West Coast Beaches: From Colombo to Galle

Travel south along the coast from Colombo and you will pass through the villages and towns which together make up Sri Lanka's most established beach destinations, with seemingly endless stretches of golden sand and a wide range of resorts to choose from. The majority of visitors to Sri Lanka end up spending at least a couple of nights relaxing in this part of the country and choosing where to stay can be a bit of a minefield so we have carefully picked the resorts we work with to make sure you get what you want.

The first and largest town once out of the capital is Kalutara, which has a long stretch of beach and a few interesting sightseeing places such as the huge Gangatilaka Vihara Dagoba. A short journey down the coast and you arrive in a sprawling and laid back area which incorporates the villages of Beruwala, Aluthagama, Bentota and Induruwa where there is a large selection of interesting places to stay, from large resorts with lots of facilities to smaller chic and exclusive luxury villas and colonial guesthouses both on the coast and in the surrounding countryside. Continuing south is Kosgoda, home to the most important sea turtle nesting site on the south coast and the town of Ambalangoda, famous for its production of demonic wooden masks. Just before you get to the old Dutch city of Galle is Sri Lanka's original backpacker hangout of Hikkaduwa, a good place for those who like to enjoy a bit of nightlife.