Ahungalla

A quiet stretch of golden west-coast sand.

What makes Ahungalla.

Ahungalla is a calm, low-key beach village between Bentota and Hikkaduwa, known for a wide golden beach, glorious sunsets and a cluster of upscale resorts away from the busier strips. It trades nightlife for tranquillity, and is best known for the landmark Heritance Ahungalla, one of Geoffrey Bawa's pioneering resort hotels. A turtle conservation hatchery sits on the coast nearby, while the Madu Ganga river — a Ramsar wetland of mangrove islands, cinnamon gardens and a tiny island temple — is an easy boat-safari excursion just down the road at Balapitiya. It makes a peaceful, scenic base for the southern west coast.

A quiet stretch of golden west-coast sand.

November – April (south-west dry season)Best time
6Spots to see
~120KVisitors / year

What to see

Where to explore in Ahungalla.

The landmarks and corners worth carving out time for. Each one a reason this place earns its place on the route.

01
Ahungalla Beach
A wide, quiet golden beach famed for its west-coast sunsets.
02
Madu Ganga river safari
A boat trip through the river's mangrove islands and cinnamon gardens nearby.
03
Turtle hatchery
A coastal conservation project caring for and releasing sea turtles.
04
Kothduwa island temple
A small island monastery in the Madu Ganga, reached by boat through the mangroves.
05
Cinnamon island
A river islet where families still peel and process cinnamon by hand for visitors.
06
Heritance Ahungalla
A landmark Geoffrey Bawa-designed resort, an icon of tropical-modernist hospitality.