Tangalle

Located on one of the largest bays in Sri Lanka, Tangalle is a lazy fishing town in the Hambantota District and is often the gateway to the many wide-open beaches of South-East Sri Lanka. With its beautiful palm fringed bay and soft turquoise waters, the city makes for an excellent beach stop, and presents its visitors with a few interesting things to do.

Having been hit hard by the 2004 Tsunami Waves, Tangalle is, years later still slowly recovering. Because of this, the series of small bays and beaches that make up the city aren’t exactly packed with tourists and as a result has managed to retain its peace and serenity. This makes the beach the perfect place to spend lazy days playing beach ball, reading and listening to music, dipping in the ocean, working on your tan or enjoying the breathtaking sunsets. Tourists visiting are however warned against swimming as the rough waves, particularly in the afternoon, could be very dangerous.

With the 18th century fortress turned prison and beautiful villas overlooking Seenimodera, Tangalle has telltale signs of the Dutch Colonization. The picturesque city is also the best destination to reach some of Sri Lanka’s main attractions:

Hummanaya Blowhole – identified as the second largest blowhole in the world, and the only one in Sri Lanka, Hummanaya is located 11km north of Tangalle, in the fishing village of Kudawella.

Parewella Natural Swimming Area – located 9km away from the main town, this small bay covered by a sheltering reef is the best place to enjoy swimming in Tangalle.

Mulkirigala Raja Maha Vihara – this ancient Buddhist rock temple is found 20km north of Tangalle. Dating back to almost 2000 years, the rock complex is consists of ancient murals, Buddhist statues, devalayas and even a cave library.

Kalametiya Bird Sanctuary – declared a bird sanctuary in 1938, Kalametiya is an area of coastal lagoons and mangroves located 24km east of the town. For bird lovers, the sanctuary is the best place to spot nationally threatened birds and other bird and marine life.

Turtle Watch Rekawa – 10km east of the town is the beach where you can watch five different species of turtles laying their eggs in sand nests at night. Turtle Watch Rekawa was founded as a program to protect the nesting sites until the hatchlings reach the ocean.




Written By: Kavisha Perera