Places to Visit in Southern Province Sri Lanka

This historic city of Sri Lanka is located on the country’s southwest coast, and is famous for its portuguese heritage and dutch colonial buildings. The best tourist places in Galle includes grand museums, mansions, churches and mosques. Offering the ocean and pretty sunsets, the beautiful city of Galle was founded by the portuguese in the sixteenth century, and you will find the city embracing its ancient heritage every inch. Galle will remind you of its dutch and portuguese lineage, a town famous for its rich Sri lankan cuisine, pepper pot towers and bastions. The city gives you a Mediterranean feel with its bright sunny skies, beaches and blue waters, rainforests of Kanneliya and Hiyare, the city’s narrow lanes lined with various shops that sell you everything from intricate jewellery to shoes and garments.

If you visit Galle between November and April, you can drop by a Mirissa to see the largest animal on the planet; a blue whale. For a beach lover who loves the ocean and the warm sun, there’s no better place to go other than this tropical retreat. The rainforests of Kanneliya and Hiyare are famous for the nature walks they offer, you will see small animals and an excellent diversity when it comes to the flora and fauna. To sum it up, the tourist places in Galle offers you a variety like no other place in the country.

You can explore historical buildings, relax at any beach, go scuba diving, go cliff jumping at Flag Rock, go for safaris, discover the city and its culture on foot, shop artefacts, go for nature walks, and simply relax at your hotel while enjoying the tropical spirit. You can even go on boat trips in the Indian ocean; you may be able to spot humpback whales, dolphins, blue whales, sperm whales etc. The Sri Lankan cuisine has been largely influenced by the Dutch cuisine, as you will find from the dishes.

Rock gently in the mild breeze, slip into a hammock and crack open a coconut, assuring that the hours, days or may be weeks’ slip by calmly. That’s Mirrisa or for you! It is a small town located on the Southern Cost of Sri Lanka in the Matara District of the Southern Province. Situated at an elevation of 4 meters above the sea level, Mirrisa lies at a distance of about 240 km from Colombo and 4 km south east of Wligama. It is a small yet quickly developing beach of Sri Lanka.

Modern resorts envelope the beach and there is a myriad of simple cafes along the sand that may well seem to appear and vanish with the tides. At present, the government is taking measures in context to the sand encroaching constructions and has put an absolute ban on it for the time being however, since the tourists visiting here is rising every year, the ban may soon see a lift. None the less, the beach and the nightlife here make it a prominent tourist attraction. Being a massive fishing port, people swamp in large numbers to fish here.  Other activities common here include dolphin and whale watching.  

Bentota is a Sri Lankan city the name of which is taken from a mythical demon ‘Ben’ who ruled the tota or the river banks. Heading southwards from Beruwela, you reach Bentota. It is situated approximately 62 km south of Colombo. This is an exotic beach located along the Colombo- Galle road. The lagoons here stretch along the beach adding a glimpse of serenity accredited to its archipelago rich in bird life and tropical greenery.  

The beautiful city is adorned by a serene atmosphere and towering palm trees. Many tourists take the city as a combined excursion with Columbo and Beruwela. Locals from Columbo head to Bentota for an ideal weekend getaway. Here, the local population is predominantly composed of the Singhalese Buddhists.

Bentota is also a fitting hideout for tourists owing to the diverse accommodation options right from resorts to stays keeping in view varying budgets. You can also find a myriad of Ayurveda treatments and umpteen number of water sports and adventure activities leaving the adrenaline driven people spoilt for choice. This phenomenal tourist place offers you snorkeling, wind surfing, water skiing on the estuaries or rivers, parasailing, scuba diving along with a host of other activities to keep you engaged. 

The district city of Hambantota is located towards the extreme south of Sri Lanka. The city was completely destroyed by tsunami in 2004, but now it is growing up to be the 2nd major city in Sri Lanka after Colombo. Hambantota is well-known for its biodiversity. There are approximately 20 wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in the entire Hambantota district. You will encounter a lot of colourful and magnificent birds in the parks and sanctuaries. Not only birds, you will find many other animals which are rare in other sanctuaries. There are some heritage sites too in Hambantota like Buddhist temples and stupas.

Hambantota, being a city, has a happening nightlife. You can enjoy in one of the many nightclubs and bars like Café Chill Out, various hotel bars, etc. The food in Hambantota is just mouth-watering. You will get to choose from a variety of sea foods like crabs, lobsters, etc. Some of the good restaurants are Bojun Hala, Jade Garden Restaurant, and Sera.

You must be thinking where to stay in Hambantota. Well, you have a plenty of choices to choose from. The best sea facing hotels are Shangri-La’s Hambantota Resort and Spa, Peacock Beach Hotel, Hotel Camellia, and a lot more of them. If you are a shopaholic, you will get a lot of junk jewelleries, fancy showpieces, shells, etc. to buy from the road-sides. There you have malls too to hang out.

Hikkaduwa is a small town in extreme south of Sri Lanka. This is a place with a great beach, perhaps the second best in Sri Lanka. If you love surfing, Hikkaduwa is your paradise. This small town was hit by tsunami in 2004 and was totally destroyed, killing a lot of locals and tourists. There is a tsunami photo museum too which you must visit to see the damages that Hikkaduwa suffered. Since then, it’s re-growing from scratch.

There are a lot of tourist spots in Hikkaduwa. The beach is the prime attraction. Apart from the sea, there are national parks, Buddhist monasteries, really good restaurants, and many more places to pay a visit. In short, Hikkaduwa is a complete tour package.

The food in Hikkaduwa is mouth-watering. As it is situated near the sea, you will get great sea-foods in the beach side shacks and restaurants including shrimps, clams, oysters, crabs, octopuses, etc. There are tasty options for the vegetarians too like tropical fruits.

The nightlife in Hikkaduwa is not much famous. You will get some night clubs and bars in the town but they aren’t that much known. There are a lot of hotels and resorts facing the sea, you can choose one of them for your stay. Your hotel or resort might organise a whole night party on weekends.

Situated on the Colombo-Kandy Road, Kegalle is a large agriculture based town mainly producing rice and rubber. There are few graphite mines in the town. But the main tourist attraction is an elephant breeding park. Apart from this, there are two other organisations working on elephant welfare. Apart from Kegalle, you can visit some nearby destinations like Hikkaduwa and Yala National park. The fantastic place of Kitulgala in Kegalle district is a complete tour package on its own. You can do a lot of water sports in the three rivers of Kitulgala like water rafting, kayaking, confidence falls, etc. Other than these, you can also organise night camps in the jungle. There are a lot of homestays and hotels in Kegalle for your hospitality. Some suggestions for good hotels are Hotel Heshani, Aarya Hotel, Hotel Elephant Bay, Hotel Elephant Lobby, etc. You will also get private resorts in Kegalle like Wijaya Bunglow. The nightlife in Kegalle is not so much famous, it being a suburban. Still you will find some bars and nightclubs in the town like Planters Club. You can have a drink there and enjoy a cosy evening. Are you wondering where to eat in Kegalle? Here are some good restaurant suggestions for you like Channa, a Japanese restaurant; Ambasewana; Ken Food Center, etc. If you love shopping, you will get some malls in Kegalle to satisfy your shopping craves like Athukorala Shopping Centre.

Located towards extreme south in Sri Lanka, Unawatuna is a beach city. 108 km south of Colombo, it is one of the major tourist attractions in Sri Lanka. The city is rich in biodiversity. Unawatuna is bird-watchers’ paradise. You can spot more than about fifty species of birds there on the Rumassala Hills. The rare birds seen there are a variety of bulbuls, barbets, sunbirds, swallows, crows etc. There are a number of coral reefs too that you just can’t afford to miss.

If you love scuba diving, or haven’t tried yet, head to Unawatuna to get a lifetime memory. There are a lot of historical places in Unawatuna like museums and temples. A 2300 years old heritage temple is there in the main city of Unawatuna. You must also visit a peace pagoda near the Jungle Beach.  The other adventurous activities that you must try are surfing, water biking, snorkelling, etc.

The local food of Unawatuna is just delicious. You will get the best of sea foods. There are a lot of beach-side restaurants that offers great food and drinks.

The nightlife in Unawatuna is not much famous. Small parties are organised by the resorts on the beaches during weekends. Some happening places for nightlife in Unawatuna are Koha Surf Lounge, 680 Blue, etc.

The other nearby places that you can visit are Dalawla, Thalpe, Weligama, Tangalla, Mirissa and Dondra.

Matara is a picturesque city situated on the southern coast of Southern Province in Sri Lanka. It is one hundred and sixty kilometers from Colombo and is the second-largest city in Southern Province. The city is the administrative capital and a major commercial hub of Matara District. River Nilwala cuts through Matara forming panoramic views along its path.

With its rice paddies, tropical islands, tea plantations, and rugged mountains, Matara is a visual wonderland. Whether you're looking for stunning scenery, the grandeur of colonial-era architecture, or remote cultural immersion the city can cater to all your needs.

Matara has many attractions like Star Fort and Dondra Head Lighthouse that stand as a testimony to Sri Lanka’s past. You can also visit Polhena beach, which is a popular honeymoon destination. If you’re a spiritual enthusiast you can also visit Weherahena Temple and Matara Paravi Duwa Temple.

If you’re looking for the best things to do in Matara you can enjoy kite flying at Crow Island and snorkeling at Polhena beach. For an adrenaline rush, you can also enjoy surfing at the Medawatta. Matara experiences tropical weather and a lot of rainfall occurs in May, June, July, April, October, November, August, September, and December. February and January are the best months to go to Matara as the temperature hovers around 22°c.

Weligama is a charming town in Matara District on the south coast of Sri Lanka. Deemed as Sri Lanka’s surf capital, Weligama is closely connected to the surf havens of Ahangama and Midigama. It is situated about four hours southeast of Colombo’s capital and houses the world’s best sea beaches.

Weligama exhibits an exceptional blend of beach resort and lively fishing town. Tourists from all around the globe visit this town to spend quality time in its soothing and peaceful environment. It's gorgeous, promenades and cobblestoned walks provide the perfect locale for shopping trips, walking tours, and afternoon strolls. Its magnificent sceneries and beautiful beaches are so appealing that you’ll feel like you have entered a heavenly paradise. 

The quaint town is dotted with some of the most picturesque beaches such as the Midigama beach, Ahangama beach, and Mirissa beach where you can enjoy the sand, surf, and the sun. You can also visit Taprobane island, which seems to be a replica of a movie scene.

Looking for the best things to do in Weligama? Take a surf lesson on Weligama beach, spend a rejuvenating afternoon at Ahangama’s secret beach or watch the beautiful sunset from the lighthouse.

Weligama experiences a hot and humid climate throughout the year. A lot of rain falls in the months of May, June, August, September, April, July, November, December, and October. February is the coolest month in Weligama when the average minimum temperature is 23° and the average maximum temperature is 29°.

Koggala is an Instagram-worthy coastal town located on the south coast of Sri Lanka at the edge of a lagoon. It is bounded by a reef on one side, and a large lake on the other side into which tributaries of the Koggala Oya drain. Koggala has earned a reputation as one of the most charming small towns in Sri Lanka. A day trip through the picturesque town reveals waterfalls, lush paddy fields, cave temples, and pepper farms.

Some of the best places to visit in Koggala include Koggala lake, turtle hatcheries, and Koggala beach. To satiate your spiritual side you can also visit the Kataluva Purvarama Maha Viharaya temple or the Kathaluwa Buddhist temple.

For an epic Sri Lankan holiday you can enjoy a boat ride on Koggala lake. Art enthusiasts can also head to The Martin Wickramasinghe Folk Museum where you can get an insight into Sri Lankan culture. Snorkeling and diving are the most popular activities that you must try if you’re visiting Koggala.

Koggala has a short dry season and the average annual temperature is around 26.4 °C. December to March is the best time to visit Koggala as rainfall is considerably low during this time.