Hiriketiya
The bay that Mirissa used to be, before the world arrived.
A horseshoe bay on the southern coast. A small, perfect bay --- the wave breaks left and right from the centre. A handful of low-key accommodation options built around the beach rather than facing it. It does not have a high street. It has the bay, the wave, and a cafe that serves good coffee and knows not to put music on before 9am.
The Hiriketiya wave is forgiving enough for beginners and interesting enough for intermediates. Lessons available through local instructors who have taught here for years.
Before the surfers are up. Twenty minutes of open water swimming in the Indian Ocean, in a protected bay, with no one else there.
A 45-minute coastal walk east reaches the Wewurukannala Vihara --- a temple complex containing a 50-metre seated Buddha, the largest in Sri Lanka.