Weligama

South-coast Sri Lankan town built around a broad sandy bay, Weligama has a walkable centre with a dense concentration of food and drink options close to the water's edge. The name translates roughly as "sandy village," and the bay lives up to it. Written records of settlement here stretch back over 2,300 years, with the Mahavamsa chronicle referencing a temple at the site, and the wider Southern Province is ringed by UNESCO World Heritage sites.

• Population22,179
• Nearest water from center0.3 km
• Nearest mountain from center2.8 km
• UNESCO within 50 km2