Koggala beach is located on the South coast of Sri Lanka, just 12 kilometers past the famous Unawatuna beach. One of the major characteristics of this stretch of land is the Koggala airstrip, constructed to respond to possible attacks from the Japanese during world war 2. Now this area continues to be the subject of a running joke/story, every single driver who takes you past this location is known to tell you that here is the only place in the world were road, rail, sea and air routes converge.

Koggala has a wide stretch of sand that is great for walks. Watch and take pictures with the stilt fishermen who have fished here for centuries, you can even take pictures of yourselves fishing on the stits, although be warned that actually catching something might require a fair bit of experience.

There is a turtle hatchery nearby which buys eggs from local fishermen in an attempt to discourage them from selling these in the market. The eggs are hatched and the turtles are released into the ocean, they are a key marine species of Sri Lanka and, unfortunately, threatened with endangerment.

The Koggala ‘lake’ or lagoon is just a couple of kilometres away from the beach. It is beautiful and tranquil, and dotted with small rock islands and plenty of mangroves. There is plenty of animal life here including birds and fish, and of course it’s speciality, lagoon prawns.

The Martin Wickremesinghe Museum is another point of interest at Koggala which shouldn’t be missed. In fact it is also one of the more interesting, lesser known museums in the South Coast of Sri Lanka, if not the country as a whole. Wickeremesingle was one of the most important writers in the recent history of Sri Lanka. His house and museum premises sit within an attractive seven acres of garden. Idyllic and perfect to walk around in.

Believe it or not, from Koggala you can also access rainforest. The Kottawa reserve is a small but dense rainforest located a short drive away. It makes for a beautiful trip on your visit to the beaches of the South coast of Sri Lanka.

There are plenty of luxurious resorts to stay at on your visit to Koggala. The Fortress Resort and Spa is the epitome of luxury, while the Long Beach Resort offers a great beach getaway to rival anything else on the South Coast of Sri Lanka. Other important resorts include Tisara Villa, Villa Modarawattha, South Lake Resort and KK Beach.