Sri Lanka is surrounded by the cerulean blue waters of the Indian Ocean. This island is a perfect place for beach bums and sun-seekers to have their beach holidays as Sri Lanka has golden and idyllic beaches in all four corners.
You’ll find Sri Lanka’s west coast a delight to explore. West Coast is Sri Lanka’s most established beach destination, with its astounding golden beaches, beautiful hotels, resorts, and luxury restaurants. Due to the proximity to the airport, the majority of visitors to Sri Lanka choose to spend at least a couple of nights in this part of the country either at the arrival or before departure. Some of the best beaches on the West Coast include Negombo, Mount Lavinia, Morawala, Kalutara Beach, Moragalla, and Brown Beach. These beaches are ideal for enjoying an array of activities such as swimming, sunbathing kite surfing, windsurfing, and water skiing. The strong winds in Negombo make kite flying a favorite activity. Negombo is also popular for its vibrant nightlife where you can enjoy great music, delicious food, and superb drinks. In this region, you can also enjoy beautiful sunsets, strolls on the beach, and sweeping views of swaying palm trees.
Beaches on the Southern coast boast of stunning beaches. Mirissa Beach is an enviable location with great activities to indulge in from surfing, snorkeling, and basking in the sun, to having a bracing dip in the ocean. Many restaurants and cafes at the beachside cater to every taste. A voyage to the deep blue ocean during the period from November to March will allow you to see whales, dolphins, turtles, and even majestic blue whales– the largest animal on the planet. Mirissa Beach is juxtaposed with Parrot Rock and Coconut Tree Hill. Coconut Tree Hill possesses oodles of coconut trees true to its name, rendering a picturesque scenery. You can walk along the beach to get to Coconut Tree Hill. You’ll see an islet towering over the water directly in front of Mirissa Beach. This massive red color mound is the parrot rock which you can walk to at low tide. When you reach the top, you’ll witness beautiful scenery around. Especially, people flock to witness pink and fiery orange-ripple sunsets. Splendid Secret Beach is a short distance from Mirissa Beach. You can discover prismatic coral reef gardens in Hikkaduwa. Sea turtles are another attraction whom you can feed by hand. The Laguana in Hikkaduwa is a pool of shallow water covered with coral reefs on either side. Hikkaduwa is ideal for surfing as well. Hikkaduwa seashore contains four different shipwrecks which you can explore. Riding in a boat with a transparent bottom will allow you to closely observe shoals of fishes and other aquatic creatures. Five-day music festival in July is a glamorous event in Hikkaduwa. Other beaches that you can go to swim, see gorgeous sunsets, and golden beaches on the Southern coastline include Unawatuna, Wijaya, Jungle Beach, Bentota Beach, Goyambokka, Tangalle, and Weligama Beach.
Compared to the beaches on the southern coast, east coast beaches are quite shallow and calm. The smooth and clean waves create conducive conditions for snorkeling and scuba diving. The best beaches on the east coast are Arugam Bay, Pottuvil, Kallady, Kalkudah, Passikudah, Pigeon Island, Uppuveli, Nilaveli, Marble Beach, and Trincomalee Beach. 
These peaceful, quiet, and white sandy beaches are perfect for a delightful and relaxing holiday. These beaches exude a laid-back vibe as they are relatively unexplored. Arugam Bay is the island’s surfing hotspot. Passikudah is one of the topmost gorgeous east coast beaches in Sri Lanka with sparkling shallow waters. It has one of the world’s longest shallow coastlines. You can walk more than two hundred meters out into the sea safely. The water current is weak which makes it a safe place for swimming and a sea bath. Also, Passikuda is well-known for adventurous sports such as speed boat riding. Nilaveli is one of the sublime beaches on the eastern coast of Sri Lanka. This charming beach has a vast expanse of pristine white sand. The water is crystal clear. It’s a great place for swimming as there aren’t any strong undercurrents. Nilaveli Beach is popular as a family-friendly beach in Sri Lanka.
If you travel to the beguiling northern part of Sri Lanka you’ll realize that its landscape is different from the rest of the country. So, you can get a unique and authentic experience in this region. Jaffna peninsula has impressive beaches fringed with palmyra and coconut trees. The best beaches in Jaffna are Kankesanthurai, Charty Beach, Akkarai, 
Karainagar, and Casuarina Beach. The Casuarina Beach is flanked by a long stretch of Casuarina trees. It is a mesmerizing beach with calm shallow waters. You can walk a long way into the deep sea.
Sri Lanka has two opposing monsoon seasons. The best time to visit the Southwest Coast is between November and April. May to September is the best time to visit the East and North. Sri Lanka is a year-round destination yet these two monsoon seasons impact ocean currents and weather so it’s best to visit the beaches in the right season.
