Nilaveli Beach greets you with the melodic tune of the ice cream tuk tuk. You feel the warmth of the sun on your shoulders and you’re mooching the stalls that line the dusty road leading you to the beach with its golden sand and refreshing waves.
Located in the North East of Sri Lanka, Nilaveli Beach is not on the usual tourist route, but we’re here to change that. With so much to do from whale watching, snorkelling and soaking up the sun on some of the most beautiful beaches we’d recommend you add Trincomalee and Nilaveli Beach to your Sri Lankan Itinerary.
A cluster of hotels and restaurants have based themselves in Nilaveli Beach making it the perfect base to explore the surrounding area or like us visit on a day trip to experience the swimming beach, market stalls and laid-back atmosphere that attracts locals as well as tourists.
What’s more, we loved the authentic Sri Lankan experience you find here. Fishermen mend their nets at dawn, locals picnic on the beach and there is a friendly community feel, with locals always wanting a chat.
Below we share our experience of visiting Trinco Nilaveli Beach, things to do, where to stay, the best Nilaveli restaurants and everything else you need to plan your trip.
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Where Is Nilaveli Beach?
Nilaveli Beach is 10 minutes from the larger town of Trincomalee in the North East of Sri Lanka. Although a little further away from the main tourist hub of the south coast, we think the journey is worth it!
🗺️ Your Ultimate Sri Lanka Map
On our way, we created a Google Pinned Map with all the places we visited in Sri Lanka. Grab your Pinned Map today and start planning your adventure!
What To Expect At Nilaveli Beach & Our Experience
Not quite used to the intensity of the Sri Lankan Sun, we were on the hunt for somewhere to cool off after visiting the Kanniya Hot Springs. We headed across dusty roads and discovered Nilaveli Beach, a huge stretch of sandy coastline with lifeguards and a swimming area!
There was ample parking which cost 50 LKR and a row of small stalls lining the way to Nilaveli Beach. These included local chillies, dried fish (still as stinky as ever), small souvenirs and the usual tat.
The beach itself is the main draw. The area is large allowing for you to find your own spot, although there’s limited shade. Lots of locals were enjoying themselves in the breaking waves that when we visited were not small, but a lot of fun!
We spent our time wandering along the beach, but be warned, don’t wander too far as we accidentally crossed into a naval base and were greeted by a soldier with an AK47. Whoops! He was friendly and just asked us to return back along the beach, but it was quite a shock.
On returning to the car park we grabbed an ice cream from the tuktuk and headed back to Uppuveli, which is where we chose to stay during our time in Trincomalee.
What To Do At Nilaveli Beach
Snorkelling & Swimming
With lifeguards on the beach, Nilaveli is the perfect place to cool off and enjoy being bombarded by the large waves that were there when we visited. This made the conditions too murky for snorkeling, so we recommend heading to Pigeon Island if you want to see the best of the underwater world.
Whale Watching Tour
If you’ve based yourself in Nilaveli Beach, during the right season (May-October), you can go on a whale watching tour. Unfortunately, we just missed the prime time so instead we went whale watching in Mirissa.
Sunbathing
If you’re not pale brits like us (or ginger like mike) you may enjoy sunbathing at Nilaveli Beach. We didn’t see anywhere with shade or umbrellas to hire meaning it gets hot!
Souvenir Shopping
The small market stalls that line the road sell an array of goods from food to handmade crafts, sunglasses and anything else they can flog. We always collect a magnet from each place we visit so of course you could find us exploring each stall.
Explore the surrounding area of Trincomalee.
Visit Fort Fedrick, Trincomalee Beach and Uppuveli.
Best Nilaveli Restaurants
Kavinila Restaurant Nilaveli – Delicious Seafood
Sri Lanka does seafood just right! Grilled fresh fish is a must and Kavinila does some of the best in Nilaveli just 1 minute away from the beach!
Family Restaurant – Local Sri Lankan
If you’re looking for budget-friendly Sri Lankan Cuisine no other place has raving reviews like Family Restaurant. Our favourite is anything devilled but the kottu here also looked amazing. We found kottu to be a lot more delicious the further north we got in Sri Lanka.
Best Places To Stay In Nilaveli Beach
Happy Beach Hotel Nilaveli $
Perhaps you’re on a budget like us. If so we recommend Happy Beach Hotel which is directly on the beach and offers spacious rooms with a private bathroom. Roll out of bed in the morning straight for a swim followed by a delicious homemade Sri Lankan breakfast.
Amanta Beach $$$
An infinity pool overlooks the sea and guests have access to a private beach area, spa and restaurant. The rooms include air-con, an outdoor shower and private terrace. This is perfect for a romantic getaway.
Nilaveli Beach Resort $$$
Nilaveli Beach Resort is a slice of luxury with rustic wooden cabins directly on the beachfront. There is an outdoor swimming pool, bar and spa offering treatments.
Where We Stayed
We ended up staying in Uppuveli Beach which is a short 10 minute drive away and a popular hotspot of restaurants, bars and homestays. We chose Breeze Guesthouse which is a budget friendly homestay close to the beach and with kitchen facilities.
Best Places To Stay In Trinco
$ Budget
Breeze Guesthouse
We chose to stay at Breeze Guest House in Uppuveli when visiting Trincomalee and found it was the perfect budget friendly choice. Our room was spacious with a fan, mosquito net and large bathroom.
$$ Mid-Range
Lobster Inn
Lobster Inn is a friendly, laid-back guesthouse just minutes from Uppuveli Beach. Known for its relaxed vibe and great seafood, it offers clean, comfortable rooms and an on-site restaurant.
$$$ High-End
Uppuveli Beach by DSK
Uppuveli Beach by DSK offers clean, modern rooms just steps from the sand. The amenities here look incredible, with some villas having private plunge pools, a large infinity pool, gym and bicycles to get around.
Spacing
How To Get To Nilaveli?
If you’re using public transport the easiest way is via a bus to Trincomalee Bus Station followed by a short tuktuk taxi (10 minutes) to your accommodation.
From Sigiriya
Either head into Dambulla (20-minutes) or to the Inamaluwa Junction where you can flag down the no.49 bus which heads to Trincomalee and takes 3 hours.
From Dambulla
The easiest way to get to Trincomalee from Dambulla is via bus. Head to the Dambulla bus station where several buses a day head to Trincomalee which takes 3.5 hours and costs 600 LKR.
From Anuradhapura
There are a few buses a day that run between Anuradhapura and Trincomalee, which takes 3-4 hours.
From Jaffna
Again there are several buses per day running between Jaffna and Trincomalee, the journey takes 5 hours and costs 900 LKR.
From Colombo
There is one train a day that runs between Colombo Fort Station and Trincomalee. The journey takes 8 hours.
The Journey by the no.49 bus takes 7 hours or travel overnight on a private bus that leaves at 11pm.
By Plane
Cinnamon air offers flights from Colombo to Trincomalee that take just 60-minutes! We travelled with Cinnamon air from Koggala Lake to Colombo and it was one of our most memorable experiences during our trip.
How We Travelled To Nilaveli Beach
Arguably, the best way to reach Nilaveli Beach is by hiring tuk tuk, travel like a local and immerse yourself in the country! We hired our tuk tuk for 2-months which gave us the freedom to explore all the corners of Sri Lanka!
Nilaveli Beach Common Questions
Best Trincomalee Tours
Final Thoughts on Nilaveli Beach
While the south coast has the crowds and cafes, Nilaveli offers a slice of real Sri Lanka with quieter beaches, affordable seafood, and untouched charm.
If you’re planning a trip to Trincomalee, a visit to Nilaveli Beach is the perfect way to spend the day. We suggest heading there after exploring the Kanniya Hot Springs; there’s nothing better than cooling off in the sea afterward. While Nilaveli is becoming an increasingly popular base for travellers, we still recommend staying in Uppuveli for its wider range of accommodation and dining options.
