From Sunset to Sunrise....
Blue beach island is a small island located in the Nilwella area in between Dickwella and Tangalle. The island is known for its stunning sunsets and tranquil environment, making it an ideal spot to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The island is connected to the mainland by a small narrow sand dune which can be submerged by sea water during high tides or during the southwest monsoons. For this reason, it is advisable to plan your visit in advance.
Reserve a spot for night camping 🏕️
Blue beach island is a private property and the owners only allow a limited number of people for a night stay at the island. So you have to contact the owner and reserve a spot in advance. It is advisable to put your reservation before few weeks if you are planning to stay during a weekend. We paid 1000 LKR per head for the camping and we additionally rented the camping gear from the owner for an additional 800 LKR for a 4 person tent. The owner also offered for a BBQ on the beach for 500 LKR per head but we refused as we wanted to do it by ourselves with a bonfire. You can contact the owner via one of the following channels and reserve a spot for night camping.
- 📧 bluebeachislandsl@gmail.com
- ☎️ 077 810 2557
- ⓕ Blue Beach Island
Getting there 🚗
If you are travelling from Colombo, you can take the southern highway and exit from the Aparekka interchange and from there take the route shown in the google maps to reach the blue beach island. Closest city is Dickwella and you can buy food, alcohol and all your required stuff from the Dickwella city. Also if you are taking the train, you can get off from the station Wewrukannala depending on the train you choose. From there you have to take a taxi to reach the blue beach island.
First you have to go to the owner’s home which is like 1 km from the beach and park your vehicle there. There are like 3 parking spots and it’s allocated on a first come first serve basis. Otherwise you’ll have to park your vehicle outside in the streets which is not recommended due to the security concerns. They ask you to be there around 4 - 5 pm for the introduction session that explains all the required stuff for night camping.
Once you get there 🤩
Once you arrive at Blue Beach Island, you will be absolutely stunned by the beauty of its surrounding and the unique sand dune with sea waves gently lapping on both sides.
Sand dune that connects the island to the mainland
You have to go through the sand dune, climb a small hill and then reach the tiny hidden beach reserved for camping.
Getting familiar with the island 🧭
- To reach the camping site follow the red arrows.
- To reach the view point from the camping site, there’s a small walking trail through the bushes.
Blue beach island, Nilwella
Camping site
Me holding a sea urchin
Let the night begin 🔥
After exploring the island and watching the glamorous sunset, we started to prepare the bonfire and the BBQ. We bought some woods on the way to the island near the Nilwella fishing harbour. Several houses nearby also sell chopped wood for bonfires. We had some beers while the chicken and sausages get marinated for the BBQ. We spent the full night drinking, singing and dancing untill around 3 am.
Bonfire and BBQ
Chicken BBQ with my favorite beer
Wrapping up ☑️
We didn’t actually sleep as it was raining heavily after 3 am and not that much comfy for a sleep inside the tent. We woke up around 5.30 am to watch the sunrise and prepared some sandwiches for the breakfast. We left the camping site around 8.30 am and we spent some time in the water near the sand dune as the waves were not that strong during those days. It is advisable to seek some guidance from a local villager before jumping in the water.
A distant drone shot of the blue beach island. Nilwella fishing harbour is visible in the corner
