Tourist Places To Visit In Mirissa

Located 4 m above the sea level, about 240 km from Colombo is Mirissa, a small but developing beach in Sri Lanka. At Mirissa, one’s dream of lazying around in a hammock, drinking fresh coconut water with the mild beachy breeze rocking the hammock gently can be a reality for avid beach lovers, surfers and water sports enthusiasts. With a myriad of quaint cafes along the coastline, there are also modern resorts that encompass the beach, making the beach a popular tourist spot, with its vibrant nightlife, massive fishing port, and different activities to indulge in. Here are the tourist places to visit in Mirissa.

Known as Giragala in Sinhala by locals, one of the best spots of the Mirissa beach is the Parrot Rock, a little mound overlooking the beach, from where you can enjoy the rising sun or the setting sun and cherish the most beautiful views atop the cliff. The name of this lovely tourist spot is inspired by its shape which is about 50 ft tall. A small island along the Mirissa Beach, Parrot Rock is fairly easy to access and offers a gorgeous view of the beach with a tranquil ambiance leaving you stress and worry-free.

The small island view spot is connected to the beach directly which gives you the benefit of walking up the stairs, however during the high tides, the path gets submerged in knee-high waters. You can enjoy the best view during early morning hours with low tides and beautiful morning breeze.

Sri Sunandarama Temple in Mirissa is one of the most sacred spots in town. A temple with a spellbinding collection of traditional masks, this Buddhist temple witnesses masked dancers putting different, vibrant and inspired acts in honor of the presiding deity during festivals and special occasions. The temple complex is adorned with colorful paintings.

Experience beach hopping on a Scooty or tuk-tuks and explore some of the best coastlines of Sri Lanka. The breezy ride is not only exciting, but the views on the way are absolutely gorgeous! You will witness some amazing and scenic views along the beautiful beaches. Other than the most obvious and popular choice of Mirissa Beach, some other beaches to explore include the Weligama Beach which is about 20 minutes from Mirissa and close to the town center with hoards of shopping & eating options. The beach is long & wide and you’ll get to see the local fishermen going about their chores in the morning.

Then there’s Turtle Bay which is a small stretch that you can reach after climbing a hump. It is a quiet and somewhat isolated place, with snorkeling options at the bay, right off the beach with some makeshift beach chairs, a beach bar and some shades.

Coconut Beach is one of the ‘pristine’ beaches with high waves, very inviting for surfers. You’ll get to see the stilt fishermen during the early morning or late afternoon going about their business.

The Midigama East is a long, white stretch of sand and turquoise waters, a bit remote and accessible only via a slim trail, hidden behind some guesthouses and greenery, with calm tides making it easy for you to float or swim.

One of the best places to visit for a serene and peaceful getaway is just past the Mirissa Beach, amidst the Palm Trees Forest which is about half hour away from the main beach. The hill has an enthralling line-up of coconut & palm trees that form a captivating view, but beware of falling coconuts that can do some serious damage! The place is beautiful to visit with clear blue skies, especially in the peak season.  

There are two ways to reach the Palm Grove, one is to walk along the main road out of Mirissa town, up until the Maison D’hotes Sanda Beach, and on the right, there will be a path which would lead you to a gate, behind which there’s a direct walk to the trees. The other way is to walk from the Mirissa Beach along the seaside and past the parrot rock, till you reach the grove.

People visiting the hill love taking a swim in the sea from the nearby beach, which is also laden with sea turtles. You can hire a catamaran fishing boat to sail into the sea for snorkeling.

A 200-year-old and former Dutch (Ayurvedic) Hospital which has now been transformed into a restaurant, the Doctors House isn’t your typical indoor or beach bar. Its well-preserved walls remain un-plastered with a thin layer of paint and is run by a couple of Australian guys. A lovely place to enjoy surf vibes, a fancy garden, live music and an assortment of delicious food including wood-fired pizzas, cocktails, snacks, beers and desserts, the Doctors House will be an afternoon to remember for long.

It’s quite easy to mistake Fish Point to be an ordinary shop for selling fresh seafood. However, this sea-facing eatery offers seafood by weight, allowing its visitors to choose fish of their choice from the counter at the entrance and ask for it to be cooked the way they'd like – steamed, grilled or fried. With an assortment of a fresh, flavored and delicious platter of seafood and a couple of local beers to quench your thirst, Fish Point will not disappoint you.

If you’d like to explore neighboring areas around Mirissa, then visit the Elephant Transit Home near Udawalawe, which is a sanctuary for orphan baby elephants and elephants who’ve been hurt or rescued. Here the elephants are free to roam without any restrictions or bondage and human contact’s kept to a bare minimum to maximize their chances of survival when they head back to their wild habitats. So far, the transit home has cared for, nurtured back to health and returned back to the National Parks, nearly 110 elephants.

The best time to visit the Elephant Transit Home is between 3-6pm during which visitors can quietly observe the baby elephants being fed and wandering around the watering hole.

One of the most charismatic and well-preserved Dutch colonial town that was built by the Portugues in the 16^th century is Galle, which blends in complete tandem with the architecture, culture, religion and cuisine! Labeled a world heritage site by UNESCO, Galle is resplendent with glorious South Asian traditions and European architecture and would be lovely for a day trip.