Are you looking for the top things to do in Mirissa? Mirissa on the south coast of Sri Lanka is an area of incredible beauty and is a popular place for beach goers because of it’s pristine sand and water. There is also plenty to do here if you happen to spend a few days. In this post, I’ll just highlight a few of the many things you can add to your travel itinerary in Mirissa, Sri Lanka.
How to Get to Mirissa
Mirissa is not very far from the capital of Sri Lanka, Colombo and thus is one of the more popular beaches in the country. To get here from Colombo, you can take one of many busses that head direct to Mirissa or ask the driver to drop you off in Mirissa if it a bus heading to Matara or Tangalle. These buses should take no more than a few hours.
Alternatively, you can take a train from Colombo Fort to Mirissa. The train station in Mirissa though is a bit out of town, so keep that in mind. The train trip is around 3.5 hours for the express train and costs about the same as the bus.
If neither of these options suit you, you can also just take a taxi from Colombo to Mirissa, however, this is much more expensive. It is the fastest way to get there though if you are in a time crunch.
Top Things to do in Mirissa
1. Parrot Rock Mirissa
The first top thing to do in Mirissa is to go to Parrot Rock. When you arrive at the main beach in Mirissa, this rock is hard to miss. It juts out from the beach and requires a small climb.
When I visited Mirissa, the pathway up this rock was not well maintained and looked quite slippery at spots. So be advised that when visiting this rock, that conditions may not be the best.
The reason this rock is so popular though, is because it’s a great place for photos and for getting a perspective of Mirissa Beach from the ocean. If you are an instagrammer, it’s the perfect place for a photo to add to your collection. It’s also a great place for sunset and gets quite busy around that time.
Bear in mind, that during high tide, you may need to walk through knee deep water to reach the rock. During low tide though, you can just walk out here on the sand.
2. Go Whale Watching
The 2nd Top thing to do in Mirissia is go Whale Watching. During certain seasons, whale watching in Mirissa is a very popular activity. The best season to spot the whales in during November to April. This is typically when the waters are the most calm as well.
The most common spotting are Blue Whales who come to this area because the waters are rich in plankton. Whale sharks and other types of whales can be seen too, but not as often.
As Mirissa is so popular for whale watching, it is important to choose boat operators who observe safe practices when going whale watching. There are quite a few operators that don’t, which is a sad reality in the business of whale watching.
I chose to go with an operator I had read a lot of positive reviews about, and that was Raja and the Whales. They are a family run business and adhere to international whale watching regulations.
On the tour that I took with them, we saw blue whales, turtles, manta rays and pods of dolphins.
They found these though, by using safe techniques and never getting too close to the animals. The boat also wasn’t packed full of people and they gave snacks along the way.
I highly recommend them for your whale watching in Mirissa, even though they may be a bit more expensive than the cheaper alternatives.
3. Coconut Tree Hill
The 3rd Top Thing to do in Mirissa is to visit Coconut Tree Hill. In recent years, this spot has become instagram famous. It’s probably because this hill is covered with palm trees and has beautiful views of the beach.
It’s easy to get to, and pretty hard to miss. As you are at Mirissa Beach, just look to your left as you are facing the water and you will the see the hill with all the palm trees out in the distance.
To get here, just walk along the beach until you reach the hill. Alternatively, you can walk east from the town along the road for around 10 minutes and then turn right when you see the top of a white temple. Walk past a school and a temple and you should be able to find the path to the hill. If you get lost, you can ask around and most locals should know what you are talking about.
Alternatively, you can ask a tuk tuk in Mirissa to take you to where the path begins for the hill as well.
Keep in mind, that this place is getting more and more popular, so its best to get here early if you want the place to yourself.
4. Watch Sunset from the Beach
The 4th Top Thing to do in Mirissa is to watch the Sunset from the Beach. Mirissa is a great beach for watching sunsets, so I highly recommend to spend your evenings watching the sunset. The direction is perfect for watching the sun go below the horizon and light up the sky with hues of red and pink.
There are many restaurants and cafes along parts of the beach too which are perfect for enjoying an early drink or meal and watching the sunset.
Planning Your Trip
1. Where to Stay in Mirissa
Mirissa has no shortage of places to stay. From hostels, to home stays to upscale hotels, you can find them all here. I’ll give you my recommendation on where I stayed, and if you want to do your own search of accommodations in Mirissa, feel free to use our search box below with Booking.com
*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links through booking.com and klook.com, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.
Banana Garden – This is where I stayed and it was fantastic! Located within walking distance of the beach, great air con, and a fantastic breakfast it was the perfect place to stay for a few nights. The staff are friendly and accommodating and can help with other things you may want to do in Mirissa during your stay.
Booking.com2. Tours / Activities / Things to Do
If you are interested in Tours / Experiences / and other things to do in Mirissa, check out what on offer through Klook.com below:
Well, we hope this short guide on things to do in Mirissa was helpful. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to let us know below! Thanks and happy travels.
