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Weligama

We l i g a m a

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Weligama (meaning ‘Sandy Village’) is locat-
ed about 30km east of Galle and is an inter-
esting and lively blend of international beach
resort and raucous Asian fishing town. You
can spend a happy day wandering around,
getting a feel for local life, dipping your toes
in the ocean and marvelling at the denizens
of the deep, who end their days being hacked
up and sold from roadside fish stalls.

1 ights & ActivitiesS

Scenic though the bay is, Weligama Beach is
a bit shabby and not geared for sunbathers.
It’s primarily a fishing village, with boats lin-
ing the western end of the bay. This all makes
the appearance of the enormous new Marri-
ott resort at the east end of the beach all the
more ironic. It’s out of all scale with anything
around it and has many worried that others
will follow. Weligama is known for its lace-
work, and stalls are located on the main road
by the coast.

Taprobane iSlAND
(www.taprobaneisland.com; island rental from
US$1800 per day) Close to the shore – so close
that you can walk out to it at low tide – is
this tiny island. It looks like an ideal artist’s
or writer’s retreat, which indeed it once was:
novelist Paul Bowles wrote The Spider’s
House here in the 1950s. The island was de-
veloped in the 1920s by the French Count de
Maunay-Talvande who perched his mansion
on the tiny rock. You can stay or dine on the
island with advance planning.

Surfing SURFiNG
Weligama is a good place to learn to surf with
soft, sandy beach waves that rarely exceed
one metre. Both the Samaru Beach House
and the Weligama Bay View, next door, rent
boards (from Rs 1500 per day), offer lessons
(from Rs 2500) and arrange for surf guides
(from Rs 300 per hour).

Weligama Bay Dive Center DiviNG
(%225 0799; http://www.scubadivingweligama.com; 126
Kapparathota Rd; boat dives from €35, snorkel gear
rental €10) Snorkelling and diving at Weliga-
ma is good. This operation, close to the har-
bour at the western end of the beach, runs
PADI courses as well as excursions such as
wreck dives. It also organises whale and dol-
phin diving and snorkelling trips.

4 leeping & EatingS

Accommodation is spread out along the

beach road; there is no reason to stay on the

charmless inland side of the road.

For eating, tuck into some fresh-from-the-

ocean seafood at one of the waterfront joints

opposite Taprobane Island.

Samaru Beach House hOTel $$

(%225 1417; http://www.guesthouse-weligamasamaru.

com; 544 New Matara Rd; r US$35-80; aW)

Located at about the middle of the bay, this

traveller-savvy place is on the beach and has

14 light and airy rooms (some fan-only) that

are sheltered from road noise. The better

rooms have a verandah. Bikes and surfboards

can be rented and the genial owner can or-

ganise local tours and activities.

Weligama Bay View GU eSThOUSe $$

(%225 1199; http://www.bayviewlk.com; Galle-Matara Rd;

r US$30-60; aW) The ocean is your pool

at this beachside hotel that adjoins other

similar venues. The 14 rooms are basic but

comfortable, and some have air-con. Up-

stairs units enjoy better views. Surfers are

served with board rentals and lessons.

AVM Cream House i Ce CReAM $

(3 Samaraweera Pl; treats from Rs 20; h11am-9pm)

For dessert head to this wildly popular ice

cream cafe opposite the bus station in the

town centre. There’s a huge range of fresh

fruit flavours; a big glass of fresh-squeezed

orange juice is a mere Rs 20.

8 Information

Weligama’s busy commercial centre is inland

from the coast road. it has supermarkets and

ATMs in the streets around the bus station.

8 Getting There & Away

There are frequent buses to Galle (Rs 52, one

hour) and Matara (Rs 28, 30 minutes).

Weligama is on the Colombo–Matara train line;

destinations include Colombo (2nd/3rd class Rs

220/120, four hours), Galle (Rs 60/30, one hour)

and Matara (Rs 30/15, 30 minutes). There are

seven to 12 trains daily between Galle and Matara.

Mirissa

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Crack open a coconut, slip into a hammock

and rock gently in the breeze, allowing the

hours, days and even weeks to slip calmly by.

Welcome to Mirissa, which is 4km southeast