Situated on the south coast of Sri Lanka, Unawatuna is a wide
curving bay protected by reef, located 5kms from the city of Galle, a
former Dutch fort. Popular with travelers from all over the world, it is
calmer than the more bohemian resort of Hikkaduwa, and the picturesque
sweep of beach is dotted with pretty cottages, restaurants and bars and
other small places to stay. It can get quite busy during the ‘season’,
which is from December to April. Snorkeling and diving is excellent, and
the reef makes swimming here a very safe pleasure. Legend say that Unwatuna was created from a piece of earth from Himalaya, that had fallen from Hanuman in the Ramayanaya epic.
122kms from Colombo, this resort is accessed via a winding by-lane
that leads off the main Galle-Matara Road, and which is barely wide
enough for two lanes of traffic. Do not be afraid! Once you get to the
beach, you will find a large variety of guesthouses to stay at, and a
sea that looks calmer than your bathtub!
There’s lots of adventure in the water at Unawatuna. You can hire
diving and snorkeling equipment from some of the beachfront places and
explore the reef, and several interesting wrecks in the area. You can
also take diving lessons with PADI qualified professionals. There is
some surfing to be had here, but Arugam Bay further east, is generally
held to be the best place.
The beach is wonderful to walk along, especially during dusk – it’s
simply stunning. There are several walks you can take over the rocky
outcrop called Rumassala (known for its medicinal herbs, which are
protected) at the west end of the beach, or up the nearby hill. A small
temple on the promontory is walking to, and you can catch a great view
of the sunset from the rocky outcrop just there. Jungle beach is on the
other side, and worth a visit.
Culture buffs will want to visit Galle. This whitewashed town has an
extremely large fort, built by the Dutch over 400 years ago, as its
oldest landmark. The Cultural Museum, Groote Kerk (Great Church), Flag
rock, the modern Lighthouse, the Bell tower and the old Dutch Government
House (reputedly haunted!) are also worth visiting. The Dutch Period
Museum is beautifully restored and exhibits the clothes, furniture,
jewellery and even the cooking utensils of the Dutch colonial era.
An intercity bus from Colombo to Matara passes frequently through
Unawatuna, and will deposit you near Yaddehimulla road, and you could
walk down to the beach or take a three-wheeler. The train to Matara
stops at Galle, and from here you can take a three-wheeler to Unawatuna
for a very reasonable price.
You can also get to Koggala, Weligama and Matara from here in no time
at all. Koggala houses the Martin Wickremasinghe Folk Art Museum that
has a lot of interesting exhibits. Wickremasinghe was the country’s
foremost writer, and the little island of Madol Duwa (which you can
visit) was immortalized in his writings. The Dondra Head lighthouse in
Matara marks the island’s southernmost tip, and is an awesome old
building. If you’ve never tried stilt fishing, a trip to Weligama could
be an eye-opening experience
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