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Tangalle - long sandy beaches and a laid back atmosphere

Sri Lanka Pt. 7 | Exploring Tangalle by Scooter and enjoying a beach retreat


 

Tangalle, one of southern Sri Lanka’s most stunning stretches of coastline, is a gem often overlooked by international tourists. The village was originally a small fishing town, and fishing is still the main income for many of the locals. Tangalla suffered grievously from the tsunami in 2004, and rebuilding has been very slow. The beaches are not exactly packed with tourists and are very peaceful, quiet and yu can find untouched beaches.

 

After a 5h drive (coming from Gal Oya) we open the car doors and what do we hear? Yep, the sound of the ocean 🌊 (apparently, for some travellers the “waves are too loud” and therefore they take one star off the review…). We had booked a nice spot right at the beach so we were eager to jump right in - well, as the surfer community puts it: the swell is too crass. After the first wave knocked us almost off our feet, we went for the beach chair. We had dinner right at the beachside and Björn even got his favorite: lady fingers!



Scooter Tour - Exploring Tangalle's beaches and temples


Back in Ella, we were surprised that they got us a scooter 🛵 without gas. Turns out, that’s how the rental business works here. You get it empty and hold your breath until you make it to the next gas station. Makes sense, gas is quite expensive compared to other costs (1€ per liter, while scooter rental for a day costs 8€).


Lucky us, we chose a special day for fueling up, but little did we know. The first two gas stations ⛽️ were out of gas, but eventually we found one with a long line… Learning: all fuels are being delivered from Colombo on Mondays, but often don’t arrive before Monday night!



We ticked off Goyambokka beach (the waves washed away some beach chairs while we were there and the owner of the lunch place told us that the water levels aren’t usually that high).



After that, Wewurukanalla Temple with a huge sitting Buddha and then Mulgirigala Rock Temple (stairs again! But this time only 550…). It was incredibly humid and we could see rain in the distance, but no relief for us.



Dinner was same same but different - this time Curry with lady fingers, eggplant and red beet!


BONUS: If you are lucky, you get the chance to witness the incredible skill of the locals to climb up a coconut tree, getting you the freshest coconut you can ever wish for.





 

THINGS TO DO IN AND AROUND TANGALLE

  • Visit the tallest Buddha Statue of Srio Lanks - Wewurukanalla Temple

  • limb 550 stairs to visit the Mulgirigala Rock Temple (great for sunset)

  • Rent a scooter and explore the markets and streets of Tangalle (scooter costs you 2.500 Rand)

  • Enjoy long walks along the endless sandy beaches (a brief selection)

  • Treat yourself with a fresh coconut


OUR ACCOMMODATION


 

Dates travelled: 31.03. - 02.04.2024


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