Tangalle

Why Visit

A quieter stretch of the south coast with a mix of long sandy beaches and rocky coves, within reach of nesting-turtle beaches and Sri Lanka's southernmost point.

A former Dutch trading post on Sri Lanka's deep south coast, where sandy beaches give way to rocky headlands and a more low-key, spread-out resort scene than the busier south coast towns closer to Galle.

History

Tangalle developed as a minor Dutch-era trading post and harbour, and its clock tower and war memorial on the town's rocky headland reflect its later use as a British colonial administrative outpost. It never grew into a major port city on the scale of Galle or Colombo, staying instead a small fishing town for most of its history. Its wider stretch of coastline — a mix of sandy beaches and rocky bays such as Rekawa, known for nesting sea turtles, and Hummanaya, a blowhole further along the coast — has drawn increasing numbers of visitors in recent decades, without altering the town's own low-key, spread-out character.