Tangalle - A Place Very Close To My Heart
Why You Should Visit Tangalle, Sri Lanka
20 July 2019
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After was wondering around Sri Lanka for 19 days I was exhausted. I was in Ella and desperately finding a place to crash and relax on this island. And I came to know about Tangalle from a fellow traveler.
The beach seems nice and I decided to spend my last few days there.
And why this place is so close to my heart??
I met two amazing women in Tangalle whom I'm sure I can call friends and travel buddies.
Tangalle was a quieter beach than to Mirissa and more chilled out. So it was perfect for me to end my journey here in peace and relaxing my body and most important my legs.
My legs were continuously telling me to take rest after hiking to Sigiriya, Horton plains, Ella Rock. :P
I took the direct bus from Ella, took around 4.5 hrs to reach Tangalle. The bus was moderately crowded like any other buses in Sri Lanka. I was standing for almost 2 hrs on the bus. (Being an Indian, it wasn't a problem for me, used to this kind of experience).
Know more about How To Reach To Tangalle
It was 6 when I reached Tangalle and straight headed to the beach. The beach was clean, calm and the sound of waves was just perfect for that moment.
The bach was super quite. Not many people were around. The place has its own beauty as it is not covered by tourists.
I met Maria, from Germany when I was roaming around the markets. She was also traveling solo for 2 weeks on the island.
She was charming,
energetic and full of stories. She was overwhelmed when she came to know that I'm from Kolkata, India.
That was one of her favorite places and within a moment we became buddies. And for a few days, we did nothing but to chill out and the beach and eating perfect meals.
We met Fariha, from Bangladesh an amazing photographer, pure soul and coolest person I met while traveling. Me and Fariha a lot alike, share the same interests and of course we share the same native language Bengali.
But I had only one night to catch up with her, but it was awesome and one of my best memories from Sri Lanka Trip.
There are quite a few beach pubs and shacks aligned in. The prices are higher than the normal for a beer. Like a 500 ml can of Lion beer is LKR 300.
But in normal liquor shop that is LKR 120. I decided to buy from the liquor shop near Tangalle bus stand.
There are lots of homestays and resorts near to the beach. I stayed at Tereza Plam Lodge it was a quite new setup then and near to the beach. The owner is very helpful and friendly. As I was staying for long he gave me a good discount.
My room was big and spacious with a nice bathroom and hot shower too!!
Know more about Where To Stay In Tangalle
When it comes to food, Sri Lanka won't disappoint you. We (Me & Maria) both had our best Sri Lankan food from Sinethi Homestay.
All fresh home-cooked rice and curry fueled up our hungry tummies all the time. Dashika owner of the homestay is kind enough to offer us free ice creams.
I surely recommend Sinethi Homestay.
The local people in Tangalle were the nicest people we came across in the whole of Sri Lanka. It honestly felt like I had arrived in another land. Every single soul I came across waved hello and greeted.
I can not explain how friendly they are, the People of Tangalle.
Along with traditional rice and curry, we had different flavors of Sri Lankan pancakes for breakfast.
I have a sweet tooth so I loved those.
You can also get many food shops around the market area near the bus station.
I also had fried prawns from the street.
Just one word Delicious!!
There are many beaches in Tangalle. But I stayed in Medaketiya area and there was hardly anyone on this beach.
It was absolutely beautiful, a beach with white sand, crystal clear, turquoise waters and palm trees everywhere. It was without a doubt one of my favorite beaches I saw in the whole of Sri Lanka.
Why You Should Visit Tangalle?
I would truly recommend Tangalle if you like a peaceful quiet beach. Its is not a party place.
If you want to get away from the crowds and still have a mix of authentic Sri Lankan culture and a holiday vibe Tangalle is the place for you.
Go to Silent Beach for a photoshoot or drone shots. It was just perfect. It was easily one of the best I saw in Sri Lanka.
Tangalle is cheap in terms of both food & lodging.
There was a yoga place in Medaketiya on the beach with two sessions a day. So if you are into Yoga you can explore.
Other Places To Visit
You can also explore Rekawa which was just approx 25 minutes out of the city, known for turtles hatch their eggs at night time. Turtles come back to where they were born to lay their eggs before leaving their babies to return into the ocean.
The Rewaka Lagoon is good for Kayaking and Canoeing and is full of birds and fishes and you could occasionally spot a water monitor.
If you got time and energy visit Kalametiya Bird Sanctuary - one of the oldest and main bird sanctuary in Sri Lanka. There are over 150 species of birds in this sanctuary including 54 migratory birds.
How To Reach
There are buses directly from Colombo, Galle, Matara, Ella. Bus routes are good. But they are crowdy if you are getting up from the in-between station.
You can also hire a cab from Ella which will take approx $50.
Where To Stay
I checked out a few places in Tangalle to stay. You can also check
Randu Homestay and Restaurant (Maria Stayed there)
Most of these lovely photos are taken by Fariha
P.S:
Please do not use animals for your fun. Your awesome vacation may be their nightmare. We do not encourage animal rides or any activities related to animal cruelty or abuse. We are highly against them.
Please be respectful to nature and the people, be empathetic & sensitive, travel responsibly and do not litter. And most importantly, keep exploring...!!!