Unawatuna:

A tropical paradise

by Beverley Jansz

Unawatuna, the world renowned beach that is in the Top Ten beaches of the world, is located just south of Galle. It is a small, secluded beach community offering tourists the opportunity to escape to a peaceful, tropical paradise! The historic Galle Fort, a UNESCO-protected World Heritage site, is only a 15-minute drive from Unawatuna.

The Unawatuna Bay offers some of the safest swimming in the island. There are plenty of alternate beaches too nearby-Wijeya, Thalpe, Midigama, Ahangama and Mirissa all of which are popular. It is a wonderful place to relax and enjoy the tranquillity of a beautiful beach.

Tourists can stay at one of the numerous guest houses near the beach and can enjoy food at several beachside restaurants. Unawatuna is the favourite chilling place for frequent independent travellers.

Year after year they keep coming back. Unawatuna faces west so at sunset you can sit above the beach and watch the sun melt into the horizon and light the sky with amazing colours.

When you return from the beach, a host of restaurants are available to choose from and with the menu almost similar in all of them its not where you eat, only what you eat. Unawatuna retains some mystic charm that still draws the beach combers to this sleepy old village. There are plenty of inexpensive beach houses and small hotels to choose from.

It's a great place to start off your holiday and the next couple of days you can spend wallowing in the warm sea, snorkelling with the multicoloured seafood, playing beach, foot and volley ball, reading in a deckchair or drinking delicious coconut cocktails.

Hotel Flower Garden

True to its name, Hotel Flower Garden, at Unawatuna, has been built on a marvellously landscaped one-acre garden which resembles a min-flower garden. It is located within walking distance to the world famous Unawatuna beach.

The hotel which began with nine cabanas in 2003, now offers 25 luxury cabanas with all modern facilities. All cabanas are equipped with A/C, hot/cold water, mini-bar and room service. Hotel Flower Garden has a beautiful swimming pool and a well stocked bar.

The restaurant offers the very best in Western, Eastern and Sri Lankan cuisine, together with an 'A-la-carte' menu. It specialises in French, Italian and German cuisine, the preparation of which is personally supervised by the young and proud owner of the hotel, K. Sassi, who holds a Degree in Food and Beverage, having successfully completed a course in Hotel Management and F&B in Switzerland.

Sassi has worked at Ricken, St. Gallen, Switzerland, for five years as its Food and Beverage Adviser from 1992 to 1996. Hotel Flower Garden offers tours to Koggala Lake, Turtle Farm, fishing in Weligam Bay beach.

A visit to the 'jungle beach' is a unique feature offered by the hotel to tourists. Hotel Flower Garden can be reached via E-mail - [email protected], Website - www.hotelflowergarden.com.