The Ultimate Guide to Uppuveli and Nilaveli Beach (2024)

For travellers looking for an off the beaten track beach getaway, there’s no better place than Trincomalee Bay on Sri Lanka’s northeast coast.

Home to Nilaveli Beach, Uppuveli Beach and Trincomalee Beach, this is a fantastic area for those looking for a low-key and authentic alternative to south Sri Lanka’s busy built-up resort areas. 

While there are plenty of places to visit in Trincomalee to keep you occupied for a number of days, this is primarily an area to relax and soak in the local vibe. On that note, the vibe is precisely what pulls travellers in, so don’t be surprised if you end up staying far longer than originally planned. You’ve been warned.

Read on for our complete guide to Uppuveli and Nilaveli Beach, including the best things to do in Trincomalee.

Trincomalee Bay Overview: Nilaveli Beach, Uppuveli Beach and Trincomalee Beach

First things first: let’s get ourselves oriented. The northeast region of Sri Lanka that we’re referring to is Trincomalee Bay.

Trincomalee Bay is one of the world’s greatest natural harbours and is home to multiple beautiful beaches. Of these, the biggest are Trincomalee Beach, Uppuveli Beach and Nilaveli Beach. Trincomalee Bay also contains Trincomalee town. Yeah, there’s a lot going on there.

We’ll be honest: when we first arrived at Uppuveli Beach, we weren’t that impressed. The beach is just okay and, arriving just after COVID, things hadn’t yet picked up to full steam.

But its pleasant neighbourhood vibe really grew on us and we found ourselves loving just hanging out and exploring this quiet part of the country. All of a sudden, 7 nights had passed by and here we are now, selling its unique charm to the rest of the world.

Related: 21 Amazing Places to Visit in Anuradhapura in 2024

Where are Nilaveli Beach and Uppuveli Beach

Nilaveli Beach, Uppuveli Beach and Trincomalee Beach are all located in the far northeast corner of Sri Lanka, within the gentle waters of Trincomalee Bay. Trincomalee is the biggest city in the area and is located about 270 km from Colombo. 

How to Get to Trincomalee Bay

It’s relatively straightforward to get to both Nilveli Beach and Uppuveli Beach. How you get there will depend on where you are coming from. 

Related: Wilpattu National Park – The Best Safari in Sri Lanka in 2024

How to Get to Trincomalee Bay By Bus

There is one central bus station in Trincomalee town that services the entire Trincomalee Bay region. You can catch a bus to Trincomalee from most major cities in Sri Lanka (to read more about the ins and outs of bus travel in Sri Lanka, check out our Essential Sri Lanka Travel Guide).

The following are travel times from other major areas in Sri Lanka:

• Colombo – 7 hours;
• Kandy – 5.5 hours; 
• Anuradhapura – 4 hours; and 
• Jaffna – 7 hours with a transfer in Vavuniya. 

How to Get to Trincomalee Bay By Train

This is Sri Lanka, so of course you can get to Trincomalee by train. Trincomalee’s train station is centrally located and there are two daily trains to/from Colombo Fort, which take between 8 – 10 hours. For the overnight sleeper train, note that you should book at least a week in advance. 

If you would like to book your train tickets in advance, hop on 12GO Asia. 

How to Get to Trincomalee Bay By Car

Hiring a car and/or private driver is a pretty common way to get around Sri Lanka (it’s what we did when my parents came to visit us). We used Sri Lanka Car and Driver Hire for them. Otherwise, you can arrange a private driver here.

To get a sense of travel times to Trincomalee, it’s around a 5-hour drive from Colombo. 

When to Visit Nilaveli Beach and Uppuveli Beach

The best time to visit Nilaveli Beach, Uppuveli Beach and Trincomalee Beach is from April to September. This is during the region’s dry season, so you can expect pleasant weather and calm seas.

The entire East Coast has the Maha monsoon from October to January. During this time there is a lot of rain and turbulent seas and most water activities completely shut down.

Heading north after Nilaveli Beach? Read 13 Awesome Things to Do in Jaffna + Essential Guide

Places to Visit in Trincomalee

From beach bumming to snorkelling to exploring an old fort, there are several great activities to do and places to visit in Trincomalee.

Relax on Nilaveli Beach and Uppuveli Beach

If you’re done chasing waterfalls and are looking for a beach to hang out on, you’ve found the right spot. With wide beaches, warm water and gentle waves, this is a great area for beach bumming and is probably the number one thing to do in Trincomalee.

Nilaveli Beach is the clear winner of the beauty contest, featuring an endless stretch of powder-white sand and crystal-clear turquoise water. It’s a great place to spend a day with a book and your bathers.

There’s not much development or activity on Nilaveli Beach, giving it an uber-relaxed and local atmosphere. Just be sure to bring anything you may need for the day as you won’t find much there in the way of services or supplies. 

Read next: Duwili Ella in the Knuckles Mountain Range

Snorkelling trip to Pigeon Island

Pigeon Island National Marine Park is well worth a visit and one of the highlights of all the things to do in Trincomalee. 

On a snorkelling trip to Pigeon Island, you can expect to see lots of reef sharks, amongst other marine animals.

The boat ride out to the island is also very beautiful and gives you a great perspective of the Trincomalee Bay coastline.

A visit to Pigeon Island can easily be arranged at any guesthouse in either Nilaveli Beach or Uppuveli Beach, or at one of the little dive shops set up directly on Uppuveli Beach. If you like your activities organised in advance, you can pre-organise a tour to Pigeon Island. Divinguru Nilaveli also runs fantastic diving tours on the East Coast.

Read our complete guide to visiting Pigeon Island

Explore the Highway north of Nilaveli Beach

One of the best things to do in Trincomalee is to rent a set of wheels and head north on the highway. The entire east coast is dotted with beaches and lagoons along the remote countryside. This area is incredibly remote and we’d be surprised if you saw any other tourists around. 

Pro tip: make sure to stop in for lunch and especially, a fresh king coconut, at any of the small roadside restaurants along the Trincomalee Beach highway.

Hang out at Fernandos on Uppuveli Beach

No visit to either Nilaveli Beach or Uppuveli Beach would be complete without an afternoon at Fernandos Beach Bar – the most legendary place to visit in Trincomalee.

Set up directly on the beach with chairs, hammocks and lounges, Fernandos is an ideal place for a sundowner or two. The atmosphere is relaxed, yet lively – you could just as easily read a book for a couple of hours, or get social with new friends. There are bonfires some evenings. Don’t try the food. 

Day trip to Marble Beach

Of all the places to visit in Trincomalee, Marble Beach is truly exquisite and a hidden gem. You cannot miss a visit to Marble Beach if you’re in Trincomalee Bay. 

Note: Marble Beach is on Sri Lankan navy land and you pay a nominal fee of 30 LKR to enter. 

Marble Beach is split into two areas: the public side, and the navy-owned restaurant/resort side.

You can stay on the public side of Marble Beach without ordering anything, however, to relax on the private side, you must make a purchase. There’s not much difference in beach quality, but the private side has lounges with shade. 

Marble Beach is located about one hour from Uppuveli Beach. To get to Marble Beach, you can either hire a tuk-tuk to drive you, or a scooter to drive yourself. Most tuk-tuk drivers will drop you off and then you call them when you’re ready to be picked up. It costs about $20 USD. Scooter hire for the entire day costs around 3000 LKR. 

Keen to uncover more gems like Marble Beach? Read Sri Lanka Off the Beaten Track

Visit Kandaswamy Kovil

Set at the summit of a rocky outcrop, Kandaswamy Kovil is one of Sri Lanka’s five Hindu temples dedicated to Shiva and an ancient place of worship. 

It’s a bit of a drive (almost 2 hours from Trincomalee), but very beautiful and not a very popular place to visit in Trincomalee, so you’ll probably have it all to yourself.

Fort Frederick

Located on a narrow peninsula, Fort Frederick was initially constructed by the Portuguese in the 17th century. Within the grounds, there are two temples: Koneshwaram Kovil and the Gokanna Raja Monastery. Of the two, the Koneshwaram Kovil is more impressive, but the Monastery has an incredible view of Trincomalee Bay.  

Since you’ll be in the area, stop in at one of the many small restaurants around Fort Frederick for lunch or a fresh juice.  

Entrance is free.

Whale and dolphin watching in Trincomalee Bay

Sri Lanka is blessed with marine life and migrating whales are found on the east coast from May to August. There are three types of whales commonly spotted in Trincomalee Bay: Sperm whales, Bryde’s whales and the monster of them all, the Blue whale. You can also commonly see dolphins as well. 

For animal lovers, getting out on a boat to see some of these guys is a great thing to do in Trincomalee. Whale-watching tours in Trincomalee can be organised both in Trincomalee town and in Uppuveli Beach, or if you’d like, you can organise a whale-watching trip in advance online.

In Trincomalee Bay, the best time for whale watching is in June and July. Whale-watching tours cost around $50 USD. 

Important: be sure to pick a responsible operator that adheres to the International Guidelines on Whale Watching.

Trincomalee Bay Tours

While we love independent travel, we understand not everyone has the time to plan out all the things to do in Trincomalee. If organised activities are more your jam, here are some of the best tours in Trincomalee Bay.

• Private Day Tour of Trincomalee
• Catamaran Sunset Sailing Trincomalee
• Paddle Boarding in Trincomalee

Which should you choose: Nilaveli Beach or Uppuveli Beach

Well, now that you know about all the places to visit in Trincomalee, how do you decide where to stay? Whether you stay on Nilaveli Beach or Uppuveli Beach largely depends on what you’re looking for.

We faced the same dilemma before heading to Trincomalee Bay, so to help you out, we’ve broken down both choices for you.

Want more Sri Lanka tips? Read 47 Essential Sri Lanka Travel Tips

Nilaveli Beach

Nilaveli Beach is hands down the more beautiful beach of the two. It’s also more remote and quieter, with fewer restaurants and less activity. It’s the furthest north of all the beaches, so will involve more travel to the attractions in the south.

If you just want a quiet, pristine beach to hang out on, then choose Nilaveli Beach. 

Uppuveli Beach

Uppuveli Beach isn’t that particularly gorgeous, and rubbish can be a problem here, but it also has a great community feel to it. It feels like being part of a big, friendly neighbourhood. There are plenty of good restaurants and bars on the beach, plus it’s centrally located, making it easy to get to any of the surrounding attractions and other places to visit in Trincomalee.

Choose Uppuveli Beach if you plan to spend less time directly on the beach and more time hanging out and exploring all the things to do in Trincomalee. 

Where to Stay in Uppuveli Beach

Budget

Pearl Bungalow

Our favourite budget option in Uppuveli Beach, Pearl Bungalow is set a bit back from the beach on a quiet street. The rooms have a/c and there’s a shared kitchen available. The owners are incredibly sweet. 

Lobster Inn

The perennial backpacker’s favourite in Uppuveli Beach, this place is great if you’re looking for a hostel-style communal vibe. The rooms are very big but basic as hell. The more premium options have a/c. There’s a communal kitchen and a nice grassy spot to hang out on with a couple of hammocks. 

Mid-range

Anantamaa Hotel

A lovely mid-range option. The rooms are lovely and very comfortable, if a bit dated. You can’t beat the refreshing pool set in a serene garden, beachfront location and friendly staff. You’re best getting your meals elsewhere.

High-end

Amaranthe Bay Resort and Spa

Where to Stay in Nilaveli Beach

Budget

Nilaveli Beach Rooms 

Mid-Range

Villa Nilaveli Cabana

High-End 

Moon Isle Beach Bungalow

Oceanfront Condominiums Nilaveli 

Nilaveli Beach Resort

Where to Eat in Uppuveli Beach

Rice n Curry

A big favourite on Uppuveli Beach, Rice n Curry is a happening spot. The food is incredible, the portions are massive and you can’t beat the prices. If you’re into techno, you’ll also like the music. 

Cafe on the 18th 

The closest thing to a hipster cafe you’ll find in the area, Cafe on the 18th serves amazing coffee and mocktails. The sushi is just okay and probably not worth the high prices. 

Queen Bee 

Queen Bee had just freshly opened when we were there and we instantly fell in love with it. They serve up some of the best prawns you’ll ever have and all of their dishes are great. The friendly owner is super keen to please and great to chat with. 

Eastern Lanka Seafood Restaurant 

Eastern Lanka Seafood is a great little family restaurant located on the main highway. It’s a bit further from the beach, but the food and prices are well worth the walk. 

How to Get Around Trincomalee Bay

It’s pretty easy to get around Trincomalee Bay. Everything on both Uppaveli Beach and Nilaveli Beach is within walking distance, and it’s very easy to get tuk-tuks to shuttle you between the two.

You can also arrange for a tuk-tuk to take you to any of the nearby attractions, such as Marble Beach or Fort Frederick. 

Renting your own set of wheels is a great way to get to all the places to visit in Trincomalee. Almost every guesthouse in town will be able to assist with scooter and/or bicycle hire. Scooter hire for a whole day costs around 3000 LKR. 

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