Travel along the south coast of Sri Lanka and it seems these two beach towns are constantly being compared to one another with various reasons why. We have enjoyed our time in both but found they have completely different personalities and there are definite reasons why some choose one over the other. This post will hopefully paint a picture for any tourists venturing this way.
Mirissa Pro’s
Mirissa is a tiny town and is usually the next stop for tourists heading east from Unawatuna looking for a less crowded stretch of sand. There is a wide range accommodation for such a small place and caters to those on a tight budget like us (we paid 6USD a night) all the way up to a few all inclusive types at the end of the beach. Most of the development is placed back enough from the actual beach that it is hidden by palms and the beach offers plenty of sand to put between sun bathers. Mirissa is generally a very nice beach for swimming and although the area known as surf point has a large break, the rest of the beach is great for a dip. This makes it ideal for anyone traveling with kids. As the sun sets, multiple restaurants put out chairs and tables for customers looking to dine on the beach and a variety of budget eating options as well as midrange exist, generally serving up fresh seafood and curries. The option of getting to choose where you would like to eat tonight is another positive for Mirissa. For those who are not content simply to lay on the beach all day, Mirissa also offers whale watching tours and there are places that rent surf boards.
Mirissa Con’s
The town of Mirissa is mainly a small strip along the main road which unfortunately runs right beside the beach. Occasional trucks and buses screeching their horn tends to ruin a some of the tranquil atmosphere. Of course where their is a road in South Asia, there are rickshaws and drivers waiting to hustle their next victim. Walk along the beach anywhere near the road and you can expect many “where are you going sir” and some may even persist and follow you trying to persuade you to take their ride. Of course since the town is placed right beside the beach their is an added nuisance of bits of garbage which can be seen scattered along the shoreline especially at low tide.
Tangalla Pro’s
For those seeking nothing more than a deserted beach and who want to do little more than swing in a hammock all day, Tangalla is the place for just that. Tangalla’s beauty is in its pristine nature. With an endless amount of sand and palms its possible to venture out and find a spot to call your own where not a single thong wearing European can be seen. There are only a few guesthouses sprinkled along Marakolliya beach (Tangalla’s best) and some such as Ganesh Garden’s are real gems to be found.
Tangalla Con’s
Nightlife in Tangalla is completely non existent and even those seeking to try another place other than their guesthouse for dinner may find themselves walking a km or so through the monitor lizard infested mangroves in the pitch black to the next hotel over. Things definitely shut down no later than 10pm most evenings. Of course with a much lower competition prices tend to be much higher and the lowest we found was 1500rs (14USD) and we were unable to find any budget eateries like the roti shops we would dine at in Mirissa. The waters around Tangalla have strong currents and should only be swam in by those who are fully confident in their swimming ability and even then caution must be used. Those with children will certainly want to keep a close eye if they are near the water.
While we were deciding how to divide our time up between the two, various reports from travelers were offering conflicting information over which was best. I think this is impossible to answer because they both have different things for different people. Hopefully this post will help anyone traveling the Southern coast of Sri Lanka make a decision of which beach is right for them.
looks like foam partiiii