable and modern housing, then you should be prepared to spend a lot of money. The same goes for most properties located near the beach. If, on the contrary, you want to save money, then you better pay attention to housing that is located further from the beach. Sometimes very cheap housing can be found just 200-300 meters from the beach.
Also, in order to answer the question of where is the best place to live in Unawatuna, you need to decide whether you want to live near the party areas or, on the contrary, you need a quiet place. Guest houses that are away from the main streets of Galle Road and Wella Devale Road are best for those looking to get a good night's sleep.

Unawatuna Hotel Map

Hotels in Unawatuna resort in Sri Lanka

The resort of Unawatuna offers a wide range of accommodation to suit every budget. You will have many options when it comes to hotel location, although of course, almost all tourists would like to stay in a nice hotel on the ocean.
Before planning a holiday to Unawatuna, you should know that there are no 4 or 5 star hotels in this resort area. If you want to stay in a high-end hotel with easy access to Unawatuna Beach, we recommend checking out the wonderful boutique hotels in Talpa (Riviera Galle). They are just a 10 minute taxi ride from Unawatuna.
Since there are really a lot of hotels and guest houses in Unawatuna, it is stupid to talk about them in one article, since it is logical to create a whole section (perhaps we will do this in the future). But we still decided to present you with some pretty good hotels in this resort area. For us, these are the best hotels in Sri Lanka in Unawatuna. If the options we offer do not suit you, then you can always choose a suitable hotel on Booking or other booking systems.

Sergeant House

This small luxury boutique hotel receives rave reviews. Sergeant House has a colonial style exterior and contemporary style rooms. In addition, the Sergeant House has a small pool and garden, and the hotel's chef serves delicious Thai, Sri Lankan and Western cuisine. This is a secluded and quiet corner of Unawatuna, but the beach and all its restaurants are only a short walk away. The hotel staff is friendly. The Sergeant House has a spa with fantastic Ayurvedic massages.

Gloria Grand Unawatuna Hotel

This new hotel is close to Unawatuna Beach, but relatively far from the city's busy main street. This way you can get a good night's sleep and still live close to the beach. True, the Gloria Grand Unawatuna Hotel is not one of the cheap ones, because the cost of living there is about $120 per room per night.

Ocean Crest Hotel

This is a brand new hotel with a nice swimming pool located right by the sea. The cost of living at the Ocean Crest Hotel is also quite high and is about $120 per double room per night.

Thaproban Beach House

You won't find a hotel in Unawatuna that is closer to the beach than Thaproban Beach House. This hotel is located just a few steps from the shore. Rooms at Thaproban Beach House are large, clean and comfortable with private bathrooms, air conditioning, minibar and flat screen TV. Every evening you can enjoy fresh seafood served at the beach restaurant. At the same time, the cost of living at Thaproban Beach House is not that high and starts from $50 per night for a double room.

Unawatuna hotels on the first line

If you want your hotel in Unawatuna to be on the seafront, then you will have a good selection of hotels on the 1st line. But you must remember that hotels in Unawatuna, located on the first line, are not the same as large resort hotels in Turkey, Egypt or Sri Lanka. On Unawatuna Beach you will only find small hotels and guest houses, although some have their own sun loungers on the beach that are available to hotel guests.
Which hotels in Unawatuna are located on the first line? This is the Thaproban Beach House hotel presented above, which we consider one of the best in this resort area in terms of price and quality. The Banana Garden Hotel is also good in this regard. The ideal place for a beach holiday in Unawatuna is the Sonri Villa Hotel, which is located next to the beach and offers sun loungers for its guests. But the price does not even include breakfast.
Two more good hotels in Unawatuna, located on the first line, are The Villa Hotel and SurfCity Guesthouse. As you understand, the last hotel is aimed mainly at surfers.
Note that, in our opinion, in Unawatuna it is not necessary to choose a hotel on the first line, since most hotels and guest houses in this resort area are located no more than a 3-minute walk from the beach.

Unawatuna hotels with calm waves

In general, the ocean at Unawatuna Beach is quite calm, but if you are planning to come here with children or simply do not know how to swim, we advise you to swim in the westernmost part of the beach, near the Buddhist temple on the cape. Strong waves are rare in this part, as the cape protects this area from most waves. If you want to stay close to this part of Unawatuna Beach, we recommend paying attention to the Thaproban Beach House, Kingfisher and Sonri Villa hotels.

Where to eat in Unawatuna and food prices

The resort of Unawatuna can offer a large number of restaurants and bars right on the sand. These establishments often offer sun loungers for their guests, delicious cocktails and fresh seafood dishes. My favorite restaurant on Unawatuna Beach is Kingfisher, which offers a nice atmosphere and delicious fresh fish dishes. However, you will find other restaurants and cafes in Unawatuna. These are mostly inexpensive establishments, but there are also restaurants for more demanding customers.
Other good places in Unawatuna to eat cheaply and deliciously are Roti Shop, Hot Rock, Sunil Garden, Mati Gedara and One Love. Since Unawatuna is a fairly compact resort, you can easily find all these establishments.
As for food prices in Unawatuna, they remained at a fairly low level in 2017. Dinner for two with drinks usually cost us 20-30 dollars. Typically, the cost per dish is $3-$7, but some seafood dishes can cost much more. I think prices will not change much in 2018.

Massage in Unawatuna

If you're looking to enjoy a massage while on holiday in Sri Lanka, Unawatuna has a large selection of massage parlors and small spas, including hotel spas. Moreover, here only a few establishments offer inflated prices for massages, while in all other establishments a classic massage costs 10-20 dollars per hour. After all, the Unawatuna resort is aimed mainly at poor tourists, so massage parlors and spa centers set reasonable prices for their services. In addition, competition between them for customers ensures that prices always remain adequate.

Shops in Unawatuna

Shopaholics are in for bad news - there are no large shopping centers or any interesting shops in Unawatuna. Basically, here you will only find a huge number of street stalls and small shops selling various souvenirs, daily necessities and food.
However, you can quickly drive to the neighboring city of Galle, which offers several small shopping centers and several shopping streets with interesting boutiques.

Unawatuna, Sri Lanka: photos

Unawatuna is a small village in the south of Sri Lanka, which has become one of the most popular resorts in the south of the island. It is located on the shore of a small bay, protected from the open ocean by a coral reef. You can safely swim here most of the year, which has become the main reason for the popularity of this resort.

Beach in Unawatuna

This beach has a complex history (below, in the description of the resort, you will understand why). But since 2015, many positive changes have taken place here, thanks to which the holiday here will be much better.

During the day, Unawatuna is a cozy bay with calm waters and a relaxed resort atmosphere, and in the evening the shore is illuminated by the torches of beach restaurants, where you can sit to the sound of the ocean and then wander along the shore.

About Unawatuna

7 reasons to go to Unawatuna

1. This is one of the most developed and vibrant resorts in Sri Lanka.
2. Well suited for those who like to plan their own trips (there are few large hotels built into the package tourism system, and a huge number of hotels and guesthouses for those who travel on their own).
3. The bay in Unawatuna is small, well protected from the waves by a coral reef, the beach is suitable for those who are not very confident swimmers, and for travelers with children.
4. You can relax in Unawatuna most of the year, the bay is protected from ocean storms, the temperature is even throughout the year, the months differ mainly in the amount of precipitation.
5. A large selection of hotels - from small family guesthouses to luxury hotels.
6. Unawatuna is just 6 km from the UNESCO World Heritage site of Galle, which is easily accessible for excursions.
7. From Unawatuna you can go to other popular beaches: Hikkaduwa (27 km), Mirissa (28 km) and even Bentota (69 km).

Buying jewelry with precious and semi-precious stones is another form of entertainment on holiday in Sri Lanka, including in Unawatuna.

Helpful information

Capital of Sri Lanka: Colombo.

Distance Moscow - Colombo: 6573 km; the average duration of a direct flight is 8 hours 30 minutes; Bandaranaike international airport code is CMB.

Where is Unawatuna: Unawatuna is located in the south of the island of Sri Lanka, approximately 130 km. south of the capital Colombo and approximately 160 km. from Bandaranaike International Airport.

Visa to Sri Lanka: for Russians for up to 30 days you can get a visa on arrival (35$) or a little cheaper by filling out an online application in advance ( 30$) - a copy must be presented at the airport; through the embassy in Moscow you can obtain a single or double entry visa for up to 90 days (25$).

There are no accredited consular missions in Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Kazakhstan: if necessary, visas are issued in Moscow, personal presence is required.

Season in Unawatuna: from November to April.

Currency of Sri Lanka: Sri Lankan Rupee (Sri Lankan rupee), symbol: ₨, currency converter.

Banks in Sri Lanka: Bank of Ceylon, People's Bank, Commercial Bank of Ceylon, Hatton National Bank, Nations Trust Bank. There are ATMs in every resort area.

Prices in Hikkaduwa:

exchange rate for November 2015: 1$ = 142 Rs.

transfer from the airport (official price of an airport taxi) - 9500 Rs ($66) for an air-conditioned car;

budget hotels - from $20-50 (depending on the season and conditions), comfortable hotels from $50-70;

prices in tourist cafes in Unawatuna: breakfasts on average 400-500 Rs, lunches and dinners from $10 (beer 200 Rs (375 ml)/400 Rs (625 ml); rice and curry - 400-600 Rs, fried rice with chicken 450 Rs, soup - 350-600 Rs, pancakes with bananas and honey 350 Rs, fish from 700 Rs, barbecue from 2000 Rs, grilled lobster from 700 Rs per 100 g);

prices in the cafe for locals: rotti 120-170 Rs, fried rice 150-200 Rs; rice and curry 200-250 Rs.

scooter rental - from 900 Rs.

Distance from Unawatuna to other cities and beaches of Sri Lanka:

Distance from Bandaranaike Airport to Unawatuna: 153 km (toll road).

Distance from Colombo to Unawatuna: 129 km (toll road).

Distance from Bentota to Unawatuna: 63 km.

Distance from Hikkaduwa to Unawatuna: 27 km.

Distance from Mirissa to Unawatuna: 28 km.

Distance from Galle Fort to Unawatuna: 6 km.

Distance from Kandy to Unawatuna: 231 km.

Distance from Nuwara Eliya to Unawatuna: 260-290 km. (depending on the route, you can get there in 3 different ways).

Distance from Sigiriya to Unawatuna: 278 km.

Unawatuna Festival (Perahera)

About the resort Unawatuna

Unawatuna is a very old resort place; the first hotel here was built by the Portuguese back in the 17th century. Located in the south of Sri Lanka, just 6 km. from Galle Fort.

Unawatuna has a long, interesting and very controversial history. Initially, there was a very beautiful beach here, so beautiful that the Discovery Channel once included it in the top ten best beaches on the planet. All authoritative guidebooks refer to this fact, including the English guidebook Lonaly Planet.

Perhaps this is how Discovery saw this beach

In recent decades, not very good changes have been happening to the beach. Due to the uncontrolled development of the beach strip by hotels and restaurants, soil erosion began here.

The central part of the beach in Unawatuna is too dense and not very beautiful.

What does this mean? The ocean began to lick sand from the shores of Unawatuna and in some places there was almost no sand left. For many years, local authorities tried to save the coast (demolished illegally built hotels, built an artificial breakwater, etc.).

At some point, hotels in the eastern part of the beach were left without sand on the shore - it was all washed away by the ocean. In order to somehow strengthen the bank, it was covered with large stones.

In 2015, the authorities made new efforts to restore the beach: in March 2015, 7 sand tankers were unloaded onto the shore, and restoration work continued in August.

It is impossible to say yet whether the ocean will wash away the newly brought sand, but those who will vacation here in the winter of 2015-2016 will definitely be able to enjoy good beaches.

Despite all the problems described, Unawatuna continues to be a very cozy resort with its own atmosphere. There are very few beaches in Sri Lanka with calm waters where you can safely swim. And thanks to this fact, there is not even a hint that the popularity of this resort will decrease. On the contrary, it only grows from year to year.

How to find your way

The resort area in Unawatuna is developed along the beach and along streets diverging from the sea. A large number of hotels, local cafes, and souvenir shops are located along Welle Dewalaya Rd, Yaddehimulla Rd, Matara Rd.

Streets of Unawatuna

In general, the resort area is built up a little chaotically and quite densely, its epicenter is the beach and Welle Dewalaya street.

Welle Dewalaya Rd is quite narrow, there are no sidewalks, but there are a lot of tuk-tuks and motorbikes on it, but there is tropical greenery and resort bustle all around, walking is not very convenient, but it is still beautiful, thanks to the tropical flavor.

Beaches

Usually people go to Unawatuna for a beach holiday. Therefore, the logical and natural question is about the quality of the beaches and whether the beach in Unawatuna is good for swimming.

The beaches of Unawatuna are some of the safest in Sri Lanka for swimming, which largely explains the popularity of this resort.

There are several beaches near Unawatuna, of which the most popular and visited is the naturally central beach of Unawatuna.

Also to the west and east of Unawatuna there are several more beaches, much less noisy and popular, with less tourist infrastructure, with their pros and cons, but which can also be considered as an option for a holiday destination.

Unawatuna beach

The vast majority of tourists who travel to this tourist area relax on Unawatuna beach.

Unawatuna Beach

A special feature of the beach in Unawatuna is that Unawatuna Bay is closed from the open ocean by a coral reef; as a result, strong waves simply do not reach the shore, breaking on the reef. That is why the water here is calmer and safer to swim than on many other beaches in Sri Lanka.

In fact, there are also waves in Unawatuna, but they are still much smaller than on other beaches of the island, in addition, here you can almost always find sections of the beach with calm water - for example, this is the western part of Unawatuna beach, near the cape on which the statue is located Buddha, near the shore the waves are shallower and smaller than in the central part of the beach.

Also near Unawatuna there is Jungle Beach, which can be reached in 20 minutes on foot and where you can almost always swim.

Waves in Unawatuna

The beach in Unawatuna stretches around a small but very beautiful bay. Initially, the length of the sand strip here was a little more than a kilometer.

Then, due to soil erosion, approximately half of the beach strip lost its attractiveness. Almost the entire eastern part of the beach was damaged - the sand was washed away by the ocean, and the beach was covered with stones. As a result, many hotels in the eastern part of Unawatuna Beach were left virtually without a beach at some point.

In 2015 (March and August) large-scale beach restoration work took place in Unawatuna, new sand was brought in by tankers and the beaches were refilled. Currently, most of the length of the beach in Unawatuna has been restored.

The beach problem, for example, affected a very popular large hotel Calamander Unawatuna Beach. The beach in front of the hotel has now been restored.

But in general, the western part of the beach still remains the best for relaxation - it is wider and there was no such acute problem of soil erosion, while in the eastern part the foundations of hotel and restaurant buildings in some places stand almost close to the water.

Jingle beach (Wild beach in Unawatuna)

The beach is located about two kilometers from Unawatuna. Once upon a time it was a small secret place, an example of a tropical paradise - a secluded cove, bordered on both sides by stones, sand and calm water with almost no waves.

Jungle Beach near Unawatuna

In fact, Jungle beach is two separate beaches. One of them, closest to Unawatuna, has a cafe, Jungle Beach Restorant & Cafe, shower, toilet and sun loungers. The sun loungers belong to the cafe, if you order something from them, they are free. The beach itself is very small, only 50 meters.

There are fewer people on the second one. If you come from the direction of Unawatuna, then you need to walk another 100 meters along the stones. Although in general there is a road here from Halle. There are usually fewer people on this beach than on the first one.

If you wish, you can even live near Jungle Beach. There is a hotel in the jungle, in a secluded place. The beach is 5 minutes along the path. There is also a beautiful luxury hotel nearby.

Every year Jungle Beach becomes more and more popular, because of this and the small size of the beach, the density of people here is usually even higher than on the beach in Unawatuna. In addition, Sri Lankans themselves love to come here, so sometimes it is both crowded and very noisy.

At Jungle Beach, if you wish, you can walk once or twice along a relatively easy path through the jungle. It is best to combine the walk with a visit to the Japanese pagoda.

Bonavista beach, beach in Katugoda

The beach is located between Galle Fort and Unawatuna, near the village of Katugoda. The bay here is protected by a coral reef, the waves are weaker than on many other beaches in Sri Lanka. In some places the strip of sand is wider, in others it is very narrow; the Matara Rd highway runs parallel to the beach here.

The best position on this beach is at the 4-star hotel Cocobay Unawatuna, it stands on a separate cape, separated from the rest of the beach by a lagoon, and has its own small beach. The place is secluded and quiet. There is also a cheap guesthouse nearby, Jungle Beach Inn, with only 2 rooms.

From this beach to Unawatuna the road is about 3 km, which can be covered by tuk-tuk. In 15 you can walk to Jungle Beach, and in another 20 along the forest path to Unawatuna.

Delawella beach

Beach M Mihiripenna beach

Located just east of Delavella Beach. The resort area consists of a chain of hotels and resorts located along the beach and the Matara rd highway, for example, Summer Valley Boutique Villa. On the same beach there is a fairly popular, relatively inexpensive Star Light Hotel (has a swimming pool).

Overall, staying so far from the center of Unawatuna can be controversial, but it works if you want to be away from the tourist epicenter.

Hotels

Best guesthouses and hotels in Unawatuna

Despite the huge number of hotels in Unawatuna, in general, it is not easy to find an excellent option (even for a lot of money) in Unawatuna, since in general the level of service in Sri Lanka is quite low.

If hot water in the shower is important to you, pay attention to this option in the hotel description. Even with declared three-star accommodation, this simple option is not always provided.

Below are the best value for money accommodation options in Unawatuna.

Budget hotels and guesthouses

Villa Unawatuna

The hotel is new and small, only 4 rooms. Everything is very clean and tidy. Very high quality plumbing. The rooms are equipped with air conditioning. There are hair dryers. Shower with hot(!) water.

Nirmala guest house

Small, neat guesthouse (8 rooms), 5-7 minutes walk to the sea. One of the advantages is the ability to use the kitchen.

3 star hotels in Unawatuna

French Lotus

A small hotel (7 rooms), owned by the French. Located in a quiet location, very well maintained hotel, with a lot of greenery around. Very good combination of price and quality.

The Grumpy Elephant

Beautiful, new small hotel. Very clean, which is a big advantage for Sri Lanka. Located next to a good part of the beach (across the road). The room rate includes one tuk-tuk ride per day (possible outside Unawatuna). Of the minuses: there is only cool water in the shower.

4 star hotels in Unawatuna

Thambapanni Retreat

Beautiful hotel with a swimming pool. Located in a quiet location, 5 minutes walk from the shore. Yoga classes, which are stated in the hotel description, are available for an additional fee. Sometimes, with special offers, you can book a hotel for about $60, which is good for a hotel with a pool in Unawatuna.

Gloria Grand Hotel

A new, high-quality hotel (20 rooms), not on the first line. In general the conditions are very good.

Calamander Unawatuna Beach

Possibly the best option in Unawatuna for the price. Large hotel (83 rooms), with fairly high (by Sri Lankan standards) standards.

There is a private beach (resurfaced in front of the hotel in 2015). Pool.

Thaprobane Beach House

The hotel has been operating conscientiously for about 10 years. It stands on the shore, and in a good part of the beach, in the epicenter of the resort area. The location is one of the main advantages of the hotel.

The hotel has a restaurant, and if you wish, you can book a room with full board. When booking, please note that a 21% tax will be added to the price upon check-in (not included when booking through Booking). At the same time, in terms of price and quality ratio it is still a very good option.

Cocobay Unawatuna

Located on a small private beach, about 3 km. from Unawatuna. There are 12 rooms in total, intimate furnishings.

Unawatuna Villas

Rumassala Villas

Two bedroom villa (165 m2), suitable for a company. Quiet location but still close to Unawatuna. There is a swimming pool.

Where to eat

Where to eat in Unawatuna: cafes and restaurants

Hand-sized shrimp

Blow Hole Restaurant

Small family restaurant. Dishes of Sri Lankan and Italian cuisine. Soups, rice and curry, fish, omelettes, etc. Good freshly squeezed juices. Large portions and low prices (about a third cheaper than the average on shore).

Prices: chicken fried rice 400 Rs, soups from 250 Rs, sandwiches from 300 Rs.

Where it is located: at the very end of the beach (on the right side, if you are facing the ocean), about 50 meters from the shore.

Koko's Beach Bar & Grill

Kebabs, hamburgers, snacks, etc. You can come in for a change if you are tired of Sri Lankan cuisine. The bar is owned by Harry, an Englishman. Clean kitchen, burgers are cooked in front of your eyes. The place is inexpensive, popular, on the shore, the food here is very tasty - so sometimes you even have to wait for a table.

Prices: burgers from 550 Rs, Mexican tacos from 650 Rs, kebabs from 700 Rs, pizza 900 Rs, etc.

Where it is located: located almost in the center of Unawatuna Bay. There are quite a few tables on the shore, so you might not notice ( Facebook).

Le Cafe Francais Bakery & Boutique

A small pastry shop owned by a French woman. Croissants, cakes, muffins, excellent French press coffee,

Prices: desserts average 300 Rs.

Wine shop

In Sri Lanka, alcohol is sold only in specialized stores. A small wine shop in Unawatuna is located on Matara Rd (that is, on the eastern part of the beach), a little before reaching the Lavendish Beach Resort.

Nightlife in Unawatuna

Sunsets over Unawatuna

One Love

In the evening there is cheerful music playing here. In the evening, a place not so much to eat as to hang out.

Tables on the beach of One Love cafe, Unawatuna

Happy Banana

One of the places on the shore that is lively in the evening. It's not so much suitable for eating as for sitting; only the bar is open at night. In general, the cuisine is not very good, but on Fridays there are disco parties.

Cafes are usually decorated for Christmas and New Year.

Where it is located: in the central part of the beach.

Happy Beach Restaurant

In the evenings there is music.

Where is it located: in the eastern part of the beach, next to the hotels Miltons Hotel, La Veranda Di Serena, Sergeant House.

Attractions

Unawatuna: tours and attractions

Here are some options for regular excursions from Unawatuna.

Sea Turtle Farm & Hatchery

A charitable organization in whose pools turtles hatch and are then released into the ocean.

In fact, the organization buys turtle eggs from locals, which they find on the shore, ruining the clutches. Otherwise, the turtle eggs could have ended up in the restaurant, of course.

But in general, the activities of such farms cause contradictory attitudes. On the one hand, buying eggs from locals is a necessary measure, and on the other hand, it actually encourages the destruction of clutches.

The farm itself is an opportunity to look at the little turtles in the pool and be amazed.

Hundungoda Tea Factory in Ahungama

The Hundungoda factory is located about 15 km from Unawatuna. This is an old tea estate founded about 150 years ago.

Most of the plantations were nationalized 30 years ago. About 10% of the area, about 60 hectares, remains from the previous possessions.

The factory is suitable for its traditional production and ancient machines, some as old as the factory itself.

Here you can see how tea grows and how we end up brewing it. You can also see how cinnamon grows, rubber trees and the rubber production process.

The tour ends with a beautiful tea tasting and tea shopping at a local store.

You can get to the factory yourself, by tuk-tuk or motorbike, or a transfer can be organized at the factory. The tour takes about an hour and is free, but a donation is suggested.

Of course, such small factories are now mostly just a tourist attraction. But for tourists, visiting such a factory is actually the only opportunity to bring good tea with them from their trip as a souvenir from Ceylon.

The trash, which is sold for local consumption in small shops for locals, causes shock and bewilderment - how is THIS drunk in the tea granary of the whole world, Ceylon?

Lighthouse in Dondra

Cape Dondra is the southernmost point of Sri Lanka and the Eurasian continent. Next is the ocean and the nearest land - Antarctica.

The lighthouse was built in 1889 and is in very good condition. Its height is 50 meters, for $3 you can climb it and see if Antarctica is visible, and also take good photographs.

Galle Fort

A very worthwhile excursion as Galle Fort is a UNESCO protected monument.

The fort is very close, just 5 km from the beach. You can read more about the fort here.

Yala National Park

A visit to this national park is an opportunity to see elephants, monkeys, crocodiles and leopards in the wild.

You can read more about the safari in the national park here.

Bundala National Park

This is a national park that is home to many species of birds. Located next to Yala Park. If you have time, you can visit. You can read more about the park here.

How to get there

Unawatuna: how to get there

You can get to Sri Lanka from Moscow by direct flights operated by SriLankan Airlines (departure days - Tuesday, Saturday; travel time 10 hours 55 minutes). You can also get there with transfers from Emirates, Etihad, Qatar, etc. (comfortable, you can often find a flight with a short connection).

There are several ways to get from Bandaranaike International Airport to Unawatuna - by taxi or transfer, as well as by local public transport - train or buses.

Bandaranaike Airport is approximately 150 km away. from Unawatuna.

Taxi

Taxi/transfer from the airport to Unawatuna costs $66 (airport taxi price). In terms of time, you will get to the beach in 2-3 hours, depending on the time of day (there is more traffic during the day) and the highway (toll or free).

If you book a hotel in advance, then it is most convenient to negotiate with the hotel about transfers.

Bus

If you travel by bus, it will be almost free in terms of money, but very expensive in terms of time and effort. The entire journey from the airport to the beach with three transfers and waiting will take about 6-7 hours.

In order to get to Unawatuna, you must first take the airport shuttle to the bus station, transfer to bus number 187 and get to the bus station in Colombo. Then take any bus that goes to Galle or Matara.

A bus from Colombo to Galle costs 104/230 rupees (regular/air-conditioned) and takes about 3 hours. The bus from Hikkaduwa costs 19/25 rupees (regular/air-conditioned) and takes about half an hour.

Unawatuna is only 5 km from Galle, so you can drive to Galle and return a short distance by bus or tuk-tuk. The bus from Galle to Unawatuna takes only 10 minutes, the ticket costs 20 rupees. Tuk-tuk is at least 10 times more expensive.

You can also not get to Galle, but ask the bus to stop on the highway, at the turn to Unawatuna. But then you will have to walk at least a couple of kilometers to the beach, so this is an option only for real backpackers.

In the same way, through Galle, you can return from Unawatuna to Colombo, go to Hikkaduwa or Bentota (this is towards Colombo), or go further to the east of the island. A bus to Matara costs 45/55 rupees (regular/air-conditioned) and takes about an hour.

The Galle bus station is located next to the fort entrance, on Main Street, about 300 meters north.

Train

In order to get to Unawatuna by train, you first need to get to Colombo by bus (see previous section), bus number 187 stops next to the Colombo Fort railway station (final stop). Next you need to change trains.

The current schedule can be viewed on this website. The ticket costs 105/190 rupees for a 3rd/2nd class ticket. The train from Colombo to Unawatuna takes about 3 hours.

“Unawatuna is a small village with magnificent sandy beaches, groves of palms and fruit trees. Discovery Channel has named Unawatuna Beach one of the best on our planet.” Such tempting descriptions of this area of ​​Sri Lanka, supported by outdated photos, are published on websites and in travel agency brochures. And we bought into this trick at the time.

Unawatuna beach Sri Lanka

UNWATUNA TODAY

Myth No. 1. “Unawatuna is a quiet and pretty village”

Perhaps 15 years ago Unawatuna was like that. But today the place is teeming with tourists, vendors and tuk-tuks. To get to the beach, you need to walk along a narrow and dusty road without sidewalks.

At the same time, it is impossible to relax for a second, since motorbikes, tuk-tuks and cars are constantly driving along the road in both directions. And they travel, like everywhere else in Sri Lanka, at a decent speed.

Let's add to this chaos shopping arcades on both sides with pestering merchants and touting taxi drivers along the entire route.

Hotels in Unawatuna

• Calamander Unawatuna Beach
• Sea View Deepal Villa
• Nature Villa
• No Name Guesthouse
• French Lotus

All hotels in Unawatuna

And so every day, just have time to dodge. Every tuk driver will be wondering if you need a tuk-tuk or maybe you want to see the blue lagoons? Everyone's concept of beauty is different. We didn’t think it was a very beautiful village with chaotic houses

Myth No. 2. “Unawatuna Beach is one of the best in the world according to Discovery”

Being on the beach of Unawatuna, you wonder what kind of beaches the person who called Unawatuna one of the best in the world visited? Of course, the waves here are more or less calm thanks to the reef, the water here is cleaner, since the sea is calmer, there are palm trees, a Buddhist stupa on the hill... The standard set of a Southeast Asian beach. Yes, it's beautiful here. But there are beaches that are much more exotic and convenient.

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We go to the beach. In this part the water comes close to the bars

Popular Sri Lankan Palms

The most picturesque beach begins

It is best to come for a swim at the far end of the beach, closer to the temple. The waves here are the smallest and there are no rocks when entering

By the way, this is what the hotel beach looks like Unawatuna Beach Resort (Calamander). Ironically, the hotel called Beach Resort does not have its own beach; tourists go to the public one.

Video: Calamander Unawatuna Beach Hotel Beach

Where can I order a transfer from the airport?

We use the service - KiwiTaxi
We ordered a taxi online and paid by card. We were met at the airport with a sign with our name on it. We were taken to the hotel in a comfortable car. You've already talked about your experience In this article.

Myth No. 3. “Unawatuna is the best place for swimming in Sri Lanka”

Having inhaled dust on the way to the beach and frayed our nerves because of the endlessly honking tuk-tuks and pestering taxi drivers, we finally took a swim.

Swimming goes like this: getting into the water was painful because of the stones. In the water you are constantly on alert, as you need to look around so that another motor boat with a glass bottom or someone on a scooter does not pass.

And also to notice the approach of smiling Sri Lankans who want to meet and, as if by chance, touch your friend in the water. Well, it won’t hurt to keep an eye on your things either, since there’s a camera and money in your pocket.

And the waves are really smaller than on other beaches in Sri Lanka. And this is the main advantage of Unawatuna. In the middle of the beach, where there are most sun loungers and tourists, the waves are still decent, so it’s better to go for a swim at the far end of the beach near the temple. But there are usually a lot of locals there and the water can be dirtier, since a stinking river flows into the sea.

In general, despite the listed inconveniences, swimming is more pleasant and convenient than in other cities.

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This is what entering the water looks like. With every wave, these pebbles hit your legs painfully

Without the habit of walking barefoot on rocks, all tourists hobble and wince when entering the water

And sometimes the stones are washed away almost completely into the sea. For example, today the beach looks like this, and tomorrow it looks like the following photo.

But not the entire beach consists of stones, and not always. There are areas where there are fewer stones or they have been washed into the water

You can’t relax in the water, as motor boats and scooters constantly cruise close to the shore

If you wish, you can rent one of the motor or fishing boats and swim in the open sea

Myth No. 4. “Unawatuna - a calm and measured holiday”

After swimming in the waves to our heart's content, we go to relax and sunbathe on the shore. But it was not there. Sellers of elephants, magnets, rags and other rubbish are waiting for you on the shore. Numerous massage therapists, beggars, tour guides with glass bottom boats. The most important thing is to immediately ignore them, don’t ask anything, it’s better to pretend that you don’t speak English, otherwise you won’t get rid of them.

On the shore, the ubiquitous annoying merchants are always at your service

Skinny old massage therapists will ask you every half hour if you want a portion of a high-class massage

Women with rags flapping in the wind surround tourists on the beach

Well, local loving young men are not averse to meeting a pretty tourist, even if she is with her husband

Sri Lankan man tries to meet European woman

A typical Sri Lankan look at a European girl

There are also a lot of dogs on Unawatuna Beach. During the day they are not dangerous. Mostly lying under sun loungers. And when darkness falls, it’s better not to joke with them. One night, near our house, dogs killed a monkey.

Sunsets here look something like this. The sun sets behind the mountain, so you won't be able to admire the sunsets

Unawatuna reviews

We lived in Unawatuna for 2.5 months in a guesthouse 10 minutes from the sea. I can’t say that I was very tired of the beach; we went swimming almost every day. But it’s clearly not possible to relax and rest your soul and body 100% here. Too much noise, a lot of tourists, a lot of attention to your person.

The road to the sea is stressful, you are on guard when swimming, on the shore you refuse sellers and tour guides, and then once again the journey home along the road. I described in more detail about the advantages and disadvantages of Una in the article: ““.

We have this opinion. Although, I know many people who really liked it here, I also know those who were not delighted.

Hotels in Unawatuna

Hotels near the beach on the first line. I advise you to book as quickly as possible, because all normal hotels near the sea are sold out in a matter of hours.

Sea View Deepal Villa A room in a villa with a large balcony and ocean views. There are large family rooms. Rating 8.4

Unawatuna sea view hotel Air-conditioned rooms with large balconies overlooking the ocean. Rating 7.5 out of 10 (according to Booking.com)

Nature Villa Air-conditioned rooms, well-kept grounds and a swimming pool. Rating 9.3

No Name Rest Guesthouse with a good rating and reviews, three minutes from the beach. Rating 9.2

Calamander Unawatuna Beach One of the most decent hotels on the coast. Balcony overlooking the sea. Well-groomed area, swimming pool, restaurant on the shore. Rating 8.7

The Grumpy Elephant Modern hotel, there are family suites and houses by the sea. Rating 7.9

French Lotus Cozy rooms in a well-kept two-story villa. 3 minutes walk to the sea. Rating 9.1

the train arrived without delay. By agreement with the owner of the house in Unawatuna via email, we had to take tickets to Galle on the train, which departed in 1.5 hours. From there, from the Galle bus station, buses leave for Unawatuna at least every 30 minutes, a ticket costs 21 rupees, the ride takes 10-15 minutes. We had a free transfer from/to the bus station in Halle from our villa.

At the ticket office we were informed that there was no first class for this train. Since today's experience showed us that second class is absolutely not scary, we already took 2 tickets to second class without hesitation. For 360 rupees they gave us two pieces of cardboard measuring 2 by 4 cm. Something was written on them in Sinhala. When asked what seats we had, the answer was that all tickets were without seats. We were perplexed: we had just arrived second class with seats and acceptable conditions, but here we had no seats. We looked at the crowded platforms and became sad. On the platform we met four compatriots with their local friend. They confirmed our worst fears: seats on the train will be occupied exclusively by self-capturing, and since the train is passing through, we have little chance. The carriage, fortunately for us, stopped with the door almost opposite us. The crowd carried us into the carriage. All the seats were occupied, the aisles were packed. From a conversation with a Sri Lankan friend of our compatriots (he spoke Russian quite well), it became known that on this train the second class differs from the third only in the softness and width of the seats. And nothing else except the price. And since tickets are not checked, everyone buys third class and travels in second. What caused such a glaring difference between the second class from Anuradhapura to Colombo and from Colombo to Galle, we still did not understand. After a couple of hours, the density of people in the aisles decreased slightly, and I was even able to sit down. Overall, the impression was terrible, I wouldn’t want to repeat this route: the heat, the crush, and all the time local merchants squeeze through with their baskets.

At the exit from the platform at the station in Halle, they nevertheless checked the pieces of cardboard and took them away. Immediately after the control, we were greeted by a tukker sent by the owner of the house. 20 minutes later we arrived at our home in Unawatuna Rock Mountain. It is called a villa on the website, but in general it is just a very spacious, new house for two, which has all the amenities and perfect cleanliness. When I booked through Booking, it became even interesting: for the first time I saw an option where the rating of absolutely all guests was “10”. As a result, we joined the general opinion. My review is on Booking.com. I didn’t want to live on the shore itself, I dreamed of living in peace and solitude. The terrace offers wonderful views of the ocean below. The villa has its own territory, the owner's house is located next door. Monitor lizards walk in front of the house, and langurs and palm squirrels jump in the trees (and sometimes on the roof).

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When we were planning our vacation, we spent a long time choosing a place where we could swim and swim. We concluded that Unawatuna is almost the only place in Sri Lanka where swimming is almost always guaranteed. The beach made a good impression. The semicircular bay dampened the power of the ocean waves, and they did not interfere with swimming at all.

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The wide sandy strip was sparsely populated at the end of March - beginning of April. There have been discussions online about which side of the beach is better. We lived not by the sea, but on a mountain, and when descending (about 5 minutes along the path) we found ourselves almost at the easternmost edge. The one farthest from Galle and the Peace Pagoda. We have the clear impression that this region is cleaner. The western one is flatter, a lot of garbage washes up on it and there are always more people there. Especially the locals (but, in the end, this is their country and their beach, and we are guests here).

The closest route from our house was along a path through the jungle

It’s too far to walk to another beach, praised on the Jungle Beach forums; you definitely need to take a tuk-tuk. You can go once for a change, but not for a regular visit. The beach is nice, but too crowded, and the area is small. It consists of two sections in the form of bays, separated by a cape. We didn’t like the bay with the restaurant and sunbeds at all due to the crowds; we swam in the next one. There is a spirit of some primordial wildness here. Each of the beaches leads to a separate path from the mountain, but you can also go from one to the other from the sea.

Under no circumstances should you come here on weekends; although I read about this, I remembered only when we saw the beach completely filled with local residents who had noisy picnics here listening to drums.

I had to come here another time. On a weekday there were not many people, but by the evening the people had completely dispersed, and absolute peace reigned.

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In Unawatuna, as planned, we enjoyed a beach holiday: we slept, sunbathed, swam, and in the evening we had dinner at one of the fish restaurants that are located along the entire coast. The settlement itself is small, and the best entertainment is to go to a cafe on the ocean shore or to a local spa for a massage in the evening. We had already tasted enough of Sri Lankan traditional food, so here we enjoyed seafood. We visited different establishments, but most of all we liked the Thaproban Restaurant (available on Tripadvisor). Located approximately in the middle of the beach. The price-quality ratio here seemed to us to be the best. This was the most delicious tuna I've ever tasted in my life! Above all praise! The lobster was also excellent.

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We generally love fish and seafood (freshly caught and immediately cooked), and have eaten them in different countries: Portugal, Spain, Montenegro, Malta, Rhodes, etc., but Unawatuna is definitely the first place! In addition, there is such a variety of everything here that we had never seen before (at home we later identified it from photos on the Internet). I liked the parrot fish, red and blue snapper (aka emperor fish). Freshly caught fish lies on ice on trays in front of every cafe on the shore. Prices for seafood are approximately the same everywhere and differ slightly. Above the trays there are boards on which prices are written (usually per 100 g). The order of prices is as follows: lobsters, jumbo shrimp - 600-800 rupees/100 g, crabs, tuna - 400, fish (depending on the type) - 200-400.

The selected specimen is weighed, the price is announced, you sit down at a table and wait for it to be prepared, admiring the sunset and the ocean. Meals come with a free side dish (usually salad and fried potatoes). The potatoes are a local variety and have a somewhat unusual, slightly sweet taste. A 10% tip is automatically added to the order amount in the receipt.

One day we went for a walk around Galle and examined the old fort. From Unawatuna you can get there by tuk for 600 rupees, but we took a bus for 21 - as usual, you just need to wave the driver down.

The Galle Fortress is a monument listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a well-preserved sea fortress left over from the Dutch. The fortress on this site was originally built by the Portuguese in the 16th century. However, with the arrival of the Dutch here in the 17th century, the fortress was almost completely rebuilt, and therefore today it is considered specifically Dutch. After its construction, the fort was the main port of Sri Lanka for almost two centuries and served as a stopping place for ships traveling from Europe to Asia.

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On one of the lawns we saw a snake charmer with a huge python and two cobras. He suggested hanging Python around his neck and taking pictures. Periodically he opened the baskets and made the cobras sway to the sound of the pipe. When the cobras did not obey, they received a quick, heavy slap on the head with a basket lid. For viewing and the opportunity to take a photo, he asked for 300 rupees.

In the old city square (close to the main gate on the left), many large monkeys were seen in the trees. This was another local species - red-faced (or purple-faced) langurs.

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Langurs, by the way, are considered the personification of the god Hanuman. We saw them in large numbers in the bushes around our house in Unawatuna, but they could usually be seen when they were having noisy fights in the treetops. Here they calmly and indifferently sat on the branches so low that they could easily be grabbed by their hanging tail. The husband took out a piece of bread and handed it to the nearest langur. He calmly came down, took it with dignity, sat down a little higher and began to slowly chew it. There were no fights, nor, indeed, any special reaction from the relatives. Either the roles in the social hierarchy were long ago and firmly distributed, or simply the tourists had already fed everyone to their fill. The same story repeated itself with the second piece and another langur.

We also visited a small cafe in the old town that serves delicious natural ice cream, Dairy King Cafe. There is only a photo of it on the street, but information about it is also on Tripadvisor.

One day we suddenly realized that we had not seen a single elephant here until now. That is, we have already been in Ceylon for half a month, but we still haven’t seen the symbol of the country! We didn’t go to the elephant nursery when we were in Kandy, because this is no longer wild nature, but something like a version of a zoo. We expected to see at least one elephant along the road, but we only saw road signs like “Beware of elephants!” There were no elephants themselves. It was decided to fill this gap.

There are two national parks within reach of Unawatuna: Yalla and Udawalawe. A preliminary study of the issue showed that overnight trips to Yalla Park are offered and they watch mainly birds there, and also try to find and examine a rare species of jaguar, of which there are about a dozen individuals in the entire park (i.e., there are clearly not enough for everyone) ). There are also elephants in Yalla, but they are not positioned as the strong point of this park.

Udawalawe is a little closer to Unawatuna. All reviews boiled down to one conclusion: there are a lot of elephants there and they are easy to see in the wild. Just what we wanted. It was probably possible to get there on your own, but the problem was that you had to be there either early in the morning or in the evening, close to sunset. During the day, in the local heat, the animals rest in the thickets and it is almost impossible to see anyone. It was not possible to arrive by public transport early in the morning due to the lack of such early flights, and arriving in the evening meant the inability to return home on the same day.

On the Internet we came across one site that had a Russian page and a tab “one-day tours from Unawatuna”. A trip to Udawalawe was offered there. There was a link for feedback. The husband wrote two identical messages in Russian and English and sent them. The answer came in Russian. We were satisfied with the offer: an individual tour to Udawalawe with departure at 4 am (to be in time for the period of morning animal activity), $80 per person, only we will be in the car, without fellow travelers. Included: travel in an air-conditioned car to the park and back, entrance tickets, a jeep and a guide to the park, on the way back a visit to the “howling hole” (a crevice in the rock - a local landmark) and a stop at your choice of either a regular or a Sri Lankan cafe ( food - at your own expense). The duration of the trip through the park is about 4 hours, depending on how quickly we see the different animals.

Order procedure: we send an application by mail in advance, at the time specified by us on the eve of the trip, a person comes to us and receives a deposit (in our case, $20 for a total amount of 160) and then departure at 4 am. As agreed, the messenger arrived and received $20, complained that it was not in rupees (although they told me in dollars) and told me to wait for the car at 4 tomorrow morning. A little before four, in pitch darkness, we came out onto the road leading to our villa. It, along with other detached houses, was located right in the middle of the jungle. The night jungle was simply overflowing with sounds and movement. A menacing rhythmic hooting began to be heard from the crown of the nearest tree. Yes, such that it became downright scary. We lit a lantern and directed the beam of light towards the tree. The hooting did not stop, the lights came on in the neighboring house and a man wearing only a sarong appeared on his threshold. We tried to explain to him (in English) that we were not hooligans, but were just waiting for the car. Having learned that we are from Russia, he noticeably became kinder. Then he pointed with his hand to where the menacing hoot was coming from, without ceasing, and suddenly said in Russian: “Big monkey.” To be convincing, he spread his arms to the sides, showing the size of this very monkey. We did not expect to hear Russian speech at that moment so much that we were amazed by this more than by the monkey screams themselves. But then a car pulled up behind us, and we hit the road.

We dozed almost the entire way (it was a three hour drive). When we passed something like a dam, we suddenly saw a whole herd of elephants at a watering hole near a huge lake. And at the wire fence along the road (this has already begun as a park, and its territory is fenced off), stood a large lonely elephant. The driver, seeing our reaction, kindly stopped so that we could look at him and take a photo.

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We moved on. Safari jeeps, painted on the sides with elephants and birds, began to appear en masse on the roadsides. Our car drove up to one of the houses, near which there were several jeeps, the driver got out, and after short negotiations, we got into one of the jeeps. There was now a different driver behind the wheel (who is also a park guide), and our driver was sitting next to him in the cockpit. The jeep pleasantly surprised me with its cleanliness, newness, and comfortable leather seats.

It, of course, can accommodate a much larger group than ours, and it would be cheaper, but we had a private tour. This is very convenient: you can stop wherever and for as long as you want, and along the way change to the side where it is more interesting. We drove up to the park entrance and gave the driver the remaining $140. He bought tickets and we passed through a large wooden gate with a sign in English saying “Welcome to Udawalawe”. The driver marked our tickets at the booth and the safari began.

Here we did not see a whole herd of elephants. But in different places we met complete elephant families consisting of father, mother and baby elephant, as well as single elephants. One of the elephant calves was still very small and we saw how his mother fed him milk. Another clumsily and touchingly tried to reach a tree branch. Dad, seeing the futility of his child’s attempts, came up, raised his trunk, broke off a huge branch and threw it to the baby. Another one took the jeep as entertainment and tried to catch up with us as we drove on. They were so cute, I wanted to get out of the jeep and pet them, but the guide did not allow me to go near the elephants (in other places it was possible). He said that daddy elephant is scary when he’s angry, and this isn’t a zoo, but wild animals.

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We also saw peacocks, monkeys, spotted deer, etc.

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Buffaloes were regularly seen submerged up to their nostrils in ponds of water. Birds busily walked around their heads and pecked something between their horns. We saw a crocodile from afar. True, he himself was not visible - only his eyes sticking out above the water level.

Dried tree trunks with broken branches rose above the chain of half-lakes and half-swamps. This was the kingdom of birds. Moreover, many are very rare, found only in Sri Lanka.

Unawatuna Beach is located in the south of Sri Lanka and is one of the most popular on the island. It attracts both local residents and foreigners who have arrived for the first time or are already seasoned, having traveled the length and breadth of the coast. Usually people stay in this place for a long time, so you should be prepared for a large number of people.

The distinctive features of the beach in Unawatuna are a calm ocean without strong waves and undercurrents, which is comfortable for swimming even for children and those who are not very good swimmers; wide and clean coastal strip; developed infrastructure.

Hotels near Unawatuna Beach

The choice of accommodation in Unawatuna is quite wide, including a large number of hotels located directly on the beach. However, when choosing this option, it is worth considering a number of factors:

• Firstly, housing on the shore is significantly more expensive than options located a little further away, even if it is 200-300 meters from the beach;
• Secondly, most of the beach hotels in Unawatuna were built relatively long ago and many of them have already become morally and materially outdated, so the level of comfort in them may be significantly lower than more modern competitors;
• Thirdly, when choosing a hotel on Unawatuna beach, you need to be prepared for the fact that in the evenings you may hear not the sounds of the ocean, but music and noise from neighboring beach bars.

Therefore, it is better to choose a suitable housing option more carefully; you can also refer to the reviews of tourists who have been here. Some of the best hotels in the resort are Thaproban Beach House and Banana Garden Hotel, which are located right on Unawatuna beach.

Description of the beach

Unawatuna Beach is located in a picturesque semicircular bay protected by the Boat Line coral reef, which acts as a natural breakwater, and is therefore considered one of the best places for swimming and relaxing with children in Sri Lanka. The ocean here is much calmer than on most beaches on the island, the waves are either not very large or there are none at all. The most convenient for swimming is the western part of the beach, surrounded by a stone ridge.

Several years ago, Unawatuna Beach was included by Discovery TV in the list of the 10 best beaches on the planet for its beauty. However, since then the beach has changed a lot: the coastline in some places has undergone active development, and some of the sand has simply been washed away by the ocean. Due to this fact, in 2015 the beach was filled with imported sand, which made it possible to once again make it wide and spacious.

Now the Unawatuna beach is covered with uniform coarse sand of a “café au lait” shade. The beach is clean, only after a strong storm can you find algae and garbage thrown out by the ocean. The color of the water here is greenish-blue, sometimes azure, and its temperature is considered the highest compared to other beaches on the island (due to the shallow depth of the lagoon). You can hide from the sun in the shade of the spreading trees growing along the beach.

The length of Unawatuna Beach is about 2 kilometers.

The western part of the beach ends with a cape, on which rises a beautiful Buddhist temple and a Buddha statue, visible from all parts of Unawatuna beach and being its original symbols. The area near the stupa often attracts vacationers as a convenient place to watch the sunset.

The part of the beach near the stupa is also popular with the local population: they like to swim and play football here, especially on weekends, when they come here in large groups.

Infrastructure

The infrastructure of Unawatuna beach is quite well developed: it is equipped with sun loungers, umbrellas and tables belonging to nearby hotels and beach bars. Accommodation on them is usually free for vacationers. The beach also has a changing room, toilet and fresh water shower.

The choice of establishments where you can eat while relaxing on the beach is quite wide, but it is worth considering that the closer the cafe is to the ocean, the higher its prices, as a rule. The menu includes both Sri Lankan and European dishes.

It is also worth noting a common phenomenon for the Unawatuna beach, which consists in the fact that traders of all sorts of things, tour guides, massage therapists and ordinary beggars scurry along the shore.

Within walking distance from the beach there are also many small shops and stalls offering fruits, spices, tea, other products, souvenirs, summer clothes and basic necessities.

Things to do on Unawatuna Beach

Among the entertainment and leisure options popular on Unawatuna Beach are the following:

Diving. There are several diving centers on the beach offering services for renting the necessary equipment and teaching diving. In addition to the usual 1-2 hour dives with access to the open sea, here you can take longer courses and receive a certificate upon completion. Due to the proximity of the coral reef, the underwater world of Unawatuna will surprise you with its beauty. Here you can find Napoleon fish, various eels and many other exotic marine life. In addition, there are several wrecks near Unawatuna, which also makes this place popular among diving enthusiasts.

Boat trips. At Unawatuna Beach, you can rent a motorized boat or a local fishing catamaran to take you out on the waters of the Indian Ocean.

Ayurvedic massage. This type of massage is especially famous on the island and is considered almost national. In the immediate vicinity of the beach you can find several spas offering their services to those who want to relax and experience new sensations.

Watching turtles. An interesting feature of Unawatuna Beach is that turtles often crawl ashore here (mainly in the eastern part of the beach), so if you are lucky, you can admire this spectacle or even catch the moment they lay eggs.

Visiting temples. The attractions of Unawatuna, which may be of interest to vacationers, also include several temples located in the village: the already mentioned Devol Devalaya Temple on the western cape of the beach, another Buddhist temple Yatagala Raja Maha Viharaja and a snow-white Japanese pagoda ( Japanese Peace Pagoda), located on the way from Unawatuna Beach to Jungle Beach.

Seasonality of holidays and weather

The climate in Unawatuna is considered equatorial, i.e. hot and humid. All year round, the average air temperature here does not fall below +26 °C.

The high season, that is, the optimal season for visiting, at the resort is considered to be the period from November to early April. These months experience consistently good weather with minimal precipitation and the calmest ocean. During the high season, all resort facilities are open, and on the beach you can comfortably relax, swim and practice water sports.

The low season - from May to October - is characterized by mostly cloudy weather with rain, strong winds and the stormy Indian Ocean. However, the advantages of this period are a small number of vacationers, low prices for housing and tourist services, as well as high waves, which attract some surfers.

Unawatuna Beach in Sri Lanka - Google Panorama

How to get to Unawatuna Beach in Sri Lanka

The best way to get to Unawatuna Beach from remote areas of the resort or neighboring settlements is a tuk-tuk. It won't be difficult to catch him right on the street. There are also taxi services in the village using ordinary cars, but their cost is usually three times higher, so for short distances it is still profitable to use a tuk-tuk.

For those who plan to visit not only the Unawatuna beach, renting a bike would be a good option for getting around the island. There are many rental centers in the village where you can find transport to suit your taste. The cost may vary depending on the condition of the bike and the rental period.

To get to Unawatuna from major cities such as Colombo (located 135 km), Galle (5 km) or Matara (50 km), you can use Sri Lanka's public transport - train or bus.

The railway and bus stations in Unawatuna are located approximately 2 km from the beach. Bus service on the island is well developed, with some services running 24 hours a day. Travel time to Unawatuna from Colombo (the desired direction is to Matara) will be about 3.5-4 hours by regular bus and 2-2.5 hours by express train traveling along the highway. Train schedules can be found on the Sri Lanka Railways website.

Video about Unawatuna beach in Sri Lanka