Tangalle Holidays

Despite all of the enticing attractions nearby, the main reason holidaymakers choose Tangalle is to combine the odd day trip with a relaxing break on the fabulous beaches. Tangalle’s beaches stretch for several kilometres either side of the town. The most developed section of coast, though still very chilled, is to the east of town. Here you’ll find Medaketiya and Medilla beaches with long, straight stretches of golden sand.

Beyond Medilla, the coastline tapers to little more than a sandpit at idyllic Kapuhenwala beach in Marakolliya, backed by the mangrove-fringed Rekawa lagoon. The most striking section of Tangalle’s coastline can be found a couple of kilometres further west at the village of Goyambokka, where a superb rocky headland is flanked by two gorgeous beaches. Your camera will be busy at Godellawela Beach – or Silent Beach, as it’s popularly known – such is its beauty.

A rewarding half-day trip from Tangalle combines the Hoo-maniya blowhole, the Wewurukannala Temple with its enormous Buddha statue, and the absorbing rock temples of Mulkirigala. The ocean blowhole can either be spectacular or a bit dull, depending on your luck and the time of year you visit. Generally, the best time to see this natural water display is during the south-west Monsoon in June, when you should witness the high seas shooting water 23 metres into the air through an impressive rock formation.

Wewurukannala Temple is home to the largest Buddha figure in Sri Lanka – an impressive 50-metre tall golden statue – but, to reach it, you’ll need to first pass through a hall filled with statues of demons and sinners suffering their ill fate. Finally, Mulkirigala Rock Temple is just 16 kilometres northwest of Tangalle. Built upon a 200-metre-high rock, this monastery is made up of seven cave temples in five separate descending terraces.

A holiday to Tangalle means you’ll be within close proximity to some of Sri Lanka’s national parks – another one of the area’s major pulling powers. Filled with wildlife, these parks make a very worthwhile day trip or even overnight stay. Visit Udawalawe National Park, just a 90-minute drive away, where the sparse vegetation reveals herds of elephants feeding together.

Yala National Park, meanwhile, is home to the largest density of leopards on the planet. These elusive cats prowl the park looking for prey, while your knowledgeable park tracker points out storks, fan-tailed peacocks, chattering monkeys and crocodiles. Slightly closer to Tangalle, to the east, is Bundala. A haven for birdlife and elephants, this place consists of dry thorny scrublands, marshes and four brackish lagoons.

Tropical Tangalle has two dry seasons and two monsoon seasons. Temperatures remain steady throughout the year, though, and average between 28°C to 30°C. The sea is usually a balmy 28°C – perfect for swimming and snorkelling.

But December to March is the best time to go on your Tangalle holiday. It’s dry and sunny, the seas are calm, and it’s not too humid. Plus, this is the time of year when you’ll have the chance to see majestic see blue whales.

April is the hottest month, while May and June can be quite wet, as the southwest monsoon is prevalent. July to September is the inter-monsoon period – so it can get very hot in Tangalle at this time of year, but it’s still a good time to go if you can handle higher temperatures. October and November sees the north east monsoon, but this does mean that the forest is lovely and lush in December, after the rains.