With its name translating as “sandy village”, Weligama is a seaside town on the southern coast of Sri Lanka. In addition to being a popular resort, it has been renowned for its bobbin lace-making since the 16th century. Weligama is also famed for its stilt fishermen who cast their lines from cross-bar platforms erected offshore.
Things to do in Weligama
Spend your days swimming and sunbathing at Weligama Beach or learn to surf with one of the local surf schools. If you prefer to venture below the water’s surface, you can explore the nearby coral reefs with the Weligama Bay Dive Centre. The shallow waters of Mirissa Point are perfect for beginners while Yala Rock is home to fish-filled caves.
Don’t miss the three-metre-tall Kushtarajagala Statue, which has been carved into the face of a boulder in Weligama’s west. While some historians believe it depicts a Bodhisattva, others say it is a foreign king who suffered from a skin disease. After being cured by a local doctor, a statue was built in his honour and the site is now a place of worship for relief from diseases.
Weligama is a convenient base for visiting the Handunugoda Tea Estate, which grows a variety of different teas as well as cinnamon, coconut and rubber. It is famed for its cultivation of antioxidant-filled Ceylon white tea, considered one of the healthiest teas in the world. In addition to watching the leaves being harvested, you can sip on small-batch teas overlooking the estate.
Getting around Weligama
Weligama is around 35 minutes’ drive from Galle and two hours from Colombo. Bandaranaike International Airport is 2.5 hours away and has flights to destinations across the globe. Regular trains connect from Colombo to the Weligama railway station and rickshaws are readily available for getting around.