Unawatuna

Unawatuna is a beach resort town in southern Sri Lanka 5 km south of Galle. It can be seen as a suburb of Galle, and has undergone lots of tourist development over the last several decades.

Get in
The real Unawatuna lies inside of Route A2 Galle - Matara main road. For the original village, Yaddehimulla, you turn off the main road just before 123 km Post. The tarred road, a kilometre in length, brings you to the best area of Unawatuna with all the guest houses, homestays, restaurants, and other tourist facilities.

By plane
Unawatuna is 150 km south of Colombo's Bandaranayaka International Airport in Katunayaka. Public transport from Bandaranayake International Airport to Colombo is available just outside the airport. The journey through busy Colombo roads take over 3 hours by private vehicles. Most hotels and guesthouses offer an airport pick-up service for a hassle-free quick get-away (Rs 8500).

By train
From the Colombo Fort station, catch train bound for Matara (with ocean-view) and jump off in Galle (travel times 2-3 hours, tickets Rs 220 2nd class / Rs 120 3rd class) and take either a tuk-tuk (Rs 300-400) or local bus (Rs 15) from Galle to Unawatuna. Recommended from Colombo downtown to Galle are aircon mini-buses that take 3 hours as well (Rs 230).

By bus
Alternatively take the route 138 bus to Maharagama (1-1½ hours) then hop on Sri Lanka's only highway bus (Rs 470) to ride the rest of the way to Galle in a modern air-conditioned coach in around an hour. The highway is being extended to the airport to the north and along to Hambantota on the South Coast.

There is also a direct bus service (Bus 31) from the Hill Country which stops at various locations along the south coast including Mirissa and stops at Unawatuna before terminating in Galle (about 6h from Ella to Galle).

By tuk-tuk
The easiest way to get around is by tuk-tuk. Day trips to Dutch Fortress in Galle (Rs 200 one-way), Martin Wickremasinghe Museum in Koggala, Hikkaduwa (Rs 1,000 one-way), Mirissa (Rs 900 one-way), Ahangama can be fun on a tuk-tuk.

You will have to negotiate with the driver. Tuk-tuks are sometimes metered, but if it isn't metered, aim for Rs 60-75 per km. Negotiate fares, destinations, times etc. so that there is no room for confusion or disagreement. If you like a driver, get their phone number so you can book them later.

By private transportation
Longer trips and round tours can be arranged with car or vans. Sunrise Tours near the Wella Devalaya is recommended.

By bus
Public transport trains and air-con buses are the cheapest mode of transport. There is a regular public bus service to and from Galle's main bus station. The 5-km journey takes 15 minutes for Rs 19. From here you can get buses onto Colombo (bus, luxury-AC minibus (approx. Rs 230) or using the express service (which uses the new express highway) (Rs 470) or any other destination north along the A2. Galle train station is next door to the bus station.

Snorkeling
The coral reef allows to discover beautiful fishes and seashells. Snorkels and masks can be borrowed in guesthouses or diving centres.

Swimming
is safe for swimmers. From the middle of the beach (Unawatuna Beach Resort area) it is safe to swim to the rock island, however climbing the rock island might be dangerous and is not recommended. It will take you one hour or more to go and come back. Giant but friendly sea turtles might pop up close to you.

Boat rides
Take a boat ride to see the local reefs. In off-season, expect high-pressure sales and reneging of struck deals followed by demands for extra cash.

Walk to Mihirripenna
Total walking time to is about 1½ hour. Leaving the tourist area, walk along the main road towards Unawatuna town then take a right up the road next to the Unawatuna Tea Room. This takes you up past the town school and sports ground (locally known as the Olympic Ground) then winds through the jungle in a southernly direction. The picturesque and quite setting is a welcome break from the noise and bustle of the town and tourist strip. After crossing the railway line twice, which locals use as a footpath, the road joins back onto Matara Road (the main south coastal road). Turning left will lead you towards a group of cafes and hotels. The Wijaya Beach Cafe provides excellent sunset views over the sea and has a coral reef a short way offshore, taking the strength out of the waves.

Buy
The streets and beach of Unawatuna offer dozens of places to buy jewellery, clothing, art and other souvenirs. There are ist at least one ATM next to the wild & the sage Café on the Main Road, the next closest ATM to Unawatuna is in HSBC bank located on Route A2 heading towards Galle.

Eat
In Unawatuna most guest houses have their own restaurant business. All over the beach and inside Unawatuna town you will find places to eat delicious seafood, rice and curry, vegetarian menus, roti, Italian food, etc.






 * Unawatuna Beach Resort - for those who prefer extended buffets.

Sleep
You will find a lot of nice guesthouses in Unawatuna. Guesthouses on the beach are usually the most expensive and they become cheaper if you move away from the beach.

Go next

 * Mirissa 25 km to the east, on Route A2 close to the Southern tip of the island. More low-key and unspoilt beaches than in its bigger brother Unawatuna. It's also the base for whale watching.
 * Galle
 * Hikkaduwa for good swimming beach and snorkeling.
 * Ahangama
 * Weligama
 * Matara