In December 2024, I took a family trip to the beautiful country of Sri Lanka. Its clean beaches and clear skies became the backdrop of my Christmas getaway.

The eight-day itinerary included Unawatuna, Galle, Mirissa, Colombo and Kandy. Here’s a deep dive into “must-knows” before you go to Sri Lanka.

About Unawatuna

Unawatuna is a southern Sri Lankan town popular for its palm-lined beaches. You’ll also find “Jungle Beach” nearby and the Japanese Peace Pagoda with ocean views. The Sea Turtle Farm and Hatchery south of town protect endangered species. North across the bay is the city of Galle’s fortified old town. The Portuguese founded it, and the Dutch expanded it in the 17th century.

5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Visiting Unawatuna, Sri Lanka.

1. The Unawatuna Beach is beautiful

If you like waking up to ocean views, this is the place to be. Unawatuna Beach is one of the first places that will pop up if you google “Beaches in Sri Lanka”. It also features in travel blogs and vlogs. That’s how I ended up adding it to my itinerary.

The beach is a long stretch of golden, clean sand. Beachfront hotels are lined up, enticing you to grab a bite or a sea-facing room. Most of them also provide loungers or tables on the beach.

I stayed at Thaproban Beach House and spotted one water sports operator near by. The beach is sprinkled with people all day but there is a significant absence of lifeguards.

2. Half a day is enough for Unawatuna Beach Street.

As pretty as the beach is, the shops along the street from the main road to the beach can be completed in a day. Maybe even an hour unless you hop in and out of the restaurants. Most of the restaurants cater to the English and American cuisine. It was disheartening to see very few Sri Lankan food places.

When we tried the meals at Thaproban Beach House, the food was bland for our Indian palette.

One of the tuk-tuk drivers told us that the entire street was overpriced because it was for tourists. I observed this firsthand when a tuk-tuk driver was charging 1000 Sri Lankan rupees to enter the Galle Fort. On Uber, it was costing me 400.

So apart from the beach, there’s nothing else to do on that street. I’d recommend resisting your urge to shop too. You’ll likely find better quality in Colombo.

3. The tuk-tuk nightmare

Many recommended using Uber or Pick ME (the local ride-hailing app) on Reddit due to the tuk-tuk mafia. Tuk-tuks are stationed outside almost every resort/hotel in the Unawatuna area.

When I refused to take the tuk-tuk outside my hotel, the drivermade fun of the price I was asking for. He even drove away my Uber ride I following him to the end of the street which was close to 2 km, if not more. I had a child and a senior citizen with me so the day started on the wrong foot.

On a rainy day, I couldn’t get an Uber for a 3 km distance. I was stuck trying for hours. Maybe that’s why people hire bikes, but it wasn’t feasible for me.

I would recommend Uber over Pick Me. I couldn’t get a single ride on the latter. Pick Me doesn’t even identify your location correctly.

Remember: If you’re booking an Uber, always go a little further up or down from your location. Get ready to hop in quickly as they can’t risk waiting too long.

4. Galle Fort is a must-do

6 kms away from Unawatuna Beach, you’ll find one of Sri Lanka’s UNESCO World Heritage towns. Galle Dutch Fort is a large fort in the Bay of Galle on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka. Built-in 1588 by the Portuguese, it was then extensively fortified by the Dutch.

I followed this walking tour created by Nerd Nomads to get around the fort. The entrance to the fort is free. So beware of tuk-tuks charging an entry fee. When I visited it, the weather was cloudy with a sprinkle of raindrops, which was much preferred over the heat.

The bastions paint a scenic view of the Bay. I can only imagine how pretty sunsets must look from this vantage point. Wear your most comfortable shoes to walk around!

Must-visit: Isle of Gelato. I tried flavors like passion fruit (very refreshing), coffee, pasta cookies, and cream at Galle Fort and Weligama. Weligama had more flavors but was also a tab bit pricey.

Quick stop for lunch: The Arch restaurant

5. Mirissa is a half hour away

Mirissa is a small town on Sri Lanka’s south coast. It is popular for its one-of-a-kind beaches and surf towns.

If you can, choose to stay in Mirissa over Unawatuna. Parrot Rock Beach and Coconut Tree Hill can be completed in half a day easily. I was surprised to see a stairway leading to the Coconut Tree Hill viewpoint. On Google, many said the climb is not suitable for senior citizens and small kids. But it was fairly easy. I recommend going around 3 pm. You might not get the sunset, but you can skip the crowd too.

Parrot Rock beckons you to lie down and bask in the sun. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the time, but it seemed like a better option than Unawatuna Beach.

From pristine beaches to being stranded in the rain, there's so much to uncover from my trip to Sri Lanka.

Secret Beach is a spot you are likely to find in blogs and Instagram Reels. As I had booked a private taxi for the day, I didn’t have to worry about getting there. But beware, the road is very narrow. Some people were riding their bikes up and it seemed really scary. After reaching the top, you have to walk down an off-beaten road, reach a cafe that says “Secret Beach” on the wall, and enter. Then, you walk down rickety stairs to get to the beach. There is another entrance but I couldn’t spot it.

A quick tip: A private taxi is a mix of comfy and pricey

For someone with six bags, taxi transfers from the Colombo airport to Unawatuna and back seemed like the best idea. But it came with a price between 7-10k INR for a van. The roads however are very good, so I wish I knew that and had the confidence (and license) to drive.

Recommended: You cannot miss seafood in Colombo. If you’re headed to Dutch Hospital Street, check out King Crab Restaurant. Don’t judge it by Google reviews alone. The food is delicious, the staff is courteous and the Peach Ice Tea is well made! The menu also has some Chinese food. Plus, it is more affordable than the Ministry of Crab.