Dalawella Beach – Swings, Surf Breaks, and Turtles

Dalawella Beach is pretty darn gorgeous. It’s famed for its palm-tree rope swing and turtle lagoons but it’s also a nice base for surfing around Kabalana/Unawatuna.

An introduction to Dalawella Beach

Dalawella Beach is one of the first really nice runs of sand south out of Unawatuna. We personally feel like Una itself has suffered a lot in the last few years – it’s a bit naff, a bit gaudy; kinda like a mini Kuta Beach on the Sri Lankan south shore.

But Dalawella Beach takes you back to more chilled territory. It’s still got a line of hotels backing the sand and clusters of sunbeds for rent here and there, so it’s hardly untrodden territory. But the vibes are more chill and the scenery a little more charming – at least we reckon so.

Dalawella itself is known for two things: A rope swing that’s fuelled many an Instagram feed (it’s overrated) and outlying reefs that create little lagoons where you can swim with sea turtles (not overrated).

We’d add to that a single surf break that’s pretty good fun. It’s definitely not for beginners, and isn’t the best on the island by a long shot, but you can score semi-fast right hand rides over a little bit of reef and rock right beside what’s known as The Frog Rock – a rock that’s shaped like a frog (good, eh?).

This guide will run through everything you need to know about Dalawella Beach, from the top things to do to the best places to stay. And it will say a little about the surf there for those coming with the board in tow.

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This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing in Sri Lanka

What’s in this guide to Dalawella Beach?

Where is Dalawella Beach?

Dalawella Beach is just south of the resort town of Unawatuna. In fact, it’s almost exactly a mile from Unawatuna Beach to the start of Dalawella Beach along the ever-busy Galle Road, which hugs the coast all the way up to the historic town of Galle in the north.

It takes about five minutes in a tuk-tuk to go from Unawatuna to Dalawella – the trip should cost around 200-400 rupees, but be sure to haggle! You’re looking at about 20 minutes in a tuk-tuk to Galle Fort.

If you want to get to Dalawella straight from Colombo after landing in Sri Lanka, then our top tip is to get a direct transfer. It’s the easy option, great if you have boards with you (though clear that with the driver beforehand), and shouldn’t cost a bomb – we recently paid around $65 for the 2-hour ride.

There’s also that iconic coast train that goes from Colombo all down the south shoreline, offering spectacular views as it goes. You can’t take surfboards on with you and it will take longer than a taxi but it’s good fun. Be sure to book ahead using 12Go though, as tickets can sell out and you might be left without a seat.

Things to do in Dalwella Beach

Cabana and tree swing on Dalawella Beach, Sri Lanka

Dalwella Beach is PERFECT if you want to kick back and do pretty much nothing at all. The sand-side bars and restaurants offer hammocks and beds where you can laze around all day and just pop to the water and back when you get too hot.

There are also some draws other than R&R here…

Dalawella Beach swing

The most famous thing about Dalawella Beach is probably the swing. We gotta’ say here: We reckon attractions like this are highly overrated. The beach itself is a stunner. Why do you need some highly edited shot of someone wearing a pink dress flying over the shoreline to make you wanna visit?

Anyway, we get it – Instagram feeds need to be, well…fed. To get your shot head to the western end of the beach, right beside the Dream Cabanas hotel.

You’ll see it right away: A palm tree that stoops just a little lower than all the others over the reef and the washing waves. There’s a long rope attached to it so that you can dangle over the water as it breaks against the rocks.

It’s at its coolest at sunset, when the light fades and the sun dips low behind the Unawatuna hills, turning the ocean pink and red and orange.

Ride the rope swing at your own risk, ofc.

Dalawella Beach turtles

If you’re not into Instagram fame then don’t worry, Dalawella Beach has MUCH MORE than just a rope swing. It’s also one of the best places to encounter sea turtles in the south.

The reason for that is the nature of the coastline. The reefs push out maybe 50m from the sands here, creating small lagoons with still water and sand bottoms. That’s one of the reason why the surf isn’t great but the turtles really do love it.

The best time to swim with them is the early morning and the evening, when they tend to gather to graze in the lagoon waters. Head to the swimming spot that’s about 20m east from Frog Rock. You can walk through one of the hotels on the shore (we ignored the stupid signs that you can’t, because what they gonna do?) and just dive in.

It’s a good idea to bring a snorkelling set or at least a good pair of goggles to help you spot the turtles. And remember – don’t touch them or disturb them because they are protected!

Tour Galle Town

We’d put this one down as a must for anyone staying in this part of the south. Galle is a mere 20 minutes from Dalwella Beach in a tuk-tuk, so it would be criminal to miss it since we’d say it’s one of the most fascinating towns in Sri Lanka.

The whole thing is built on a fortified headland with 16^th century walls ringing a old town area of narrow streets and cobbled alleys. It kinda’ looks like someone’s gone and plucked a little hill town from the Algarve and whacked it onto the Sri Lankan coast.

There’s a whole load of eye-catching things to see inside Galle Fort – the old area. So much, in fact, that if it’s your first time here then we’d go for a guided tour of the place. Just don’t miss the pretty Dutch Reformed Church, the old taverns down Pedlar Street, and the iconic Galle Lighthouse.

The best swimming spot in Galle is just below the lighthouse. For food, be sure to get to AQUA Pizza – it’s joint first nest pizza in Sri Lanka for us (joined with Bacuzzi in Hiriketiya).

Surfing in Dalawella Beach

Dalawella Beach does have a surf break. It’s a right hander that sucks up off the reefs right in front of the Frog Rock. It’s not great but it’s also not awful. It will max out when you get to 8 foot swells and it’s a short ride – like 40m tops from the take off to the kick out point.

You want to hang beside the smaller duo of rocks that stick out of the water in front of the Frog. There’s usually one or two other surfers there – often local – in decent conditions. The wave will form quite fast and get steepish before mellowing into a small bump that dribbles into the reef.

That reef is the main challenge. There’s patches of it all about the place here and it can be quite shallow so you will need to watch out and have some experience with surfing on hard surfaces.

One thing to remember is that Dalawella Beach is quite close to a few other top spots in the region. You could base yourself here for seeing the turtles and exploring Galle and then travel to the surf spots whenever you want something better.

Options include:

Koggala – A more remote beach that has a few breaks, a beach break that’s kinda dumpy and a mellow left point. Not brilliant but often empty. 10 minutes from Dalawella.
Kabalana Beach – One of the best all-level surf spots in the south, this is home to an A-frame wave that’s probs the best A-frame in the country. There’s a beach break on offer too that’s very popular with surf schools and learneers. Kabalana is 15 mins from Dalawella.
Ahangama – The town of Ahangama is now quite popular with the intermediate crowd and with learners and loggers. It’s got about 15 breaks strung along a few kms of coast, some 20 minutes’ tuk-tuk from Dalawella.

Where to stay when surfing in Dalwella?

Hotels sit right on the shoreline at Dalawella Beach. They’re okayyyy but we also think there’s something to be said for venturing in to the backstreets behind, where boutique jungle B&Bs offer some more lux maybe a five-min tuk-tuk back from the coast.

Rockside Cabanas Hotel – To stay right on the beach, enjoy fantastic sunsets, and be within walking distance of the Dalawella surf breaks and turtle lagoons, this one’s the best option.
The Horizon Hill Top Villa – Perched up on the hill behind Dalawella Beach (a 2-min tuk-tuk or a 15 minute walk), this lovely villa has fantastic views and a pool tucked into the jungles. Spacious rooms and great breakfasts.
On The Rocks – A super-luxurious villa with its own pool and access to Dalawella Beach. If it’s in the budget, then we can’t think of anywhere better to stay with the family or a group of mates here.

For more hotel options check our guide to the best surf stays in the whole of Sri Lanka.

When to visit Dalawella Beach?

The best time to visit – and surf in – Dalawella Beach is the dry season. That comes to the south coast of Sri Lanka between November and March.

The dry season on this side of the island is the opposite to the dry season over in the Eastern Province. When it’s raining buckets over in Arugam Bay, Dalawella and all the beaches of the south are getting good sunshine and regular daily temperatures in the 90s and 100s.

What’s key for surfers is that the seas are way less rough in the dry season, so you can get clean conditions for dawn surfs and evening surfs – midday surfs are trickier because the winds can pick up. It’s also the best time for south swells, which are perfect for firing up the points and reefs of Dalawella all the way along to Ahangama.