Sri Lanka Holidays

Best Beaches of the World: Tangalla Bay Beach, Sri Lanka

"One of the finest bays in Sri Lanka" R. L. Brohier: Seeing Ceylon (1965)
"Beautiful Bay" Bella Wolf: How to see Ceylon (1914)

Along the coast: Goyambokka Bay Beach, Pallikaduwa Bay Beach, Tangalle Bay, Tangalla Harbour, Medakettiya Beach, Medila Beach
Just inland: Matara road, Tangalla Main road, Tangalla bridge over River Kirama, Hambantota road, Kalametiya Bird sanctuary, Rekawa Sea Turtle Nesting Beach

The uncrowded small resort of Tangalla, 295km (122 miles) from Colombo, 48km (30km) east of Matara, & roughly midway along the south coast, is one of the most pleasant places in the region for a lazy beach holiday. If you wish a blast with watersports, shops, restaurants & nightlife, Tangalla isn't the place to come; Bentota Bay Beach Resort is. But if your are in search of great expanses of beautiful golden sandy beach to crash out on, you are on the right beach. Facing east, the small town centre straddles a freshwater lagoon where a small river flows into the sea, with a fishing harbour at its mouth. North of the harbour are villages of Medaketiya & Medilla, To the south, beyond a low headland, are villages of Goyambokka and Pallikaduwa.

The Town
Tangalle town itself is situated just back from a "projecting rock" from which, it is said, the towns name Tangalle is derived. The town, in spite of being beside the bay, fishing harbour & busy market has a relaxed atmosphere with some reminders of Dutch days, including the Rest House. It's one of the oldest rest houses in the Sri Lanka, originally built, as a plaque on the front steps indicates, by the Dutch in 1774. For its size, the town has a relaxed atmosphere with a busy market & many reminders of the Dutch heritage.

The Beach
Tangalle actually encompasses adjoining villages. To the west are the picturesque upmarket villages of Goyambokka & Pallikaduwa. And to the north, along the stretched arc of bay are Medaketiya and Medilla.

Goyambokka & Pallikaduwa Twin Bay Beaches
Made up of a sequence of beautiful rocky caves, the twin bays to the west of Tangalle town in Goyambokka & Pallikaduwa are picturesque upmarket villages in sharp contrast with the flatter coastline to the north. Some guesthouses, located on the hillsides with spectacular sea views, have their own private access to individual beaches of rich sand.

The village of Goyambokka, which sits atop the area's loveliest stretch of coast, with a superb rocky promontory flanked by two gorgeous beaches-that to the west of the headland, popularly known as Silent Beach, is an absolute picture.

Tangalla Bay
The bay, just on the town side of the Tangalla Bay Hotel, is probably the most sheltered spot. Next to Tangalla Bay, right beside the Rest House is a tiny bay with a roped-off swimming area that is shallow & generally calm.

Marakolliya
A series of spotless cabanas within an area of land flanked by the lagoon.

Medaketiya
The safest place for swimming is in Medaketiya, where most of the budget accommodation is located along a beach road lined with guest houses. From here, in the shelter of over hanging palms is an ideal stretch beach for relaxation with a fine view of the harbour, many fishing boats & shimmering sea.

From Medilla beach to Rekawa beach
This stretch of palm fringed beach is the most enticing. There are shelves of rocks & coral in the sea, visible from the shore, which create pockets of safe swimming. A natural swimming pool past Nature Resort is safe most of the time for swimming.
Read more: Rekawa

Hoo-maniya blowhole at Kudawela
Around 7km west of Tangalla is the fishing village of Kuduwela. Therein located Hoo-maniya blowhole. The fanciful name derives from the low, booming "Hoo" sound that precedes the jets of water. The blowhole is formed from a deep, narrow cleft in the cliff, around 20m deep & a meter wide, which funnels plumes of water up into the air in great jets by some terrific action of water pressure. It's most impressive during the monsoon - May to Nov.

Kalametiya Bird sanctuary
20km beyond Tangalle, Kalametiya Bird Sanctuary comprises an area of coastal lagoons & mangroves which is rich in marine & birdlife, similar to that found in Bundala and best seen from November to March. Access to the sanctuary is from the village of Hungama. No structured program to date.

Mawella
Mawella, 6km west of Tangalla, this stretch of beach is coastline's best-kept secret. Away from the busy main road, the 3km long, very wide beach offers safe swimming.

Mulgirigala ( Mulkirigala) rock monastery
16km north of Tangalla lies the remarkable temple-monastery of Mulkirigala, the only monument in the south to rival the great ancient Buddhist sites of the Cultural Triangle.