Mirissa, Sri Lanka: rest, beaches, how to get from Colombo

Mirissa (Sri Lanka) is a picturesque resort located on the shores of the Indian Ocean, which has not yet become a center of attraction for vacationers, but is well known among lovers of extreme water sports. The small village where local fishermen live is sandwiched between Weligama and Matara. Today Mirissa is considered one of the best places to stay in Sri Lanka.

General information

On a map of Sri Lanka, Mirissa is located in the southwestern part. Just 10 km from the village is a large settlement - Matara, the distance to the capital's airport - 160 km. First of all, the resort in Sri Lanka is known for its sandy beach, framed by spreading palm trees.

Interesting fact! Until 2004, Mirissa was a port where various types of fish were caught.

Tourism infrastructure began to develop here in the 1980s, when the first hotel opened in the village. Everything here is focused on the tourist, but, given the geographical location of the village, the rest here has its own nuances:

there are practically no attractions and entertainment, so fans of outdoor activities in a week in Mirissa get bored;
people come here to enjoy the silence and beauty of nature, this is facilitated by comfortable weather;
there are no large shops and banks in the village, they are located in Matar and Galle, essentials can be purchased on the market;
Internet can be found only in hotels, as a rule, it is slow.

There are many restaurants on the coast for every taste and budget. Tourists are served traditional island dishes, as well as European cuisine.

Interesting! The resort in Sri Lanka falls asleep quite early, by 22-00 all cafes on the shore are closing. You can have fun until the morning on Friday, in the evening there is a party right on the beach.

The beaches of Mirissa

The picturesque shore of Mirissa and warm weather favor passive relaxation, unity with nature, but tourists doing yoga here are also not uncommon. Along the entire coastline are concentrated restaurants and hotels. The main attraction of Sri Lanka in general and villages in particular are beaches. Many of them rightfully deserve the title of "bounty".

Helpful information! There are almost all strong waves on the main beach of Mirissa, but to the east (towards Matara) there are bays where it is calm and quiet. Nearby is Weligama Beach, which is considered the best for surfing. Board rental - $ 6.5 per day.

Mirissa Beach

Mirissa's longest beach runs to the right of Parrot Rock. The coast is covered with fine, clean sand. The width of the beach depends on the phase of the moon and varies from 10 to 20 meters. It has a well-developed infrastructure, there are sun loungers, umbrellas, and many cafes. A gentle descent into the water, however, is hardly possible to soak in the ocean due to powerful waves.

Interesting fact! Near the main beach there is a bay where the water is calm, there are no waves. You can stay at the Giragala Village Hotel.

The advantage of Mirissa Beach - tables are set right on the beach, so you can have lunch or dinner, admiring the scenery and enjoying the sound of the surf.

Secret beach

Another comfortable and beautiful Mirissa beach in Sri Lanka is Secret Beach. It is located right behind Mirissa Beach, small, clean. The coast is covered with medium-sized light sand. The beach is surrounded by reefs and boulders, so the waves are smaller. The width of the coastline varies from 5 to 10 meters.

Helpful information! On the coast of Mirissa live turtles. Tourists can look at them for free and even pet or feed them.

Entertainment

Given that Mirissa is a small village, there are not a lot of attractions here. To visit interesting historical and architectural places, you need to go to the neighboring regions of Sri Lanka. For this, you can purchase a guided tour. But if you want to feel the local flavor, travel by public transport, in particular buses. So for a little more than an hour you can get to the large city of Galle with an old Dutch fort.

The main entertainment of Mirissa:

surfing;
diving;
blue whale excursions.

What to watch

Rock "Parrot"

Parrot rock separates the main beach from other holiday destinations. It is a small, rocky island located off the coast. You can reach the cliff via the old stairs, but the steps on it are quite fragile, so care must be taken. There is an observation deck on the island.

It is important! A large number of sharp sea urchins gather around the cliff.

Whale excursions

Every day at about 7 a.m. sightseeing boats depart from the Marina of Mirissa, which take tourists to the open ocean. The cost of the tour is from 25 to 40 $. The duration of the tour is from 2 hours to a whole day. Of course, no one gives guarantees that a meeting with whales will happen, especially if the tour is conducted in the off-season.

On a note! The best time to meet whales is from December to April.

Extreme Water SportsSurfing

The main spot on Mirissa is located on the central beach - Mirissa Beach. Beginners try their hand at smaller spots located next to Parrot Rock.

The best time and weather for sports is from November to April. An individual lesson with an instructor costs from 13 to 19 $, renting equipment will cost $ 1.3 per hour or about $ 6.5 for the whole day.

Note! The most famous surf school where you can find a Russian-speaking trainer is Surf School with Ruwan. It’s better to arrange lessons directly on the beach.

Read more about surfing in Sri Lanka here.

Diving and snorkeling

For experienced travelers, diving and snorkeling on Mirissa will not be fun entertainment. This is due to the fact that waves are constantly raging on the main beach of Mirissa. It is better to dive behind a rocky island - on the left is a section where there are almost no high waves.

Important information! There are enough diving schools on Mirissa - Mirissa Dive Center, Paradise Dive Center, Sri Lanka Diving Academy.

In the eastern part of the village is the only temple built, a Buddhist chapel is located on a hill. Entrance for tourists is free, but you can leave a donation if you wish.

Local life is concentrated on the main street - the embankment. There are grocery and souvenir shops, fruit shops.

Good to know! On Matara Road, which is located above, you can find inexpensive accommodation (guesthouses), a spa and a bank branch. However, it is stuffy, quite noisy, the weather is too hot, so vacationers prefer to settle near the beaches.

Prices for accommodation and meals

Paradise Beach Club

In general, a vacation in Mirissa is quite budgetary. Out of season, you can rent a house for $ 6-7. A double room costs $ 10-11. For this amount, you can rent a house built in the courtyards of the local population, or a separate room in the house with a private toilet and shower.

Mid-range housing at the resort will cost $ 25-30. For this amount you can rent a room in a three-star hotel, for example, Blue Ocean Villa.

A room in four and five star hotels with good reviews costs from $ 80.

It is important! In guesthouses and hotels, as a rule, there is only cold water. If you want to live in a room with hot water, you have to pay one and a half times more expensive. Installation of air conditioners in the rooms is also not practiced, fans are more common.

Tuk-tuker services

All tourists at the station are greeted by tuk-tukers, ready to offer their services in finding a hotel. However, a resort such as Mirissa does not require a tuk-tuker service. All hotels are located compactly and can be bypassed in 10 minutes. If the driver at the end of the trip is required to pay an amount much more than the amount announced at the beginning, stand your ground.

Advice! In order not to waste time not looking for a hotel, book a room in advance.

Find out RATES or book any accommodation using this formFeatures of national cuisine, prices

In general, the resort cuisine is no different from traditional Sri Lankan. The main difference is the large number of freshly caught, diverse seafood that can be purchased at reasonable prices on Matara Road. Early in the morning, local fishermen gather here and sell their catch, which, by the way, can be cooked on the beach or go to a restaurant.

Keep in mind! Dorado fish will cost $ 6-7, rice, potatoes, salad are served as a side dish. Seafood costs from $ 5. They are also served with rice or salad.

Prices in cafes and restaurants

On Mirissa there are many restaurants of different price ranges located on the shore and on Matara Road. Here you can taste local dishes and traditional, European dishes. Separately presented a menu for vegetarians.

As a rule, a bill for two costs $ 8-12. Most tourists prefer to eat in a cafe, because it is inexpensive, practical, and there are no kitchens in guesthouses.

It is important! Small grocery stores buy light snacks, cigarettes, fresh vegetables and fruits. It is impossible to buy alcohol at retail outlets; you will have to buy a drink at a restaurant.

Inexpensive cafes - eating together costs up to $ 10:

Dewmini Roti Shop;
Maggie's Rotti Shop;
Our World Wi Fi Cafe.

Mid-range restaurants - eating together will cost $ 12-16:

Zephyr Restaurant & Bar.

Tandoori Hut;
Adora Mirissa Beach Restaurant;
Hangover Cafe;
Little Tuna Sushi Cafe;
Papa mango.

Expensive restaurants - the average bill varies from $ 20 to $ 25:

Kama Mirissa;
Bay Moon restaurant;
Palm Villa;
Zephyr Restaurant & Bar.

Weather and climate when it is better to go

The weather on Mirissa (Sri Lanka) is always warm, but not always sunny, it does not get cold here. The average annual temperature is approximately +28 degrees. You should not go to Mirissa in the rainy season, which begins in early summer and ends closer in October.

Good to know! The best period for visiting the resort is the second half of winter, the beginning of spring. At this time, the weather has a comfortable rest, which will not be overshadowed by rains.

Mirissa in the summer

At this time of the year, hot weather is established on Mirissa and a constant temperature is +30 ° C, night temperature drops to +26 ° C. As a rule, in the summer a gale-force wind blows, the water warms up to +28 ° C, however, swimming is problematic due to large waves. The most rainy weather is in August, the resort literally floods with water. In the first half of summer it rains less than in August, but they can also cause discomfort.

Mirissa in the fall

In general, autumn weather is no different from the weather in August. The weather is cloudy but warm - +30 ° C. In the second half of November, the tourist season begins.

Winter resort

In winter, Mirissa is quite hot - up to +32 degrees, the water in the ocean warms up to +29 degrees, the weather is sunny, there is practically no rain. The sunniest month in the resort is January.

Mirissa in the spring

In the first half of spring, the temperature reaches a maximum, the water warms up to +30 degrees. There is practically no rainfall, however, in the first half of May the sky is often cloudy, and closer to June, rains begin.

How to get from Colombo

A foreigner will most likely have to get to Mirissa from the main international airport - Bandanaraike, which is located in the suburbs of the largest city in the state - Colombo.

By plane.

Flights to Colombo follow from the capital of Russia and other large cities, however, you will have to make a transfer.

Getting from the airport to Colombo is very simple:

order a taxi - about $ 20-25;
rent a tuk-tuk directly at Colombo Airport.

Helpful information! You can safely bargain with tuk-tukers, in which case the cost of the trip will cost several times cheaper than a taxi ride.

To the left of the airport building (approximately 150 meters) is the bus station. From here every 30-60 minutes bus number 187 leaves for the train station in Colombo. The cost of the trip will cost $ 1, the same amount will have to pay for luggage.

From Colombo to Mirissa can be reached in several ways.

By train

The railway connection in Sri Lanka is well developed. Along the coast runs the southern branch of the railway connecting the capital with Matara. The path is laid along the coast, so during the trip you can enjoy the seascape and see the local Sri Lankan flavor - fishermen's huts, slums. Be prepared for the fact that the trains from Colombo to Matara are deprived of comfort. The cars are old, often there are no doors.

The train leaves three times a day:

06-55;
14-25;
18-05 - this train leaves on weekdays.

The journey from Colombo to Mirissa by express takes from 3 to 4 hours. Ticket price:

$ 0.8 (Grade 3);
$ 1.3 (grade 2);
$ 2.6 (1 class).

Tickets are purchased directly at the box office on the day of the trip or booked in advance.

It is interesting! If you want to enjoy scenic views during your trip, choose the Colombo Badulla route. It passes through the central part of the country, through mountains covered with dense forests, tea plantations.

By bus

The bus station is near the train station in Colombo. Flights to Mirissa regularly depart from here.

Every bus from Colombo to Matara is guaranteed to bring you to Mirissa. Flights follow every 1.5-2 hours. Compact and large buses depart. The most modern and comfortable ones are small, these are commercial flights, a ticket will cost about $ 3. A big bus ticket costs $ 1.6. Duration 4,5-5 hours.

By taxi

Comfort lovers can order a taxi from the airport to Mirissa. This can be done in advance, online, or in the airport building after arrival in Sri Lanka.

The first option is more preferable, since in the second case it is necessary to withstand the onslaught of crowds of tourists. On average, the cost of the trip will be from $ 80 to $ 100. Duration 3,5-4 hours.
Compare accommodation prices using this form

Summary

Many vacationers find themselves in Mirissa (Sri Lanka) travel and spend one day here. Some just travels along the coast in search of a better beach, and someone settled in a nearby resort and came here on an excursion. What to do on this one day?

Meet the dawn on a hill located in the eastern part of Mirissa.
At 7-00 go on an excursion to the whales or go to the beach and take the best place to relax.
Have breakfast on the beach by ordering meals at a local cafe.
Sunbathe until 11-00, then the sun rays so hot that you have to hide in the shade of palm trees, in a cafe, have lunch. Sports enthusiasts can go diving.
Climb to Parrot Rock and admire the scenery.
Take a walk in the eastern part of the beach, swim, sunbathe, surf.
Have dinner on the ocean in one of the cafes.

Even one day on Mirissa can be filled with pleasant events and emotions. If you like peace and quiet, you will probably want to spend more time here.

An informative video about the Mirissa resort in Sri Lanka: what the beach looks like, food and gas prices, and other useful information.