Bentota

Hikkaduwa is located approximately 98 kilometers south of Colombo and 17 kilometers northwest of Galle. The town is known for its coral reef in Sri Lanka's first marine protected area, for sea turtles near the beach, and for surf waves during the season.The fringing reef of Hikkaduwa National Park lies at a depth of about five meters and comprises around 70 coral species. Since 2023, a reef restoration program has been underway under the wildlife protection authority; touching corals is strictly forbidden. Green sea turtles and Hawksbill sea turtles graze on the reef year-round.The beach stretches for several kilometers. At the northern end is Turtle Beach, with Narigama to the south, where bars and guesthouses are abundant. North of the town, in Peraliya and Telwatta, memorials commemorate the 2004 tsunami.

Galle is the main city on the south coast, approximately 1.5 to 2 hours away from Colombo via the expressway. Its heart is the Fort, an old town enclosed by ramparts, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988 as the "Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications".The Portuguese established a first fortification here in the 16th century, which the Dutch expanded from 1649 onwards; the sea wall was completed in 1729. The Fort covers around 52 hectares with 14 bastions, churches, a mosque, and colonial houses, which today host cafés, boutiques, and restaurants. The walls largely withstood the 2004 tsunami, which damaged parts of the modern city.Outside the ramparts lies the new town with its train station and central bus terminal, both within walking distance of the Fort. Most visitors stay and dine within the walls, for example, around Church Street and Pedlar Street.

Mount Lavinia is the coastal suburb south of Colombo, about 14 kilometers from Colombo Fort railway station. Its beach and the historic Mount Lavinia Hotel make it a popular destination for an afternoon by the sea or a sunset dinner.The town borders the urban area of Colombo beyond the Dehiwala Canal, and the coastal railway line towards Matara runs directly along the beach. A legend links its name to Governor Thomas Maitland and the dancer Lovina, though it is not historically proven.

Unawatuna is a seaside resort on a curving bay about five kilometers southeast of Galle and around 108 kilometers south of Colombo. Due to its proximity to the Fort and the coral reefs off the coast, it is one of the most visited beaches on the south coast.In front of the beach lie reefs and shipwrecks, home to fish and turtles. West of the bay rises the forested hill Rumassala, with the hidden Jungle Beach and the Japanese Peace Pagoda. The 2004 tsunami destroyed many beach restaurants; the development along the beach has since been rebuilt.Life unfolds along the beachfront promenade and in the alleys behind it; quieter accommodations are located towards Dalawella in the east.

Sinharaja is Sri Lanka's most famous lowland rainforest, located in the hinterland of the south coast, approximately 120 kilometers southeast of Colombo. Since 1988, the area has been protected as a UNESCO Natural Heritage site and is a destination for birdwatchers and nature hikes.Over 60 percent of the trees are endemic, and 19 of Sri Lanka's 20 endemic bird species are found here. The wildlife also includes leopards and the endemic White-bearded langur. The protected area extends across the districts of Ratnapura, Galle, and Kalutara and is also a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.Visitors enter the forest through several access points. The most frequently used is the North Entrance near Kudawa, with the Kudawa Conservation Centre; from the south coast, the Southeast Entrance near Deniyaya and Mederipitiya is closer.