Getty Images

Uppuveli Beach

Top choice in The East

This honey-coloured crescent of sand makes a lovely spot to enjoy life under a coconut tree. Swimming is possible although there are often red flags blowing on windy days, indicating strong currents. The motley assortment of beach dogs may try for a few laughs by snatching your unguarded shirt while you're swimming, but, overall, this is a peaceful spot to rest up for a few days.

Hotels near Uppuveli Beach

There are many good-value places to stay right at the top of the beach; other attractive options sit just inland, on the road that parallels the beach. Good hotel options right on Uppuveli Beach include Coconut Beach Lodge, Golden Beach Cottages and Blue Sand Beach Resort, which are all situated pretty much on the high-tide line.

Suggest an edit to this attraction

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nilaveli Beach
6.56 MILES
Nilaveli's 4km stretch of sand is considered one of Sri Lanka’s best beaches and with its paradise-island remoteness, swaying palms and golden tinge to…
Kandasamy Kovil
2.67 MILES
This revered temple at the summit of a rocky outcrop is one of Sri Lanka’s pancha ishwaram, five historical Hindu temples dedicated to Shiva and…
Fort Frederick
2.92 MILES
Occupying the neck of a narrow peninsula, Fort Frederick has been a defensively important site for centuries. A fortress was initially constructed here by…
Seruwawila Rajamaha Viharaya
17.94 MILES
One of the holiest Buddhist monuments in Sri Lanka, founded in the 2nd century BC, but only rediscovered, and reconstructed, in the 1920s. This stupa…
Marble Beach
6.89 MILES
About 17km south of Trinco, there's a turn-off on the left for Marble Beach (signposted just before the Kinniya bridge), a glorious cove bookended by…
Commonwealth War Cemetery
0.46 MILES
For a break from the beach, stroll up to this beautifully kept cemetery. This is the last resting place for 364 Commonwealth servicemen who died at Trinco…
Maritime & Naval History Museum
3.14 MILES
A grand 18th-century Dutch colonial building has been renovated and turned into a museum. Displays on the ground floor cover Sri Lankan naval history back…
Salli Muthumariamunam Kovil
0.81 MILES
This beachfront temple is 4km by road from Uppuveli, but only a short wade (or hop by boat if the tide is high) from the north end of Uppuveli beach. It’s…

View more attractions

Nearby The East attractions

1. Commonwealth War Cemetery

0.46 MILES

For a break from the beach, stroll up to this beautifully kept cemetery. This is the last resting place for 364 Commonwealth servicemen who died at Trinco…

2. Salli Muthumariamunam Kovil

0.81 MILES

This beachfront temple is 4km by road from Uppuveli, but only a short wade (or hop by boat if the tide is high) from the north end of Uppuveli beach. It’s…

3. Fish Market

2.6 MILES

Fishy interest is provided at the raucous daily fish market near the bus station. Early mornings are busiest.

4. Swami Rock

2.66 MILES

The base for Kandasamy Kovil is considered the world's greatest vantage point for spotting blue whales. Note the odd cubic-shaped rocks below.

5. Kandasamy Kovil

2.67 MILES

This revered temple at the summit of a rocky outcrop is one of Sri Lanka’s pancha ishwaram, five historical Hindu temples dedicated to Shiva and…

6. Kali Kovil

2.75 MILES

Kali Kovil has the most impressive, eye-catching gopuram (gateway towers) of Trinco’s many Hindu temples. It's always busy.

7. Gokana Temple

2.83 MILES

There are fine views of Trinco and the coastline from here.

8. Buddha Statue

2.83 MILES

This big standing Buddha statue is at the Gokana Temple.

View more attractions

placement: superzone
path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],

targeting:

{
  "url": "sri-lanka/the-east/uppuveli/attractions/uppuveli-beach/a/poi-sig/1568690/357469",
  "destination": "The-East",
  "continent": "Asia",
  "country": "Sri-Lanka",
  "region": "The-East",
  "position": "superzone"
}