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 fans of extreme water sports. A small village where local fishermen live, squeezed between Veligama and Matara. Today Mirissa is considered one of the best holiday destinations in Sri Lanka.
General information
On the map of Sri Lanka, Mirissa is located in the south-western part. Just 10 km from the village is a large settlement – Matara, the distance to the country’s largest international airport is 160 km. First of all, this resort in Sri Lanka is known for its sandy beach, framed by spreading palm trees.
Mirissa is a port and there is a catch of different types of fish on a fairly large scale.
Tourist infrastructure began to develop here in the 1980s, when the first hotel opened in the village. Here everything is focused on the tourist, but, given the geographical location of the village, recreation here has its own nuances:
- there are practically no attractions and entertainment, so fans of active recreation will get bored in Mirissa after a week;
- people come here to enjoy the silence and beauty of nature, this is facilitated by comfortable weather;
- there are no large shops or banks in the village, they are located in Matara and Galle, and basic necessities can be purchased at the market;
On the coast there are many restaurants for every taste and budget. Tourists are served traditional island dishes, as well as European cuisine.
Interesting! The resort in Sri Lanka falls asleep early enough, by 22-00 all cafes on the beach are closed. You can have fun until the morning on Friday, in the evening there is a party right on the beach.
Mirissa Beaches
The picturesque coast of Mirissa and the warm weather are conducive to passive recreation, unity with nature, but tourists doing yoga here is also not uncommon. Restaurants and hotels are located along the entire length of the coastline. The main attraction of Sri Lanka in general and villages in particular-beaches. Many of them rightfully deserve the title of “bounty”.
Useful information! On the main beach of Mirissa, there are almost all strong waves, but to the east (in the direction of Matara) there are bays where it is calm and quiet. Nearby is Weligama Beach, which is considered the best for surfing. Board rental – $ 6-8 per day.
Mirissa Beach
The longest beach of Mirissa passes to the right of the Parrot Rock. The beach 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. There is a well-developed infrastructure: there is a shower, sun beds and umbrellas, many cafes, surfboard rental points. The entrance to the water is gentle, however, you can not always safely swim because of the powerful waves.
Interesting fact! Not far from 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-the tables are set right on the beach, so you can have lunch or dinner while admiring the scenery and enjoying the sound of the surf.
On the eastern side of the beach is the picturesque “Coconut Hill” – a place with the most beautiful view of Mirissa. In the evening, many people gather here to watch the sunset. If you want to take colorful photos without people, come to the hill at dawn.
Secret Beach
Another beautiful Mirissa beach in Sri Lanka is Secret Beach. It is located just behind Mirissa Beach, small.
The beach is covered with medium-sized light sand with an admixture of shells, there is garbage. The width of the coastline varies from 5 to 10 meters. Sun loungers and umbrellas can be rented on site. The beach is surrounded by reefs and boulders, so the waves are smaller, but swimming is not so convenient. As a rule, people come here for beautiful photos.
Although the beach is “secret”, you can get to it by following the signs. Walking is inconvenient, it is better to rent a tuk-tuk or bike. Sometimes on the top of the Buddha you can meet an enterprising Sri Lankan who will argue that you can not drive to the beach and demand a parking fee. But this is not so, there is a passage and Parking is free.
Useful information! Large turtles swim to the coast of Mirissa near a Secret beach. They can be viewed for free and even petted or fed.
Entertainments
Considering that Mirissa is a small village, there are not many attractions here. To visit interesting historical and architectural sites, you need to go to the neighboring regions of Sri Lanka. To do this, you can purchase a tour ticket. But if you want to experience the local flavor, take public transport, in particular, buses. So for a little more than an hour you can drive to the large city of Halle with an old Dutch fort.
Mirissa’s main attractions:
- surfing;
- diving;
- excursions to blue whales.
What to see
Rock “Parrot”
Parrot Rock separates the main beach from other recreational areas. It is a small, rocky island located close to the coast. You can reach the cliff by using an old staircase, but the steps on it are quite fragile, so you need to be careful. On the island there is a viewing platform.
It is important! A large number of sharp sea urchins gather around the rock.
Whale watching excursions
Every day, around 7 am, excursion boats depart from Mirissa Pier, 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 the whole day. Of course, no one can guarantee that a meeting with whales will happen, especially if the tour is held in the off-season.
On a note! The best time to meet whales is from December to April.
Extreme water sports
Surfing
The main spot on Mirissa is located on the central beach – Mirissa Beach. Beginners try their hand at smaller spots located near Parrot Rock.
The best time and weather for sports activities is from November to April. An individual lesson with an instructor costs from $ 13 to $ 20, equipment rental costs $ 1.5 per hour or about$ 6-8 for the whole day.
Please note! The most famous surf school where you can find a Russian — speaking coach is Surf School with Ruwan. It is better to arrange lessons directly on the beach.
Read more about surfing in Sri Lanka here.
Diving and snorkeling
For sophisticated travelers, diving and snorkeling on Mirissa will not be an entertaining entertainment. This is due to the fact that the main beach of Mirissa is constantly raging waves. It is better to dive behind a rocky island – there is a fenced-off area on the left, 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, a single temple has been built, and a Buddhist chapel is located on a hill. Admission for tourists is free, but if you wish, you can leave a donation.
Local life is concentrated on the main street-the embankment. There are grocery and souvenir shops, fruit shops.
Useful to know! On Matara Road, which is located above, you can find affordable housing (guesthouses), a spa center and a bank branch. However, it is stuffy, quite noisy, and the weather is too hot, so vacationers prefer to settle near the beaches.
Prices for accommodation and meals
In general, a holiday in Mirissa turns out to be quite budget-friendly. Off-season rentals are available for$8-9. A room for two people costs$12-15. 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 personal toilet and shower.
Housing of the average price range in the resort will cost $ 30-50. For this amount, you can rent a three-star hotel room.
A room in four-and five-star hotels with a swimming pool, breakfast and good reviews costs from $ 80 per night.
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 will have to pay one and a half times more expensive. Installation of air conditioners in budget rooms is also not practiced, fans are more common.
Tuk-tuker services
All tourists are met at the station by tuk-tukers who are ready to offer their services in finding a hotel. However, in a resort like Mirissa, tuk-tuker services are not required. All hotels are located compactly and you can get around them in 10 minutes. If at the end of the trip the driver is required to pay an amount that is much higher than the amount announced at the beginning, then stand your ground.
A tip! In order not to waste time searching for a hotel, book a room in advance.
Features of national cuisine, prices
In general, the resort’s cuisine is no different from traditional Sri Lankan cuisine. 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 prepared on the beach or go to a restaurant.
Keep in mind! Dorado fish will cost $ 6-7, and rice, potatoes, and lettuce are served as a side dish. Seafood costs from $ 5. They are also served with a side dish of rice or salad.
Prices in cafes and restaurants
Mirissa has many restaurants of different price ranges located on the beach and on Matara Road. Here you can taste local dishes and traditional European dishes. A separate menu for vegetarians is presented.
As a rule, lunch for two costs$9-15. Alcohol prices are high — for 2 glasses of beer you will have to pay the same amount. 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 sell light snacks, cigarettes, and fresh vegetables and fruits. It is impossible to buy alcohol in retail outlets, and you will have to buy drinks in a restaurant.
Cheap cafes-lunch together costs up to$10:
- Dewmini Roti Shop;
- Dhana’s Curry Pot;
- Cosmic Power Woody Cottage.
Mid-level restaurants – it will cost$13-20 to eat together:
- Petti Petti Mirissa;
- 101 Restaurant;
- Hangover Cafe;
- O Mirissa Cafe & Bistro;
- DelTano’s Wood Fired Pizza & Pasta.
Expensive restaurants – the average receipt varies from$20 to $ 30:
- Kama Mirissa;
- Bay Moon restaurant;
- Palm Villa;
- Zephyr Restaurant & Bar.
Weather and climate, when is the best time to go
The weather in Mirissa (Sri Lanka)is always warm, but not always sunny, it is not cold here. The average annual temperature is approximately +28 degrees. You should not go to Mirissa during the rainy season, which begins in early summer and ends closer to October.
Useful to know! The best time to visit the resort is the second half of winter, the beginning of spring. At this time, the weather offers a comfortable rest, which will not be overshadowed by rain.
Mirissa in the summer
At this time of year, Mirissa has hot weather and a constant temperature of +30 °C, while the night temperature drops to +26 °C. As a rule, a hurricane-force wind blows in summer, the water warms up to +28 °C, however, swimming is problematic due to large waves. The most rainy weather is in August, the resort is literally flooded with water. In the first half of summer, it rains less than in August, but they can also cause discomfort.
Mirissa in autumn
In general, the autumn weather is no different from the weather in August. The weather is overcast, but warm — +30 °C. The tourist season starts in the second half of November.
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 almost 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 almost no precipitation, however, in the first half of May, the sky is often overcast, and closer to June, it rains.
How to get there from Colombo
Most likely, a foreigner will have to get to Mirissa from the main international airport – Bandanarayke, which is located in the suburbs of the state’s largest city — Colombo.
By plane.
There are flights to Colombo from the Russian capital and other major cities, but you will have to make a transfer.
Getting from the airport to Colombo is very easy:
- order a taxi – about $20-25;
- rent a tuk-tuk directly from Colombo Airport.
Useful information! With tuk-tukers, you can safely bargain, in this case, the cost of the trip will cost several times cheaper than a taxi ride.
There is a bus station to the left of the airport building (approximately 150 meters away). From here, bus number 187 runs every 30-60 minutes to Colombo Railway Station. The cost of the trip will cost $ 1, the same amount will have to be paid for luggage.
There are several ways to reach Mirissa from Colombo.
By train
The railway connection in Sri Lanka is well developed. The southern branch of the railway runs along the coast, 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 lack of comfort on trains from Colombo to Matara. The cars are old and often have no doors.
The train departs three times a day:
- 06-55;
- 14-25;
- 18-05 – this train departs on weekdays.
It takes 3 to 4 hours by express from Colombo to Mirissa. Ticket price:
- $ 0.8 (3rd grade);
- $ 1.3 (2nd class);
- $ 2.6 (1st class).
Tickets are purchased directly at the ticket office of the train station on the day of the trip or booked in advance on the website www.railway.gov.lk. The schedule may also change, so check it out on the official website of the Sri Lanka railway.
By bus
The bus station is close to the railway station in Colombo. From here, there are regular flights to Matara via Mirissa.
Every bus from Colombo to Matara is guaranteed to take you to Mirissa. Flights run every 1.5-2 hours. Compact and large buses depart. The most modern and comfortable ones are small, these are commercial flights, the ticket will cost about$3. A ticket for large buses costs $ 1.6. Travel time is 4.5-5 hours.
You can also take the express train to Matara via the expressway in 2.5 hours and Rs 530 from Pettah Bus Station. Then you can get to Mirissa by taxi or tuk-tuk.
By taxi
Fans of comfort can order a taxi from the airport to Mirissa. You can do this in advance, online, or in the airport building after arriving in Sri Lanka.
The first option is more preferable, since in the second case you will have to withstand the onslaught of a crowd of tourists. On average, the cost of a trip will be from $ 80 to $ 120. Travel time is 3.5-4 hours.
Resume
Many vacationers find themselves passing through Mirissa (Sri Lanka) and spend one day here. Some just travel along the coast in search of the best beach, and someone settled in a nearby resort and came here on a tour. What to do on this one day?
- Meet the dawn on the hill located in the eastern part of Mirissa.
- At 7: 00, go on a whale watching excursion or go to the beach and find the best place to relax.
- Enjoy breakfast on the beach with a local cafe.
- Sunbathe until 11: 00, then the sun’s rays are so hot that you will have to hide in the shade of palm trees, in a cafe, have lunch. Sports enthusiasts can also go diving.
- Climb Parrott Rock and enjoy the scenery.
- Take a walk to the eastern part of the beach, swim, sunbathe, surf.
- Have dinner by 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 definitely want to spend more time here.
