Top 6 Things to Do in Mirissa, Sri Lanka
- The Coastal Campaign
- Apr 10, 2019
- 4 min read
Updated: May 11, 2019
At the heart of Sri Lanka’s south coast, Mirissa is an incredible beach destination that shouldn’t be missed. Beautiful beaches, awesome sunset spots and endless great places to eat made Mirissa our favourite place in southern Sri Lanka. We spent 3 nights here and could easily have stayed a couple more if we had the time. Our adventures led us to compile a list of our favourite things to do, where to eat and even found a secret beach for you to enjoy.
Getting Here from Unawatuna
We came here from Unawatuna by public bus (a great way to travel on a budget), which costs 70 LKR ($0.40 USD) per person and took 45 mins – 1 hour. It’s a pretty bus journey along the coast and buses leave every 5 minutes from the main road.
Things to Do
1. Coconut Tree Hill
We had seen this place pop up on our Instagram a couple of times and thought it looked amazing. Our first night here we jumped in a tuk tuk, which was 200LKR ($1.15 USD), and arrived for sunset. Not many better places to sit and watch the sun set through the trees. To get here, head to Sunset Bar and walk up the path up the hill.
*Tip: If you want this place to yourself, come early in the morning – we came back again the next morning to get some more undisturbed shots.
2. Secret Beach
To reach Secret Beach you have to drive up this crazy steep and narrow road. Once the path is bad enough, the tuk tuk driver will chuck you out and you will have to walk the last couple of hundred metres to the beach. This little beach tucked away in a quiet corner of the coast is just stunning. We spent a couple of hours relaxing on the beach and cooling off in the calm waters created by the outer rocks. A tuk tuk here should cost 400LKR ($2.30 USD)
3. Parrot Rock
Towards the end of Mirissa beach is Parrot Rock. This big red point sticks out into the ocean and gives an amazing view back down Mirissa Beach. It is another great place to watch the sunset, with surfers on one side and Mirissa Beach on the other.
4. Surf in Weligama
We took the bus to Weligama to go for a surf. It is a sandy bottomed beach break so it is the ideal place for beginners to try out surfing. We rented boards for 250LKR ($1.40 USD) for an hour and took to the sea. We caught great conditions and had such a good time. We rented from Hurry Surf School which was right on the beach and they were able to watch our stuff while we were in the water.
5. Mirissa Beach
The main stretch of Mirissa Beach is quite crowded but it is still a really cool place to hang out. We recommend heading towards the western end of the beach (when you get to the beach go right). It’s usually pretty quiet and there is a stunning surf break as well. Hanging out in the sun and watching the surfers is a great way to spend an afternoon.
6. Explore the street art
On our first afternoon as we hunted for some food we stumbled across some incredible street art along Beachside Road. Many of the hostels and restaurants here have decorated their outer walls with colourful murals and wall art. The hand painted art is definitely worth checking out and makes for a great way to explore the area as you search for more colourful murals.
Where to Eat
Shady Lane – A really cool spot tucked away in a back road with some tasty smoothie bowls. Slightly pricier at 675LKR ($3.90 USD) for a smoothie bowl but worth splashing out on.
R&R Hot Spot – Delicious rice and curry at a super cheap price. With some plain roti and a water, it cost just 600LKR ($3.45 USD).
Dulnetha Homestay and Restaurant – After surfing in Weligama this is the place to go. We had one of the best kottus (a Sri Lankan take on fried rice) here. A perfect post-surf snack and fairly cheap as well.
No.1 Dewmini Roti Shop – We heard great things about the food here so had to try it. While the Kottu didn’t knock our socks off, the banoffee roti for dessert hit the spot.
Sunset Bar – Located at the foot of Coconut Tree Hill. As the name suggests, a fantastic place to watch the sun go down with a beer. Not really a place to eat but we couldn’t leave it off the list.
Where to Stay
We recommend Kavindi Guest House. The breakfast here was insane. They brought out the first plate of food and we were stoked with what was on offer. Then they brought two more plates of food out as well. You definitely won’t go hungry staying here. Traditional Sri Lankan breakfast, a fresh fruit platter plus eggs, toast and jam each morning = Stuffed. At 2400LKR ($14 USD) with the breakfast included we thought it was great value.
Find other great places to stay in Mirissa here.
Mirissa was one of the real highlights of our month long trip around Sri Lanka. It has everything you need for an awesome trip. There was no shortage of beautiful places to hang out at and we managed to catch sunset from a different spectacular spot each night. The unique landscape here makes for a truly special few days. As you continue to work your way around the South Coast of Sri Lanka, make sure Mirissa is a top priority!
Next stop, Dikwella!
*Please note, prices are based on our experiences during our time of travel, March 2019, and will fluctuate.
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