Beach clubs on Sri Lanka's south coast, calm to lively

The south coast of Sri Lanka has only a handful of real beach clubs between Galle and Tangalle, and they are of two kinds: lively places with a pool, a bar and DJs, and calm places for a long day. Here are eight, with which is which.

What is a beach club on this coast?

Less than the word promises in Ibiza or Bali. Most of this coast runs on surf cafes, small beach restaurants and hotel sunbeds, where you order something and use a lounger. A few places have gone further, with a pool, daybeds, a kitchen that works all day, and music. Those are the ones people mean when they search for a beach club here.

Before you choose, decide what you want from the day: to dance, or to read.

Eight beach clubs between Galle and Tangalle

This guide is written by Ohana. We are on the list, and we say where we think we fit.

We have not been guests at every one of these places. We checked that each is open and how it describes itself, and we wrote down only that. Prices, minimum spends and event nights change, so look at each place's own page before you go.

Calm places

• Ohana Beach Club & Restaurant, Turtle Beach, Dikwella. That is us. A private beach garden on a calm bay with a reef, with sunbeds, hammocks, a cabana, two swings and a restaurant that cooks to order. We serve no alcohol, and the music is soft. Families are the heart of the place, with couples of every age and people who work on a laptop. If you want a party, we are the wrong choice, and we say so gladly.
• Belika Beach Club, near Hiriketiya. A hotel with an infinity pool and a view of the ocean, described as a peaceful place. It is a hotel first, so ask before you go whether day visitors are welcome that day.

Calm by day, music in the evening

• Petti Petti, Mirissa. A small hotel and beach club with a pool, loungers, and a restaurant with a view of the sea. It is easy-going in the daytime, and visitors mention live music on some evenings. It serves alcohol.
• La Playa, Hiriketiya. On the sand of the surf bay, with a pool, sunbeds, a restaurant and live music on many days. It serves alcohol. A day visit may come with a minimum spend, so ask when you arrive.
• Dots Bay House, Hiriketiya. A guesthouse with a pool, a beach bar, yoga and surf lessons. It holds live music evenings and DJ nights.

Lively places

• Kai Beach Club, Weligama. A big pool, sunbeds and daybeds, several restaurants and bars, with sundowner pool parties and DJ nights. This is the place for a group that wants a day with music.
• Angel Beach, Unawatuna. A day club near Galle, open to visitors, with a pool, daybeds and a kitchen. It is known for sunset sessions and DJ sets, and it gets busy.
• The Doctor's House, Madiha. Not a beach club in the strict sense: a bar, restaurant and hostel by the sea, known along the coast for live music and DJs on two evenings a week. People come for the night more than for the sunbed.

Around Tangalle we found no beach club open to day visitors that we could confirm. There the sunbeds belong to the hotels, and some keep them for their own guests. Ask at reception.

Which one suits you?

• You want to dance at sunset: Kai, Angel Beach, or a music night at The Doctor's House.
• You surf, and want a pool and a drink after: La Playa or Dots Bay House, in Hiriketiya.
• You are in Mirissa and want a pool day: Petti Petti.
• You travel with children or grandparents, or you want to read: us.
• You do not drink, or you would like a day without it around you: us. Our menu has mocktails, house iced teas, fresh juices, coffee and Ayurvedic elixirs, and nothing stronger. More is on our alcohol-free page.
• You need to work for some hours: we have Wi-Fi and power sockets.

What does a day at a beach club cost?

It depends on how the place charges, and there are three ways on this coast: you order and the sunbed is yours, you pay for the sunbed, or you buy a day pass. We explain all three in sunbeds and day passes in Sri Lanka, with the questions to ask before you sit down.

Our own rule is short. A sunbed is free for the whole day, one for each person, when each person spends 10,000 LKR on food and drinks; otherwise it costs 1,000 LKR an hour. Breakfast, lunch and a few drinks through a long day come close to it. Sunbeds can be reserved, one of our towels comes with every sunbed, and there are a shower, a changing room and toilets close by.

Why is Ohana the calm one?

Because we chose it. There is no alcohol, so there is no loud table in the afternoon. There is no sound system pointed at the sea. The bay in front of us is sheltered by a reef, and wild sea turtles often feed there. On Sunday at 6 PM we light a fire on the sand for the Bonfire Circle, which is free, and that is as wild as our evenings get.

The sunbeds, the cabana and the garden are on the page of our beach club in Dikwella. If you want to compare beaches and not clubs, read beaches near Hiriketiya.

Good to know

• Ohana is at Turtle Beach, Dikwella, less than five minutes by road from Hiriketiya.
• Sunbeds are free for the whole day, one for each person, when each person spends 10,000 LKR on food and drinks; otherwise they cost 1,000 LKR an hour each. A towel comes with every sunbed.
• No alcohol is served. Filtered water is on the house.
• Breakfast is served from 08:00 to 11:00, lunch and dinner from 11:00 to 21:00, every day.
• Prices are in LKR, plus a 10% service charge.