Things to do in Unawatuna | Sri Lanka

Unawatuna is a popular tourist spot in the south of Sri Lanka, and the prices certainly reflect this! Although much cheaper than back home (Isle of Man), Unawatuna is expensive compared to Hikkaduwa (a mere 25km away).

 The main attraction is the beach, which is beautiful but crowded. Bars and restaurants line the golden sands and are open from 9am til midnight, so there is plenty of choice if you’re looking for somewhere to eat or drink with an incredible view of the Indian Ocean. Though we found the food was a lot nicer and cheaper off the beach.

The nightlife is non-existent so if you’re looking for beach raves, this is not the place for you! The bars on the beach are lifeless and dead in the evenings, but check out ‘The Pink Elephant’ for cheap cocktails and a lively, fun atmosphere.

Cooking classes are a popular activity and you’ll find signs promoting this along the main strip. Classes tend to cost around LK 3,000 per person, but we were lucky to find the lovely lady of La Villa guesthouse (where we were staying) who taught us how to make traditional Sri Lankan food for LK 2,000 per person. They don’t advertise this, but go and enquire as they are extremely friendly and would be thrilled to teach people, regardless of whether you are staying at their guesthouse or not.

We had great fun making rice, fish curry, Dahl curry, coconut sambol and poppadums’ the traditional way. We were taught the Sri Lankan customs, such as blessing the rice,  how to look out for when the curry is ‘dancing’ and the techniques of how to eat the whole meal with your hands. (A strange experience that is worth trying at least once, even if you do walk away thankful forks were invented!)

 

There are yoga classes available, again widely advertised, and were tempted to give it a go, but were still on UK time and never up early enough! Classes cost in the region of LK 2,000 per person for an hour.

 

As for things to see, there is a temple at the top of the hill on the far end of the beach. A short climb will see you come face to face with a giant Buddha. We took an evening stroll up there and the view of the beach at night was gorgeous, though the Buddha was fairly modern (possibly erected after the devastation of the tsunami ten years ago.)

Other than that, Unawatuna is a quiet place better suited to families with younger children who will be safe in the sea as its protected by a coral reef. After 3-4 days we were bored and ready to move on. The people are very friendly, but be wary of the tuk tuk drivers who will try to charge ridiculous amounts for the shortest of journeys. Ask for the price up front and never accept the first offer. Barter as much as you can or you’ll quickly spend a small fortune.

For singles, couples, and groups of friends, Hikkaduwa is a much nicer alternative with a better beach, several clubs, lots to see, and generally a lot cheaper.