Things to Do in Mirissa
Mirissa is situated on the coastline of Sri Lanka, and is located at a distance of approximately over 150 kilometres from Colombo. Since it is a coastal town, there are plenty of things to do in Mirissa. If you fancy watching whales and dolphins very close to human habitat, then Mirissa is definitely a destination you should include in your itinerary. As a seafood lover, this place is definitely heaven for you. It is the most famous port situated in the southern coast and offers you the best quality of mullet, snapper, tuna and butterfish.
The best part about Mirissa is that until 1980s, it was almost untouched by tourists. It was only in the mid 90s, then tourists started to explore this offbeat attraction. Today there are plenty of activities for tourists to undertake and in a good budget while in Mirissa. It is actually situated at an elevation of 4 metres above the sea level and has some beautiful opportunities of chilling on uncrowded coast line glistened with beautiful horizon. If you thought beach and sea related attractions is all that Mirissa is famous for, then it’s time to re consider your itinerary.
Mirissa is blessed with a rich culture and has quite an amazing heritage. There are plenty of statues and small museums here which will get you in touch with the intriguing history of southern Sri Lanka. Apart from visiting these famous spots in Mirissa, one can also indulge in activities such as fishing, water sports, sailing and cruising in this beach town. Although, as a foodie you might hardly get the time from exploring the delectable cuisine, you should however fill your itinerary with the most interesting things to do in Mirissa. Spend a relaxing vacation right in the midst of this lovely beach town!
Whale watching spot comes at the top amongst the major attractions in Mirissa. You can find a number of operators around this area offering trips to the Indian Ocean for dolphins, whales, and turtles spotting.
Location: Harbour Road, Mirissa, Sri Lanka.
Timings: Usually, the whale watching tour starts early in the morning around 6-7 AM and lasts for 4-5 hours approximately. The ocean gets rough due to sunlight in the afternoon, hence, it is difficult to spot a whale in the water at this time.
Price: The average cost for whale watching is Rs. 2500 - 3500. However, if you are a group of 4-5 people, you can negotiate the prices to get a better deal.
Best Time to Visit: The best time to spot whale is from December to March as the ocean is not rough during this time.
Distance from Mirissa: This place is located around 15-20 KM away from Mirissa beach.
The secret beach of Mirissa is not a secret anymore as it is easy to reach and well signposted nowadays. It is one of the amazing places to visit in Mirissa for capturing some beautiful moments and epic photographs.
Moreover, most of the beaches in Mirissa are crowded so the secret beach is the perfect place to relax and sit in a peaceful environment.
Location: Secret Beach Mirissa, Mirissa, Sri Lanka
Timings: Open for 24 hours.
Price: The best thing about Mirissa beach is there is no entrance fee for it.
Best Time to Visit: The best time to visit this beach is either early in the morning to relax or in the evening to enjoy an incredible sunset.
Distance from Mirissa: This beach is located at a distance of approximately 1-2 KM from the heart of the Mirissa town. You can reach a secret beach in several ways like you can choose to walk, hire a moped or take a tuk-tuk. However, try to start early if you’re planning to go on a walk, otherwise, it will be 20 minutes of hard work in direct sunlight on a steep pathway.
If you want to enjoy a sunset dinner at a lovely restaurant then do not miss to visit Mirissa Beach. It is one of those attractions in Mirissa where you can find plenty of great restaurants offering a variety of seafood.
Although you will find this beach a little crowded yet, it will give you a very relaxing vibe.
Location: Mirissa, Sri Lanka.
Timings: Open for 24 hours.
Price: Visiting Mirissa beach is free of cost. In fact, you can enjoy the Lion beers on free sunbeds at a very reasonable price.
Best Time to Visit: The beach gets busy from 11 AM so it is recommended to visit this either early in the morning to avoid the crowd or in the evening to enjoy a lovely sunset.
Distance from Mirissa: Once you reach Mirissa from Colombo, you can easily found this exotic beach as it is only a couple of KM away from the Mirissa railway station.
Another one of the amazing places to visit in Mirissa is to climb up the Parrot Rock. This small and easily accessible rock will give you a stunning view of the Mirissa area. This is a place which will take your mind away from work and stress.
It is a very quiet place where you can relax watching surfers in the high tides of water. You can also chill out in the nearby restaurants of this place.
Location: Mirissa, Sri Lanka.
Timings: Open for 24 hours.
Price: You don’t need to pay any price for visiting this place.
Best Time to Visit: You can come early in the morning to enjoy with the low tides and the amazing morning sea breeze. Visiting it in the evening is also a great idea if you want to enjoy wrapping up activities looking at the breathtaking sunset.
Distance from Mirissa: The parrot rock is located to the left side of Mirissa beach. So once you reach Mirissa beach you can easily get on this rock to have an excellent sea view.
One of the unique and unusual places to visit in Mirissa is Coconut Tree Hill. Located at the end of Mirissa beach, this place is completely covered with palm trees.
It is one of those attractions in Mirissa, which are great for taking pictures of all the tall beautiful palms overlooking the ocean. You can also enjoy a well-deserved coconut at this place to add an extra memorable element to your journey.
Location: Mirissa, Sri Lanka.
Timings: Open for 24 hours.
Price: No entry cost.
Best Time to Visit: Being in the proximity of the main beach; it is recommended to reach this place early in the morning or before sunset.
Distance from Mirissa: You can reach this place by taking a short walk from Mirissa beach. It will take 10-15 minutes approximately walking along the beach to reach this beautiful spot.
It is a relatively smaller beach alternative if you want to avoid the crowd. It is quieter, serene and a great place for surfing beginners. At times fishing boats outnumber the tourists, especially in low season.
In addition to being a top surfing destination, this beach is also an excellent place for Instagram lovers. You can also take a few photographs with iconic stilt fishermen, a practice rooted back to World War II.
Location: Weligambay Beach, Mirissa, Sri Lanka.
Best Time to Visit: It is an amazing place to have breakfast or lunch with your friends and family.
Distance from Mirissa: Weligambay beach is located at a distance of 6-7 KM from Mirissa so you can always take a tuk-tuk to your destination. It will not take more than 10-15 minutes.
Mirissa is just a small town of Matara district so without a shred of doubt Matara beach comes amongst the popular beaches of Sri Lanka. You can enjoy long walks by the shore, taking surfing lessons, and beachcombing at this wonderful place.
Furthermore, if you are not into the mood of taking a walk or any surfing lessons, you can simply read your favourite novel gazing at the ocean in between. And post that, you can take a bath in the sea water if the tide is not so strong.
Location: Matara, Sri Lanka.
Best Time to Visit: Just like other beaches; try to get there early in the morning or before sunset as it gets crowded in the afternoon. Moreover, do not visit it on the weekend because being a major town in the country, it can get heavily crowded on weekends.
Distance from Mirissa: Being a major district of Sri Lanka, it is well connected to every major city and town in Sri Lanka. From Mirissa you can take a tuk-tuk which will not take more than 30 minutes to reach this beautiful beach.
If you want to have a great afternoon party with surf vibes then one of the amazing places to see in Mirissa is the doctor's house. It is a 200-year-old Dutch and Ayurvedic hospital which is located at the beautiful beachside village of Madiha.
You can have a delicious breakfast, wood-fired pizzas, snacks, and desserts from midday until 10 PM. This place also offers some of the exciting activities such as Surfing and Snorkeling which will give this place a permanent spot in your memory.
Location: The Doctor's House 87, Beach Road, Madiha, Matara 81000, Sri Lanka
Timings: This place is open from 8 AM to 10 PM.
Best Time to Visit: It is a great place to have breakfast and spend the afternoon so it is suggested to visit this place early in the morning.
Distance from Mirissa: It is situated at a distance of 8-10 KM from Mirissa. You can easily get a tuk-tuk from Mirissa to this place at the cost of 500 LKR approximately.
One of the luxury and romantic places to visit in Mirissa is this two-and-a-half-acre magnificent private island. It is a perfect choice for you if you want to enjoy sightseeing and sounds of Mirissa.
24 hours of room services, spacious living areas, stunning infinity pool, and dedicated staff to cater your every need will make your stay unforgettable. Some of the interesting sites to explore include surfing, diving, adventure sports, and devil dances, etc.
Location: Upper Dickson Rd, Galle 80000, Sri Lanka.
Price: You can book one full villa starting from 1000$ depending upon the crowd and season.
Best Time to Visit: The best time to visit this amazing island is to travel between November to April as this season provides the most dried and long sunny day.
Distance from Mirissa: From Mirissa, it is only at a distance of 8-10 KM so taking a taxi or a tuk-tuk is perhaps the best idea to reach this place.
A small town situated on the south-west coast of Sri Lanka is one of the best places to visit in Mirissa if you are looking for a surfing adventure. You can relax here drinking coconuts and laying on sunbeds.
Location: Matara District, Southern Province, Sri Lanka. This place is about 150 KM away from Colombo.
Timings: Opens for 24 hours.
Price: There are no visiting charges for Midigama Beach.
Best Time to Visit: Early in the morning or before sunset.
Distance from Mirissa: Situated at a distance of about 10 KM, you can take a tuk-tuk to reach this beautiful beach in a short while.
Madiha beach is one of the best surfing places in the Mirissa region. The best thing about this surfing place is that you can enjoy surfing without getting into the long queues. In addition to this, you can also explore a subaquatic paradise and spot some turtles beneath Madiha’s clean water.
Location: Beach Road, Madiha, Matara, Sri Lanka., Matara 81000, Sri Lanka.
Timings: Open 24 hours.
Price: No visiting prices.
Distance from Mirissa: The distance of Madiha beach from Mirissa is around 8-10 KM so booking a taxi or using tuk-tuk will easily make you reach this awesome beach.
Polhena beach is the best place to swim, snorkel, and soaking up the sun. This beach presents a breathtaking view of tourists and their visitors. Polhena beach is also popular as a great honeymoon place because of its classic romantic look and feel.
Another great attraction in the Polhena beach vicinity is the Crow Island. This island is located directly in front of the Polhena beach in Matara.
Location: Polhena beach, Matara, Sri Lanka.
Price: No entry fees.
Timings: Open for 24 hours.
Best Time to Visit: It is recommended to visit this place on weekdays so that you can enjoy this beach in a calm and peaceful manner.
Distance from Mirissa: This place is located at a distance of 10 KM from the heart of Mirissa.
Another one of the beautiful places to visit in Mirissa is to Giragala village which is located in the coastal town of Mirissa. It is an amazing place for travellers seeking charm, peace, comfort, and convenience in Mirissa.
This place has sea overlooking restaurant to have an awesome dining experience and an in-house Spa to rejuvenate your body. Moreover, there are numerous other on-site facilities available here which are specially designed for relaxation and recreation.
Location: Giragala Village, Mirissa 80000, Sri Lanka
Timings: This place is open for 24 hours.
Price: Standard room prices starts with 1500-2000 Rs. depending upon the season and crowd.
Distance from Mirissa: Approximately 500 Meters away from Mirissa beach.
If you are looking for some adventures and exciting activities then jungle playground is the place for you. It is a perfect adventure park to spend time with friends and family. This place offers a unique jungle feel in the heart of Mirissa.
Moreover, it is a perfectly protected place which will give you a pleasant feeling due to its sea proximity location.
Location: Temple Road, Mirissa 81740, Sri Lanka
Price: Starting from 1500 Rs.
Timings: The adventure park is open from 10 AM to 6 PM.
Best Time to Visit: Being an adventure park you can spend your whole day enjoying different-different activities.
Distance from Mirissa: 100 Meters away from Mirissa Beach.
One of the amazing places to see in Mirissa is its district fort. It is an unusual and unique star-shaped fort which attracts a lot of visitors in Matara. This fort is a Dutch fortification of an existing Portuguese garrison and was built around 1640.
Since then, small modifications and renovations have been done to make it more attractive. You can explore this excellent fort on foot or by vehicle.
Location: Matara, Sri Lanka
Price: The great thing about this amazing fort is that there are no entry charges.
Timings: Open for 24 hours.
Best Time to Visit: Try to head towards this beautiful place early in the morning to avoid an extra crowd.
Distance from Mirissa: This fort is located at a distance of around 10 KM from Mirissa.More Mirissa Activities
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Mirissa Things To Do FAQs
What are the activities that can be done in Mirissa?
The activities that can be done in Mirissa are:
- Whale Watching
- Cruise
- Sailing
- Snorkelling
- Scuba Diving
- Fishing
- Chilling by the beach
Which places are best for cruising in Mirissa?
Mirissa has a beautiful southern coast which spreads over the lovely Indian Ocean. It is extremely famous for Whale Watching and luxury cruising. The company which is the most famous for organizing the cruising tours in Blue Water Cruise.
You can check out the list of activities they offer and the cruises that they organize. They take you through the glistening ocean to the best spots for blue whale watching and even for the other water sports.
Where can we go for whale watching in Mirissa?
Mirissa is known for being in the vicinity of spots where plenty of blue whales have inhabited the ocean. Blue Water Tours is the most famous company for organizing the whale watching tours in Mirissa which also organizes whale watching activities.
It is extremely important to go for whale watching with experts as it is a risky activity. But, it is one of the most famous tourist activities carried out in Mirissa. While most tour operators will pick you up from the hotel itself, for some you will need to head to the Mirissa Beach. From here, a lot of tours start for whale watching.
Which are best places for sailing in Mirissa?
Mirissa is a part of the Indian Ocean entirely. Since, it is a small coastal town, there is only one main harbor in Mirissa. Everybody who wishes to undertake Sailing in Mirissa has to start at the harbor. From here, you can go inside the Indian Ocean and enjoy the beautiful waves of the ocean.
Where can we go for snorkeling in Mirissa?
Mirissa is a beautiful coastal town. The most famous tourism activities to undertake here are related to watersports. If you want to enjoy snorkeling, a lot of tour operators start their tours from the main Mirissa Beach and take you to the safe spots in the Indian Ocean where you can spot the beautiful aquatic creatures go about their day.
Where can we go for fishing in Mirissa?
Mirissa has extremely delectable dishes which are made mainly from sea-food. Fishing is quite a common occupation amongst the locals here. To undertake fishing, you can visit the Mirissa Harbor from where you can catch plenty of fish. The guides and locals will also tell you the famous types of fish available in the spots you are visiting for fishing.
Which are best places for scuba diving in Mirissa?
Blue Water Cruise is the most acclaimed tour operator in Mirissa that offers various water sports such as scuba diving. You need to go with experts who know the waters near Mirissa properly so as to avoid any risks.
Most tours begin from the Mirissa beach or the harbor. You can start your journey of scuba diving from here and then head for scuba diving with your trainers.
Where can we go for boating in Mirissa?
Mirissa is famous for its beach and for its harbor. The town is situated in the midst of Indian Ocean and hence offers a lot of opportunities to explore the waters in various ways. One of the safest activities to do in Mirissa is boating. You can enjoy boating at the Mirissa Harbor
Which are some best beaches in Mirissa for water sports?
Mirissa is an extremely small coastal town. There is only one main beach in Mirissa which hosts water sports. With white pristine sands and clean waters, this is the best place to head to for undertaking water sports. The name of this beach is the Mirissa Beach and you can visit this place to enjoy water sports in the southernmost coastal town of Sri-Lanka.
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