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AWATUNAspa sessions from Rs 3200) If a holiday means
doing nothing more strenuous than being
utterly pampered, the Sanctuary Spa should
be music to your knotted muscles. It’s also an
Ayurveda centre. The serenity starts at the
tidy entrance.
Secret Garden YOGA
(%077 761 4119; off Wella Dewala Rd; yoga sessions
from Rs 1000; hyoga classes 9am & 5pm) Find
your inner peace – and muscles you never
knew you had – on one of the recommended
yoga sessions in the yoga pavilion of the Se-
cret Garden hotel’s yoga dome. It also offers
Ayurveda treatments.
Water Sports
Unawatuna doesn’t have a lot in the way of
surf breaks thanks to a fringing reef, though
there is a gentle break right at the western
end of the bay that a few locals ride. However,
there are some decent waves along the beach,
good for frolicking and body-surfing.
You can easily rent gear to snorkel the
reefs a short distance from the west end of
the beach.
There are several interesting wreck dives
around Unawatuna, as well as reef and cave
diving. The wreck dives include the Lord Nel-
son, a cargo ship that was wrecked about 10
years ago; it has a 15m-long cabin to explore.
The 33m-long Rangoon is one hour south of
Unawatuna.
Ocean Dive Centre DiviNG
(%077 721 3559; http://www.oceandive.asia; equipment
rental from €30 per day) Offers a full range of
tours and trips plus PADI courses.
Sea Horse Scuba Diving Centre DiviNG
(%228 3733; http://www.seahorsedivinglanka.com; snor-
kel gear hire Rs 800 per day, dive trips from €25) A
well-regarded and long-standing outfit. Offers
a range of snorkelling and dive tours, includ-
ing ones to popular Jungle Beach on the north
side of the peninsula.
Unawatuna Diving Centre DiviNG
(%224 4693; http://www.unawatunadiving.com; off
Galle–Matara Rd; two tank boat dives from €40, PADi
courses from €215) The only dive shop with a
decompression unit. Offers discovery dives
for novices for €25.
Walking
There are numerous good walks in and
around Unawatuna. None of the following are
more than 2km.
̈ (^) Up the hill behind Yaddehimulla Rd
to catch views to the other side of the
promontory with Galle Fort far in the
distance.
̈ Walk north around the rocky outcrop at
the west end of the beach to Rumassala,
known for its protected medicinal herbs –
legend has it that Hanuman, the monkey
god, dropped herbs carried from the
Himalaya here. The temple right on the
promontory is fenced off, but you can
wander up to the Rumassala Peace Pagoda
(p115) on top of the hill.
̈ Isolated Jungle Beach (p 115 ) on the
north side of the peninsula is a popular
destination, and if you don’t feel up for
the 2km walk over the hill through dense
canopy to the beach, numerous boat
operators will take you around the point on
a day trip.
C^ Courses
oSonjas Health
Food Restaurant COOKiNG
(%077 961 5310, 224 5815; Wella Dewala Rd; courses
from Rs 3000) These highly recommended day-
long cookery courses tutor you in the finer
points of Sri Lankan cuisine and will have you
mixing your own curry powder in no time.
The course is led by the lovely Karuna and a
trip to Galle market is included in the price.
Book at least a day in advance.
4 Sleeping
Unawatuna is home to a huge number of
small budget guesthouses. There are some
midrange options as well, many in the shady
and pleasant small lanes back off the beach.
Most of the beachside hotels are unattrac-
tive and several are built atop landfill which
destroys the remaining beauty of the beach.
There are a growing number of budget places
right on busy Galle–Matara Rd, avoid them.
Saadhana Bird House GU eSThOUSe $
(%222 4953; http://www.birdhouse.8k.com; Yaddehimulla
Rd; r from Rs 3500; aW) A charming – and yes,
a bird-loving – family run this three-room
guesthouse. It’s simple, clean and close to
the beach. The road is quiet. You can spot the
local fowl from the rooftop terrace and there’s
plenty of feathered-friend spotting info on
offer. Tasty local fare is also on offer.
Village Inn GU eSThOUSe $
(%222 5375; [email protected]; off Yadde-
himulla Rd; r from Rs 1200) A very simple guest-
house that can’t be beaten on price. All 11
rooms have bathrooms and a balcony or ve-
randah, which are perfect for watching the