Offbeat beach locale: Talalla, Sri Lanka

If you’re looking for an offbeat beach along the south coast of Sri Lanka then Talalla beach is the place to travel. It is located around 15 km from the district headquarters of Matara in the southern province of Sri Lanka. Talalla is one of those beaches which less than 15% of travellers visit all year round. 

The best way to reach Talalla is to take a bus to Matara and then a connecting bus to Talalla highway. From the highway, you can either walk to your accommodation or hire a Tuktuk. This is the most economical way to reach. 

While travelling to Talalla it’s important to note that there are no ATMs or money exchange centers, so the town of Matara is the last point where you can exchange money. If you still fall short of money then going to one of the fancy hotels near the beach is your best bet to get some money exchanged.  

Talalla

At first glimpse, you’ll feel that Talalla beach has nothing to offer other than a few fishing trawlers which are always parked on the beach. But as you start exploring the village and its beach you’ll come to understand that the place has plenty to offer. 

A must do is to go into the water for a swim and ride some waves if you are a surfing expert. If you’re not then enter the water for some body surfing.  The sand is so soft that while your walking you’ll feel your feet sink into the sand, the water is turquoise in colour and pretty much see-through. You can spend hours playing in the water without realising that time has already flown.  

One more thing worth doing at Talalla is spending time on the beach just observing things around you.  Unlike other more crowded beaches like Mirissa and Hikkaduwa, there is barely any crowd here, so you can actually sit and just observe things. One thing you’ll definitely notice is the fishermen roaming around waiting for their trawlers to come back with their catch for the day.  

Talalla beach is an ideal place to sit back and meditate or enroll for some yoga class. There is even a yoga retreat center in the village if you are looking for something more intense. A lot of western travellers travel to this beach and end up making it a place where they snap out of their holiday mode and get back to reality from getting fit to working on their laptops. You’ll definitely spot a lot of people jogging both in the mornings and the evenings. 

Eating options are in plenty at the beach with a lot of beach shacks which serve really tasty and economical food.  A must try at the beach is their fish and chips. The chips that they serve are freshly prepared homemade potato wafers. Even the seafood fried rice that they prepare is lip-smacking, do ask for their chilly paste sauce which complements the dish very well.  

If the evenings get a bit boring you can always join the locals and other tourists to play a game of volleyball. Nearly all the beach shacks have a net. It’s a great way to spend time waiting for your food to come. 

While playing at the beach always keep a water bottle handy since the heat tends to get too much and dehydration can set in.  To avoid running out of water do make a note to always carry an extra bottle of water with you.  

When it comes to accommodation the options are in plenty to handle the limited crowd that comes to the village.  From luxury hostels and guest houses at the beachfront to home stays it’s all there in plenty. If you are looking to experience the place then a home stay is the ideal place to stay in the village.  

It’s only in the evening after sun down that you will understand how remote the village is. Shops shut as early as 20:00 HRS and there is barely any street lights in the night. This is a drastic contrast to how life along the more commercial parts of southern Sri Lanka function. 

Network is not the best here at Talalla with either 4G nor 3G available in the village. While at the beach you’ll get data connectivity at a few places but the overall network is pretty bad in the village. It’s a good escape to have no network for a day or two while staying at this offbeat beach. 

Talalla is an ideal place to visit for anyone looking for a peaceful time away from the hustle and bustle of the tourist circuit.  It’s a great place to roam around with family. You’ll spot a lot of western tourists roaming around with their kids.  

If you’re looking for something offbeat and different from your experience to Sri Lanka then Talalla is the place to be. It’s definitely a place tourists will hate and travellers will love.  So if your a traveller at heart make sure you add Talalla to your travel bucket list.

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