Location  

Overview

Unawatuna is one of the best beach resorts in Sri Lanka and the most popular beach town in the South. Unawatuna doesn’t offer the same opportunities for surfing or diving as other parts of the coast but the waves are good for swimming and the sands are clean and white.

Situated about 6km down the coast from Galle. With it’s sun drenched golden beaches and clear blue water, it’s a magnet for tourist visiting Sri Lanka and the sun worshippers. There are many small resorts,restaurants  as well as shops selling handicrafts, gem and jewellery are built up around Unawatuna to facilitate these visitors.
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Historical value

Before it became a popular beach resort it was well known to people for its mystical and mythical roots. According to one legend it traces it’s roots to the epic Ramayanaya. In the epic, the monkey-warrior Hanuman was sent back to India to fetch the four medicinal herbs from the Himalayan Mountains to heal Lakshman who was wounded trying to save the abducted princess Sita from the demon king Ravana. However Hanuman failed to identify these herbs, so he lifted the entire mountain and carried it to the battlefield to try to save Lakshman, but in the process, a chunk of it "fell-down" in the location of the present day Unawatuna. The name is also derived from “onna wetuna” meaning “It Fell” which transformed to Unawatuna.

Bio diversity

Unawatuna is a place of natural beauty and is rich in bio-diversity. There are more than 60 species of endemic birds, including Terns, Egrets, Herons, Sandpipers, Kingfishers and many more. Off the coast and under the waves there is another world of rich wonders. The Coral Reefs surrounding the area are home to many sea creatures including Sea Turtles. They still come to the shores of Unawatuna to lay their eggs. Important conservation work is done by the Turtle Hatchery at Kosgama to protect these endangered species from extinction.
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Nearby Attractions
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Roomassala – the pride of Unawatuna
Historical mountain Roomassala stands majestically in the vicinity of Galle harbour along Galle- Matara road. The pagod built recently by a Japanese Buddhist glistens in the morning sun. The mountain violates the continuity of the southern coastal belt. Many devotees, Hindus and other tourists throng this mountain to discover its mysteries and fantasies derived from the epic of Ramayana by Valmiki
   
 

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Still fishermen

This traditional method of fishing is something unique to Unawatuna. Fishermen perched on sticks planted in the sea and fishing with a rod and line. This ancient form of fishing requires great skill and is practiced only in this region.

Galle  Fort

The historic 90-acre Galle Fort which was declared an archeological reserve by the UN is one of the main attractions of Galle-the  city considered as the capital of the southern province and only 6 km from Unawatuna. This walled city bears witness to its past through the near crumbling architecture of grand old buildings, street names, and Dutch churches, still active.

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Koggala – lake and mangroves

It is an unspoilt ecological haven. The small islands scattered in the lake are ideal for bird watching at sunset.
 

Getting there

Coming by bus from Galle you can get off at the small road that leads into town, or get off at the next stop, where the ocean meets the main road, and walk in along the beach. The journey from Bandaranaike International Airport costs from Rs 3500 and can take up to five hours, depending on traffic through Colombo.
 
 
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