Unawatuna

The charming tiny beach town is located off the main road, about a 10-15 minute drive from Galle. Unawatuna is one of the most beautiful coastal towns in Sri Lanka. The fact that the main coastal road is only approximately a 10-minute walk from the main beach area (the Japanese Pagoda end), and the lack of traffic. Also, the sea in Unawatuna is beautiful and safe to swim in, which does not always happen in other beach towns in Sri Lanka. Unawatuna itself offers some fantastic coastal cafes and restaurants, as well as a lovely easygoing ambiance. It has the vibe of many laid-back backpacking towns in South East Asia, for example.

Dalawella's beach in the town is not ideal for swimming because it is rocky. But Wijaya beach is only a bit further along, past a pretty lovely boulder. This beautiful length of sand features a few great beach bars, but the true draw here is the sea. Here, a coral reef provides a large, crystal-clear lagoon in which the water is perfectly quiet and absolutely beautiful to swim in.

Location: Unawatuna, Sri Lanka

Best time to visit: between October to April