Dalawella Beach: A First Impressions

On the south coast of Sri Lanka, just a few minutes away from Unawatuna, you will find Dalawella Beach. This amazingly wonderful place may possibly be the best beach in the whole country. Check out why we think it deserves the title!

Sri Lanka is endowed with mile after mile of lovely golden sand; therefore, I don’t make this remark lightly. We live for fantastic beaches, and Dalawella Beach is up there as one of the most amazing. From rope swings to turtles, it’s got it all. If you are planning a trip here, there is no way you can leave this off of your Sri Lanka itinerary.

We were kind of perplexed as to the distinction between Wijaya Beach and Dalawella Beach when we landed on the south coast, but were assured by the locals that it is basically the same place—just a different name for it. While it isn’t located in Unawatuna, it is only a short ride away and is considerably better than the main Unawatuna beach.

Where is Dalawella Beach?

Dalawella Beach is located just south of the vacation town of Unawatuna. In reality, it’s almost exactly a mile from Unawatuna Beach to the beginning of Dalawella Beach on the ever-busy Galle Road, which runs down the coast all the way to the old town of Galle in the north.

As previously said, the best spot to stay when visiting Dalawella Beach is Unawatuna. To travel to Dalawella Beach from Unawatuna, use a tuk tuk, which should take less than 10 minutes and cost between 200 and 300LKR ($1.13 to $1.70 USD).

Things to do in Dalwella Beach

Dalawella Beach swing

The swing is undoubtedly Dalawella Beach’s most well-known attraction. We have to add that we believe attractions like this are extremely overrated. The beach itself is stunning. Why do you need a carefully altered photo of someone in a pink dress flying over the beach to entice you to visit?

You’ll see it right away: a palm tree that stoops just a little lower than the others, overlooking the reef and the washing surf. There’s a long rope attached so you may dangle over the sea as it crashes against the rocks.

It’s at its coldest around sunset, when the light fades and the sun sinks low behind the Unawatuna hills, painting the ocean pink, red, and orange.

Ride the rope swing at your own risk.

Dalawella Beach turtles

Dalawella Beach offers much more than just a rope swing. It is also one of the greatest spots to see marine turtles in the south.

The reason for this is the nature of the seashore. The reefs extend around 50 m from the beaches here, forming small lagoons with still water and sand bottoms. That’s one of the reasons why the surf isn’t spectacular, but the turtles really enjoy it.

The ideal times to swim with them are in the early morning and evening, when they congregate to feed in the lagoon waters. Go to the swimming place about 20 meters east of Frog Rock. You can go into one of the hotels on the beach (we ignored the idiotic signs that said you couldn’t, since what are they going to do?) and dive in.

It’s a good idea to have a snorkeling set or a decent pair of goggles to help you find the turtles. Remember, they are protected, so don’t touch or disturb them.

Tour Galle Town

If you’re planning on staying in this southern region, we highly recommend this one. We think Galle is one of Sri Lanka’s most interesting towns, and it would be a shame to miss it given it’s only a 20-minute tuk-tuk ride away from Dalwella Beach.

Constructed atop a fortified headland, the old town section features winding streets and lanes lined with cobblestones that date back to the 16th century. It appears as though a small hill village from the Algarve has been transported to the coast of Sri Lanka.

In the historic quarter of Galle Fort, there are a plethora of fascinating sights to behold. There is so much to see and do here that a guided tour is definitely in order if this is your first visit. Beautiful Dutch Reformed Church, historic Pedlar Street inns, and the world-famous Galle Lighthouse are must-sees.

Surfing in Dalawella Beach

Dalawella Beach has a surf break. It’s a right-hander that sucks up from the reefs directly in front of Frog Rock. It’s not fantastic, but it’s also not terrible. It will max out at 8 foot swells, and it is a brief ride – about 40m from takeoff to kickout point.

You want to hang around near the smaller pair of rocks that protrude out of the water in front of the Frog. There are normally one or two other surfers there, mainly locals, and the conditions are decent. The wave will form quickly and become steepish before settling into a little bump that dribbles into the reef.

That reef is the primary obstacle. There are bits of it all over the place, and it can be fairly shallow, so you’ll need to be careful and have some expertise surfing on hard surfaces.

Remember that Dalawella Beach is adjacent to a number of other popular destinations in the area. You could base yourself here to view the turtles and explore Galle, then head to the surf locations anytime you want something more.

Options include:

Koggala is a more distant beach with a few breaks, including a dumpy beach break and a mellow left point. Not amazing, but frequently empty. Ten minutes from Dalawella.

Kabalana Beach is one of the top all-level surf places in the south, with an A-frame wave that is probably the best in the country. There is also a beach break available, which is popular with surf schools and learners. Kabalana is 15 minutes from Dalawella.

Ahangama – The town of Ahangama is now popular among intermediates, learners, and loggers. It has about 15 breaks scattered along a few kilometers of coastline, roughly 20 minutes by tuk-tuk from Dalawella.

When to visit Dalawella Beach?

The dry season is the optimum time to visit and surf Dalawella Beach. That comes to Sri Lanka’s south coast between November and March.

The dry season on this side of the island is opposite that of the Eastern Province. When it rains heavily in Arugam Bay, Dalawella and the rest of the south’s beaches enjoy plenty of sunshine and daily temperatures in the 90s and 100s.

What’s important for surfers is that the waters are much less rough in the dry season, so you may have clean conditions for dawn and sunset surfs; midday surfs are more difficult since the winds can build up. It’s also the greatest time for south swells, which are ideal for firing up Dalawella’s points and reefs all the way down to Ahangama.