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Sri Lanka is blessed with some gorgeous towns and beaches, and Mirissa is one of the most popular destinations along Sri Lanka’s Southern Coastline. Mirissa beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in Sri Lanka. With soft white sand, palm trees and safe swimming conditions, it rivals many of the beautiful beaches in Phuket, Thailand.
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Best things to do in Mirissa, Sri Lanka
Mirissa is the perfect mix of gorgeous beaches and relaxed nightlife. Spend your days sipping coconuts on the beach, or hire a scooter and explore the surrounding area. In the evening, enjoy a cocktail at one of the beachside restaurants and dine on fresh fish, which you can select from the display on the shoreline. Read on to see 6 of the best things to see and do in Mirissa…
Looking for another great place on Sri Lanka’s Southern Coast? Make sure you check out the pretty colonial town of Galle Fort.
1. Relax at Mirissa's 'Secret' beach
Slightly away from the main street and Mirissa’s main beach, you will find the ‘Secret’ beach. It’s not so much of a secret anymore, but it is much quieter than the main beach and felt like a little piece of paradise! A rocky outcrop separates the main beach from the small cove of the secret beach. Be careful walking here, especially at high tide when the ocean hides many of the rocks below the water.
2. Soak up the atmosphere at the Main Beach in Mirissa
The main beach in Mirissa stretches the full length of the town and has beach bars and restaurants all along the shoreline. There are also water sports you can do from the beach, or hire sun-loungers, and bask in the sun. The beach itself is so clean and peaceful, it was not overcrowded and we were not bothered by anyone trying to sell us anything.
Make sure you walk to the end of the main beach to Parrot Rock. This rocky outcrop has stunning views out to the ocean, making it one of the best spots in Mirissa.
3. Walk up Coconut Tree hill, one of Mirissa's most popular spots
From Parrot rock, at the end of the main beach, you will see two small coves. On the other side of these two coves is Coconut tree hill, a gorgeous look out spot. Coconut tree hill is a great sot to watch the sun set in Mirissa, just be careful of falling coconuts!
4. Dine at Mirissa's beachfront restaurants
There are many bars and restaurants on Mirissa’s main beach serving lunch, dinner and cocktails. As you would expect, the prices here are slightly more expensive than the bars and restaurants on the main street but the views are worth it.
The main attraction with the restaurants on the beachfront (apart from the ocean view of course!) are the displays of fresh fish. You order which fish you would like directly from the display and it tastes amazing! I would really recommend heading to the beach in the evening at least once. There are many string lights and lanterns which light up the front and it is a really nice spot to listen to the waves crashing the shore as you sip a drink.
5. Go whale watching in Mirissa
Mirissa is known for being a great whale-watching spot and there are several boat trips from here. We unfortunately didn’t go on a trip whilst we were here as we had only two days, however I’d heard great feedback from others. There are plenty of agencies offering trips along the main street, or you can book your whale-watching tour online in advance to secure your spot. Whale-watching season in Mirissa is between November to April / May, after this time the sea is too rough as it heads into the monsoon season on Sri Lanka’s south coast.
6. Explore the nearby towns along Sri Lanka's South coast
Mirissa is perfectly positioned along Sri Lanka’s south coast to explore the surrounding beaches and towns. Popular towns to visit are Welligama (10 minutes) and Dalawella (35 minutes) and if you wanted to go further afield, Unawatuna (40 minutes) and Tangalle (1 hour). Either hire a taxi or rent a scooter for the day and explore. We sadly ran out of time to do this but we wished that we had.
How to get to Mirissa?
The best way to get around in Sri Lanka is by train or taxi. It is very common to hire a private car for the day, or even for the whole trip and taxi’s are quite affordable. To get to Mirissa, the best way is to hire a transfer from Colombo, Galle Fort or Ella. You can either book these through local tour operators, your accommodation or by booking online in advance.
How long do you need in Mirissa?
We only had two days in Mirissa and for the two days we were there we didn’t really do much other than relax and enjoy the beach and bars, which was much needed after all the hiking we had done in Nuwara Eliya and Ella in the days beforehand! The two days we spent in Mirissa were so blissfully relaxing, we wished that we could have stayed longer and hired scooters to explore more of the surrounding areas. I would say that between 2-4 days would be a good amount of time to stay in Mirissa, depending on how much exploring you wanted to do.
Is Mirissa worth visiting?
Mirissa is not a very big place, however, it can be a good place to base yourself to explore Sri Lanka’s Southern coastline. It is also a great place to visit if you just want to have a couple of days relaxing and enjoying the beach and beachside cafes. If laid back vibes are what you are looking for, then Mirissa is definitely for you!
Looking for more inspiration? Read my full two week Sri Lanka itinerary to find out all the best things to see and do in Sri Lanka in just 14 days!
