Unawatuna is one of the biggest tourist destinations in Sri Lanka and is the most “famous” beach in the country. It is a lovely banana-shaped beach of golden sand and turquoise water, surrounded by green palm trees! It was the first beach we visited in Sri Lanka. We chose not to stay at one of the fancy and expensive hotels along the beach of Unawatuna, but a few kilometers away at a guesthouse. We walked to the Unawatuna Beach on two separate day trips.The beach is popular with tourists, and part of the beach is occupied with sunbeds for rent. In the afternoons, Sri Lankan families come to the beach to enjoy some swimming in the sun.
At the west end of the beach, there are some rocks and stairs that lead up to a small hill with a pagoda and a big Buddha statue. It’s a nice little walk with a beautiful view overlooking the beach. Unfortunately, Unawatuna is not all paradise. The place was devastated by the tsunami in 2004, and the rebuilding was done in a hurry and many of the owners rebuilt their hotels and restaurants on the actual sand. The result is that half the beach is gone, and there is actually not that much sand left to play on. It´s a shame.