"One of the finest bays in Sri Lanka" R. L. Brohier: Seeing Ceylon (1965) "Beautiful Bay" Bella Wolf: How to see Ceylon (1914) Along the coast: Goyambokka Bay Beach, Pallikaduwa Bay Beach, Tangalle Bay, Tangalla Harbour, Medakettiya Beach, Medila Beach Just inland: Matara road, Tangalla Main road, Tangalla bridge over River Kirama, Hambantota road, Kalametiya Bird sanctuary, Rekawa Sea Turtle Nesting Beach The uncrowded small resort of Tangalla, 295km (122 miles) from Colombo, 48km (30km) east of Matara, & roughly midway along the south coast, is one of the most pleasant places in the region for a lazy beach holiday. If you wish a blast with watersports, shops, restaurants & nightlife, Tangalla isn't the place to come; Bentota Bay Beach Resort is. But if your are in search of great expanses of beautiful golden sandy beach to crash out on, you are on the right beach. Facing east, the small town centre straddles a freshwater lagoon where a small river flows into the sea, with a fishing harbour at its mouth. North of the harbour are villages of Medaketiya & Medilla, To the south, beyond a low headland, are villages of Goyambokka and Pallikaduwa. The Town Tangalle town itself is situated just back from a "projecting rock" from which, it is said, the towns name Tangalle is derived. The town, in spite of being beside the bay, fishing harbour & busy market has a relaxed atmosphere with some reminders of Dutch days, including the Rest House. It's one of the oldest rest houses in the Sri Lanka, originally built, as a plaque on the front steps indicates, by the Dutch in 1774. For its size, the town has a relaxed atmosphere with a busy market & many reminders of the Dutch heritage. The Beach Tangalle actually encompasses adjoining villages. To the west are the picturesque upmarket villages of Goyambokka & Pallikaduwa. And to the north, along the stretched arc of bay are Medaketiya and Medilla.