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Mawella Beach

South Coast · Hambantota · nearest town Tangalle
★ 4.0 (1)
Swim: Rough
Best time: Nov–Apr
28.7°C · Patchy rain nearby today
Mawella beach, Sri Lanka
Region
South
District
Hambantota
Nearest town
Tangalle
Water
Calm
Crowds
quiet, secluded, honeymoon, romantic
Wheelchair
A2 coastal road between Dikwella and Tangalle; signed turn-off at Mawella junction, a short drive from the highway.

About Mawella

Mawella is a serene, largely undeveloped bay on the coast between Dikwella and Tangalle, and one of the quietest beaches in the Hambantota district. A gentle curve of sand faces calm water that is good for swimming in the dry season, backed by palms and a handful of boutique hideaways rather than any resort strip - Mawella Beach (by Dots Bay House), The Mawella Hideaway and Taru Villas are among the small properties on or near the sand. Turtles nest on the local shoreline in season, and the Mawella Lagoon behind the beach offers guided kayak tours. There is a little surf at times for the adventurous, but most days the bay is flat and empty. It is the place to come for long walks, quiet swims and slow evenings with the nearest action a short drive away in Tangalle or Dikwella.

  • Serene, undeveloped bay between Dikwella and Tangalle
  • Calm water that is good for swimming in the dry season
  • Boutique hideaways: Mawella Beach (Dots Bay House), The Mawella Hideaway, Taru Villas
  • Turtle nesting on the local shoreline in season
  • Guided kayak tours on Mawella Lagoon
  • Very uncrowded beach with long empty stretches

Best time to visit

Nov–Apr (dry season for this coast)

MonthAvg highRain daysSuitability
Jan ~30°C 3–5 Excellent
Apr ~32°C 8–10 Good (peak heat)
Jul ~30°C 15–20 Rough / rainy
Oct ~30°C 14–18 Transitional

Weather

Powered by WeatherAPI.com · marine data by Open-Meteo · updated daily
28.7 °
Feels like 32.7°
Patchy rain nearby
Wind 17 km/h W (gusts 27) · Humidity 74% · UV 8.3
☀ Sunrise 06:00 AM · Sunset 06:14 PM
Next hours
11 AM
30°
Light rain shower
12 PM
30°
Patchy rain nearby
1 PM
30°
Patchy rain nearby
2 PM
30°
Patchy rain nearby
3 PM
29°
Patchy rain nearby
4 PM
28°
Overcast
5 PM
27°
Cloudy
6 PM
26°
Partly Cloudy
Next 7 days
Sun
27°
Patchy rain nearby
81%
Mon
27°
Patchy rain nearby
54%
Tue
27°
Patchy rain nearby
57%
Wed
27°
Patchy rain nearby
69%
Thu
27°
Patchy rain nearby
73%
Fri
27°
Patchy rain nearby
35%
Sat
27°
Patchy rain nearby
37%
Wave height: 1.8 m Sea temp: 27.6°C Swell: 1.2 m S

Forecasts are model-based; use the climate guidance above for season planning.

Surf conditions

Fair
Swell
1.2 m S
Swell period
9s
Wind waves
0.7 m W
Sea temp
27.6°C
Wind
Cross-shore
Tide
Rising
Secondary swell
0.9 m S

Wind blowing along the coast

Next 7 days — surf forecast
Sun
1.6m
14s
S
Mon
1.7m
14s
S
Tue
1.9m
13s
S
Wed
1.7m
12s
S
Thu
1.7m
11s
S
Fri
1.6m
10s
S
Sat
1.6m
9s
S

Tide is an approximate rise/fall read (model sea-level, not tide-table times). Surf rating is a general swell/wind read, not break-specific.

Nearby

Restaurants, hotels and more populate automatically from OpenStreetMap.

attraction
Hummanaya Blow Hole
3,549 m
restaurant
Break Point café restaurant
1,333 m
Cuisine: asian
hotel
Sanu Resort & Restaurant
3,561 m
cafe
Moon Light
1,534 m
Cuisine: curry;fish;indian;indonesian;local;seafood · Mo-Su 10:00-22:00
hotel
Serene Beach Hotel
4,802 m
cafe
Jungle SeaFood Restaurant - Unakuruwa
1,408 m
Cuisine: regional · 08:00-22:00
viewpoint
Mawella beach
2,315 m
hotel
Solara
3,956 m
hotel
The Last House
1,860 m

Reviews

★ 4 (1)
Scenery4
Water4.7
Cleanliness3.9
Facilities3.4
Crowds4.5
📌 Editor review
★ 4

Mawella is the escape of this coast - a calm, undeveloped bay where boutique stays and empty sand beat nightlife and crowds. It suits honeymooners and slow travellers; those wanting restaurants and surf should look to Dikwella and Hiriketiya a short drive away.

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Travel tips

10
Book ahead in high season · 3 days ago
Mawella has only a handful of rooms, so boutique stays fill fast between December and February.
10
Kayak the lagoon · 3 days ago
A guided paddle on Mawella Lagoon is the bay's classic excursion - book through your hotel or a local operator.
10
Give turtles space · 3 days ago
During nesting season, avoid the beach with bright lights at night and keep clear of any marked nesting areas.
10
Stock up in Tangalle · 3 days ago
Facilities at Mawella are minimal; buy supplies and eat out in Tangalle, a short drive east.

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FAQ

Yes in the Nov-Apr dry season, when the bay is calm and sheltered; the southwest monsoon (May-Sep) brings rougher water and stronger currents, so swim with care then.
Kayak tours on Mawella Lagoon, beach walks, watching for turtles in nesting season, and short drives to Tangalle, Dikwella and Hiriketiya.
The beach is home to a handful of boutique properties, including Mawella Beach (by Dots Bay House), The Mawella Hideaway and Taru Villas Mawella.

Questions from travelers

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