What Are The Things To See And Do In Koggala Beach?
Koggala beach the things to see and do
For a beach holiday package with excitement, mouth-watering dishes, picture-perfect scenery and excellent accommodation, the Koggala beach in south coast Sri Lanka has it all.
Koggala beach is one of the most scenic beaches in Sri Lanka with very striking scenery that you can ever see. With the Koggala beach stretching many dozens of kilometres along the southern coast of Sri Lanka. Moreover, apart from the beautiful scenery, Koggala beach has much more to offer to its visitors, such as families, especially if you love nature-related activities (exploring rainforests, exploring mangrove forests etc.) and seafood.
7 popular things to do in Koggala
- Deep-sea fishing
- Exploring mangrove forest and boating in Koggala Lake
- Surfing
- Whale watching
- Swimming with sea turtles
- Eating delicious seafood
- Beach walk
Things to do in Koggala: Fishing
With a wide expanse of Indian ocean just a few feet away from your hotel, it is very inviting to get on a boat and set off in search of Barracuda, Tuna fish and all other popular fish species. This is a perfect opportunity for a traveller who loves boating and fishing, it is definitely a unique and exciting voyage for the travellers who love fishing.
There are many local tour operators in Unawatuna offering many interesting activities such as fishing, surfing, boating and many other activities for customers. Usually, the customers get all the necessary equipment for the fishing trip. The customers are also assisted by an experienced guide, that shall take you, your family, or group of friends, out to deep sea to explore the waters and catch some fishes.
Exploring Mangroves
The Koggala lagoon is one of the most striking geographical features in southern Sri Lanka. This huge waterbody is a popular place to explore riverine vegetation of Sri Lanka and it harbours a large extent of mangrove vegetation (the mangroves are highly protected natural habitat, which is fading fast from the Sri Lankan soil). The visitors who wish to explore the lagoon can take into the water with a paddleboat or a motorboat.
The boating terrain in Koggala is remarkably varied and takes you through dense overhanging mangroves. These mangroves forests are a great source of Fauna and Flora. Monkeys, crocodiles, snakes, monitor lizards, turtles and a large number of avian fauna species have contributed to turning it into one of the highest biodiversity hotspots in southern Sri Lanka.
The Koggala lagoon and the surrounding area has very ecological importance hence it is declared as a protected area and human activities based on Koggala lagoon that harms the natural environment is highly punishable. The Koggala lagoon is embellished with 8 islands. The Koggala lagoon entails 7.27 sq km of the unspoiled water body, vegetation against the bank, and protected land adjoining it.
The lagoon is heavily depending on rainwater while it is fed by a few streams connected to it. The banks of the lagoon are home to a large extent of marshlands with mangroves and the mangrove roots are quoted with creatures including barnacles, oysters and crabs. Intervening roots of mangrove that penetrate from the muddy surface of the marshlands serve as nurseries for many fish species. Seven islands in the lagoon can be reached by boat and of which is the “Madol Duwa”. Madol Duwa had been the main subject of the popular novel written by Martin Wickramasinghe.
Go Surfing in Koggala
Not surfing in southern Sri Lanka while on a holiday, it is highly unlikely to happen! Because southern coast of Sri Lanka is one of the most tempting places for surfing, any traveller plucks up the courage to take up what is considered as one of the favourite past time activities in the south coast. Few kilometres south of Koggala is Weligama and Narigama beaches that are coming under best places to surfing in Sri Lanka.
“Sometimes you need to try at least once, and if you like the thrilling adventure and the ocean, surfing one of the best activities,” said Chaminda, who is working as a freelance surfing coach in Weligama beach.
If you feel that you are going to catch the wave, there are many local tour operators renting out the equipment’s required by the surfers. If you are a novice to the game, take a surfing course and learn how to balance on the board and gradually master the art of surfing.
The conditions of the waves differ a lot during the day and surfers have to adjust themselves to ride on waves with different conditions. The surfing schools have flexible schedules in order to allow the surfers to practice on a different type of waves on different times of the day. The flexible schedule also helps you to plan other interesting activities during the holiday as you engage in this thrilling adventure.
Whale watching Mirissa
Mirissa another seafront fishing village and has a wide sandy beach. Mirissa offers many interesting activities and sightseeing for all generations. However, it is not the pristine beaches that its biggest draw, and watching whales is the most popular activity here. A large number of travellers make a stop in Mirissa to scratch the surface of the international whale’s commissioned areas of Indian Ocean, and take a closer look into the giant blue whales. Make sure you take a seat near the trim on the upper deck to make sure to have an unobstructed view of the ocean.
Swimming with sea turtles
Turtle Beach is just a few minutes away from the Mirissa beach where you can swim with sea turtles. A few feet’s away from the shore of turtle beach is frequented by sea turtles. “The sea is shallow here, there is a lot of seagrass on the floor, and therefore it is a good feeding ground for sea turtles,” said Thushara Sampath, who offers snorkelling tour at turtle beach. At the turtle beach, you will be able to swim side by side with sea turtles, while some other creatures flutter and swerve around you. If on the other hand, you don’t want to jump into the water, you can still take a closer look into a few sea turtles from your boat, just keep your eye on the water.
When you book the snorkelling trip with Seerendipity tours, it includes hotel pick, a short boat ride to the sea where you encounter sea turtles and all the required gears for the snorkelling. It is highly advised to take the trip early morning in order to see the greatest number of sea creatures on your trip.
Sampling authentic Sri Lankan seafood
Sampling delicious seafood is on the bucket list of every traveller that venture on a trip to southern Sri Lanka. In fact, southern Sri Lanka is very popular for seafood and has a reputation being a place with unique recipes for authentic seafood. Therefore, you can’t go to Unawatuna beach without sampling authentic Sri Lankan seafood. If you are aiming at treating your family to some luxury in Sri Lanka, there are many opportunities here, choose a high-end seafood restaurant with ideal settings for you, either on the beach with sea view or in the city.
Visiting Galle Fort from Koggala beach
Conveniently located on the waterfront, a few minutes away from Unawatuna is Galle fort, which is the most popular iconic tourist attraction in southern Sri Lanka. Galle fort has earned the prestigious emblem of “UNESCO world heritage site”, due to its historical and archaeological importance. Galle Fort is the best preserved Dutch-built fort in Asia and many thousands of buildings are still in very good shape and showcases typical Dutch architecture prevailed in the medieval time.
While strolling through the labyrinthine of cobbled streets in the fort, from boutiques to cafes and galleries to museums as well as restaurants with breathtaking Seaview, you can take in the phenomenal views. The vibrant colonial atmosphere in the fort boasts many popular spots for local and foreign travellers to sample the glamorous shopping complex and delicious cuisine.
Koggala beach walk
Koggala beach runs parallel to the Galle road, and a wide walking path sandwiched between the beach and road. If you enjoy walking, the walking path is a perfect place and must allocate time to use it. Apart from the walking path along the beach, there are many other nature trails within easy reach for travellers staying in Koggala to walk through and take in some Sri Lanka’s wildlife, particularly avian fauna species, their habitats, and the pristine vegetation. Koggala and the surrounding area of Koggala beach are very fruitful and lands are fed by Koggala lagoon also harbours a large number of animal species.
Luxury beach resorts in Koggala beach
There are many upscale hotels in Koggala beach providing luxury facilities as well as amenities. We recommend Kabalana for a modern and contemporary setting with a warm welcome. This beachfront luxury boutique hotel offers comfortable rooms with all services. If you are on a mission to live with the sea-breeze there is no other good place like Kabalana, because you live just a few meters away from the shore. The hotel has its own beach means no intruders to disturb as you lie under the canopy made of coconut fronds. If you feel that you are not in the mood to go out and indulge yourself in new and existing activities, choose the pristine pool to chill out yourself.
If you have an upper floor room, you can have an amazing view from the seafront balcony. If you are on the ground floor still the view from the verandah is amazing while it also provides easy access to the beach.
For those who love more independence and like to cook their own, we recommend beach “Gallow“, which is colonial beach bungalow with apartments, equipped with self-catering facilities. This self-catering apartment is the best match for people such as couples and families who love the privacy and quiet life. The number of travellers that can be accommodated is limited at the apartment and it means that you are not disturbed with other fellow residents.
The added advantages of staying in above-mentioned properties are the availability of maximum privacy on a quiet, pristine beach while all the attractions mentioned in this guide are within a reasonable distance from the resort.
It is very important to decide on the things to do and places to go before your flight to Sri Lanka, therefore you can plan the fun things accordingly. Koggala is based in southern Sri Lanka and beaches are not as crowded as most beach resorts on the west coast such as popular Bentota beach resort. Therefore, if you look for a beach with a calm and quiet atmosphere, you must seriously consider Kogala beach. On the other hand, Kogala is not pricy like popular beaches due to the low demand.
Hopefully, the above hotspots should have given you some inspiration for where you and your family might like to visit in Koggala. To gauge more information on the above places, please contact us on admin@seerendipitytours.com.
Also, be keep in mind that above-mentioned activities are very popular among travellers, especially the boat tours have a big demand among local tarvellers. To ensure you will not miss the opportunities to engage in interesting activities, it is highly advised to book them in advance and avoid disappointment.
Why you should visit Koggala Beach with Seerendipity
Seerendipity Tour is an entirely locally owned travel company with a head office in Colombo. The highly experienced local staff is a key strength of Seerendipity Tours, and they can plan your dream holiday to Sri Lanka.
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When you book a tour with us, you directly book the tour with the local company, which means there are no middlemen and therefore you can guarantee the best price. Simply get in touch with us and let us know when you travel and what you like to see.
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Our staff makes a personalised programme for you, which you can change until you find the best package for you. You can also browse our existing tour packages for inspiration; all our ready-made tour packages are customizable and can be tailored to meet all your expectations. Write to us at admin@seerendipitytours.com, tel. 0094-77-440977, WhatsApp 0094-77-4440977
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