Sri Lanka has almost thirteen hundred kilometers of picture postcard style wide sandy beaches – where in one place the beach forms sheltered little cove, a sandy beach headland or a little bay, of all shapes sizes and colours. The more popular beaches are in the southwest of Sri Lanka, though little crowded, boast of two of the best snorkeling beaches, while other beaches in the deep South and east are waiting for you to revel in their remoteness, serenity and unspoilt beauty, and are ideal for a refreshing day in the sun.

In Sri Lanka beaches are ideal places for families and friends to meet and usually head to the beach on holidays, weekends, if only to gaze out at the sea. The natural noise of crashing waves, where you can walk leisurely along the beach at sunset, enjoy a game of cricket on the beach, laze in the sun or cast a rod and fish for night’s dinner. Whether it’s a lazy snorkel in crystal clear water or dive on a nearby reef, swim with a pod of friendly spinner dolphins in Kalpitiya, watch blue whales or dive onto a coral reef teaming with tropical fish marvelling at the explosion of colours hidden beneath the sea, or enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience with gentle but massive blue whale off the coast of Mirissa or cavort with friendly dolphins off Dondra head, Sri Lanka has it all.

Fishing is the widespread occupation of most folk living along the coastal belt of Sri Lanka thus many fishing villages are abound, also the use many different ways to catch fish. Most note worthy of mentioning is “stilt fishing” technique found in the southern coastal areas. The deep south and eastern coastal areas are still under developed as far as tourism is concerned, but has the best sceneries’ and also the best places to enjoy an authentic village lifestyle, in Sri Lanka. Once the sun dips over the horizon a whole new nocturnal world opens up for the visitor with the rhythmic moan of the Loris, the long continuous note of the cicada bringing a primeval ambience to life. Ideal time to walk along the beach to watch fisherman either returning with the days catch, or leaving on their daily work, or watch turtles beaching to lay eggs, four types of turtles frequent Sri Lankan waters, the turtles are protected by law in Sri Lanka and possessing items made from turtle carapace carries penalties, but you could support various turtle conservation projects or simply watch turtle in their natural habitat, or even get involved in releasing young ones to see and watch their mad scramble towards the breaking waves.

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