The southern coast of Sri Lanka is home to some of the most beautiful beaches we have ever seen. While we were traveling Sri Lanka for three weeks, of course, we had to have our fair share of beach days. From the famous Marissa beach to the more unknown Secret Beach Mirissa you can find the spot that fits your liking. For us, it was Secret beach Mirissa. A little hard to get to but one of the best sunsets and snorkeling we had while here in Marissa.
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Best Beaches in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka’s coast is full of amazing beaches around the whole island. It would take years to hit them all. The most famous beaches are the lower stretch of the west coast. Hikkaduwa all the way to Mirissa. The train system makes traveling the coast super easy and cheap. We started in Colombo and went to Galle then from Galle to Mirissa. It allows you to see all of the beaches you want for very little cost. This is where we found some of the best beaches in Sri Lanka. With that being said make sure you know what you are looking for when you are planning your trip. If you want something lively make sure you choose Hikkaduwa or Mirissa but if you want something quiet at night you can stay in Weligama. Weligama for us was a good middle. We had the option to take a short 10-minute drive to Mirissa anytime we wanted things to get a little lively but able to go home to peace and quiet.
How to get to Secret Beach Mirissa
This was one of our favorite beaches in Sri Lanka but yet one of the harder ones to get to. If you are renting your own scooter make sure you are careful on the ride down and up. Coming from town it only takes about 15 minutes to get there but once you are at the top of the hill it should take you another 20 minutes to get down and up. That is if you are being careful. The road is not well maintained and filled with rain ruts ( deep holes where water has eroded the road ). If you drive very slow and stay near the edge of the road you can make it down on your scooter.
If you aren’t feeling confident you may be able to pick up a trike from the top of the hill and hire him to take you down.
What is at Secret Beach
Don’t worry after that crazy journey down the hill you don’t have to go back up for a while. We actually think this is the best spot to catch the sunset in Mirissa so make sure you come in the late afternoon. They have 2 restaurants here as well. One is super local with no tables and cheap prices. The other is attached to a secret beach bar. This is a little bit more costly but nothing too expensive. They do however have a wide variety of drinks and food to choose from and tables set up along the beach so you can eat and catch the sunset of a lifetime.
Warning about Secret Beach Mirissa.
I think we should warn you now Secret Beach Mirissa isn’t perfect fine white sand. If this is something you are looking for you are better off staying up Mirissa beach. It is actually like a crushed shell beach. Not super sharp but not super soft. The main selling point to this beach is the fact it is so secluded. You may only have 5 other people here with you depending on the time you visit.
Best places to stay in Mirissa
Most of the time when we travel we stay in Airbnb. With over 304 properties just in Mirissa, you have plenty of options to choose from. We actually stayed right outside Mirissa in Weligama due to it being a little cheaper and us staying over 30 days. If you are looking for the best places to stay in Mirissa we do have a suggestion.
Palm Villa: This colonial villa sits right on the beach. With tons of people raving about this place, I can see why. The quiet beachfront property offers some of the best views right outside your door. Not to mention it is a steal at only $40 a night you really can’t beat the location and price.
Address: Matara Road, Bandaramulla, Mirissa, Sri Lanka
Things to do in Mirissa
There are tons of things to do in Mirrissa from some of the best snorkeling on the island to the fun nightlife and beach bars. It’s really a place that is just becoming popular. You will see a lot of tourists but nothing like the rest of Asia. Sri Lanka still has yet to hit its tourist bubble so make sure you get there before it gets too packed. I believe in the next couple years the tourism in Sri Lanka will be so busy it will basically be like Bali.
With that being said directly in Mirissa they have some really cool places to visit. Make sure you don’t miss out on Coconut hill and parrot rock these are both walking distance from Mirissa beach and a must not miss.
Snorkeling Mirissa
There are really only two main places we have found that were good for snorkeling near Mirissa. One being Turtle Bay and the other Secret Beach Mirissa.
- Secret Beach: With there not being many coral reefs in Mirissa, Secret beach was our second favorite spot for snorkeling. Once you get out past the coral shelf it really opens up and has tons of beautiful colored fish.
- Turtle Bay: Located right next to Mirissa beach is Turtle Bay. It sits directly in between coconut hill and Mirissa beach. This little cove is home to tons of seagrass. Where there is seagrass there is normally sea turtles. From what we hear there used to be tons of them but now there is only a handful. The turtles tend to come early in the morning to feed and stay very near to the beach and the pier. If you don’t have a snorkel you can rent one from turtle Turtle Bay Restaurant for 500 SLR ( 3 USD ) per hour.
Once you finish up your time soaking in the sun on the relaxing coastal beaches make sure you hop on the train and head to Ella. Ella was our favorite place in Sri Lanka and for a good reason. The beautiful sights and crisp mountain air makes you really feel like you are in a whole different country. The diversity is amazing in Sri Lanka this is just one of the reasons this country is so special.
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[…] cocktails. I know that sounds good! Before you enjoy your happy hour make sure you check out Secret Beach Mirissa. It’s just right of Mirissa beach and the sunsets here are […]