Beruwala

Beruwela, is a town in the south western costal belt of Sri Lanka is a relaxed beach resort which attracts independent travelers and families alike. The name Beruwela is derived from the Sinhalese word Beruwela (the place where the sail is lowered). It marks the spot for the first Moorish settlement on the island, established by Arab traders around the 8th century AD. A large population of Sri Lankan Moors, many of them are gem merchants, still live in this area, particularly in the "China Fort". The oldest mosque in Sri Lanka is Msjidul abrar. Which was build by arabs in early years.

Al- Fasiyatul nasriya muslim balika maha vidyalaya is the first and oldest girls school in Sri Lanka. Which was damaged by tsunami on boxing day in 2005.

Beruwela is the starting point of the 130 km long stretch of beach. In the past few years great strides have been made in the field of resort development in this area. The bay around remains ideal for bathing almost for the whole year.

It is recommendable to hire a boat to the lighthouse raised on a small island off-shore which offers an excellent view over the coast line from the top. Just off the coast are coral gardens, making this the perfect spot for divers and snorkellers to view spectacular coral and sea life. Beruwela harbour is an interesting place to watch the fishermen unload their catch. The harbour has over 400 boats, many of them are quite sizeable since the fishermen spend up to two month at sea.

References

* [http://www.tourslanka.com/Beruwela.htm]
* [http://www.barefoot-srilanka.com Sri Lanka Travel Guide]