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Unawatuna, Sri Lanka: Your Ultimate Guide to a Perfect Beach Town

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My favorite place in all of Sri Lanka was undoubtedly Unawatuna – a charming beach town that attracts travelers from all over the world with its laid-back vibe, beautiful beaches, and delicious food. It’s definitely worth learning how to pronounce the name!

Unawatuna offers a relaxed experience with small, charming alleys, three beaches to choose from, and lots of unique restaurants and boutique shops, all within easy walking distance. It’s hard to explain exactly what made me fall in love with this place—maybe the warm hospitality of the locals, or perhaps because it was the last stop on my trip. Either way, it’s a destination you shouldn’t miss!

How to Get to Unawatuna

Unawatuna is located about an hour’s drive from Mirissa and around 15 minutes from Galle. You can read more about other nearby beach towns in this post.

What to Do in Unawatuna

Relax on the Main Beach

Unawatuna’s main beach has calm waters and a lovely shoreline lined with hotels and cafes. Along the beach, you’ll find locals offering jet ski rides, but mostly, it’s the perfect spot for serious sunbathing and chilling.

Jungle Beach

Jungle Beach is just a short walk or boat ride from Unawatuna’s center. After a 30-minute walk, you’ll reach a small bay with calm waters. If you continue along the rocks, you’ll find a second, quieter bay with more shade and beach beds. It’s best to come in the morning to avoid the intense heat and crowds.

Wijaya Beach

A more touristy beach, known for one of Sri Lanka’s most famous attractions—a rope swing hanging from a palm tree over the ocean. It costs around 500 rupees for three swings and can be found near the Dream Cabanas (just Google it). Nearby, there’s also a beautiful sunset spot with a coconut tree leaning over a rock, creating the perfect photo opportunity.

Shopping in Unawatuna

Unawatuna is a great spot for shopping! Aside from cute souvenirs, you’ll find towels, beach bags, swimsuits, and Hawaiian-style dresses and shirts. Need a quick alteration? Many shops here have tailors who can fix your clothes on the spot!

Beach Parties

While Unawatuna is not known for wild beach parties like Mirissa, there are still some nice ones happening. The best way to find out where is just to ask the waiters at dinner. Be aware that some parties charge men an entry fee if they’re held at beachfront hotels.

Visit Galle

Galle, a nearby fortified town, is worth a visit and is just a short drive away. You can spend a night there if you like, but a day trip from Unawatuna is more than enough to explore the main sights.

Where to Eat in Unawatuna

The Hideout – Mexican Food with Vegan Options

This hidden gem is tucked away on the second floor, not visible from the main street. The menu features Mexican dishes like tacos, burritos, and guacamole. Their vegan burrito includes jackfruit, which is a great chicken substitute with an amazing texture. The service is slow, so come prepared to wait.

The Society – Excellent Service and Varied Menu

This is a great spot for dinner (less so for breakfast). The service was fantastic, and we had delicious tacos here at very reasonable prices.

Aloha – Vegetarian with a Relaxed Vibe

A small restaurant surrounded by trees and the occasional monkey. They offer two great smoothie bowl options and some refreshing shakes.

Yard – Vegan-Friendly Options

The best avocado toast I had in Sri Lanka! They also offer smoothie bowls that can be made vegan, though they weren’t the highlight of the menu.

Ni Hao Dumplings – Dumplings and Vegan Bao

A small restaurant with a simple menu featuring dumplings and bao, both with vegan options. The tofu bao was amazing, and the dumplings didn’t disappoint either—I even came back the next day!

Love Gelato – Perfect Vegan Gelato

Of course, no meal is complete without dessert, so we stopped by this gelato shop, which offers vegan flavors like fruit sorbets and chocolate. It was the perfect treat!

Where to Stay in Unawatuna

Accommodation in Unawatuna was a bit more expensive than in Mirissa, but we still found good places for reasonable prices. I recommend staying somewhere in the center, as everything is within walking distance from the beach.

Avoid Happy Banana unless you’re ready to pay a lot. We booked with them online at one price, confirmed it over the phone, but when we arrived, they asked us to pay upfront at a much higher rate. After showing the manager the lower prices listed on their site, he claimed that those rooms didn’t exist. When I asked him to fix the misleading information, he refused. They don’t work with any external booking sites, which made us suspicious. They seem to pull this trick on many guests—getting them to arrive and then quoting a different price, knowing that some won’t want to search for other accommodation. We refused and ended up staying in a nearby guesthouse that wasn’t great, but it was cheap.

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Hey there!

I’m Reut Sugar, a travel addict who doesn’t want to quit!

From my solo female travels to my life as a digital nomad, I’m on a mission to uncover the coolest spots in Brazil, Sri Lanka, Peru, Israel, and beyond.

Whether you’re after off-the-beaten-path adventures, mindful travel tips, or delicious vegan eats, I’ve got you covered.

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