Looking to find one of the most Instagrammable locations in Sri Lanka? Look no further than the palm tree rope swing that graces southern Sri Lanka’s beaches. Found in Unawatuna, the palm tree rope swing has been going viral on Instagram for many years and brings a lot of photographers and Instagrammers to the southern beaches. Read on to find out exactly how to find the Unawatuna palm tree rope swing and helpful information like best time to visit the palm tree rope swing, how busy it is and how much it costs.
Suggested read: The best photo spots at Nine Arch Bridge in Ella, Sri Lanka
Where is Unawatuna?
First things first, Unawatuna is found on the south western coast of Sri Lanka. Unawatuna is a touristy area with many beach front resorts. It’s found about a 2 hour drive from Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo (Google Maps directions here). The first step in locating Sri Lanka’s famous palm tree rope swing is to head to Unawatuna.
Is the Unawatuna palm tree rope swing still there?
Yes! You may have heard rumours or seen a few bloggers saying the rope swing is no longer there. I’m not sure if it was gone for a bit but the Unawatuna palm tree rope swing is still definitely there.
Where is the palm tree rope swing in Unawatuna?
So, down to the specifics. Once you get to Unawatuna you need to locate the actual palm tree rope swing. Head to Dalawella Beach, which is a 5 minute drive or 35 minute walk from where Google Maps will pin as Unawatuna (although the whole area is often referred to as Unawatuna). There are plenty of tuktuks in the area. I chose to stay in Dalawella Beach for my entire stay in Unawatuna as there is a lot of accommodation here.
Once you arrive at Dalawella Beach, you want to head to Dream Cabana (Google Maps location here). This is where the Unawatuna palm tree rope swing is located as Dream Cabana owns and operates it. If you book far enough in advance you can actually stay at Dream Cabana for your time in Unawatuna. I looked about a week or so before I visited Unawatuna and it was sold out. If you don’t book to stay here you can still easily visit the Unawatuna palm tree rope swing anyway as they have a restaurant and bar (plus the swing) that is open to the public.
How much is the Unawatuna palm tree rope swing?
You have to pay to swing on the rope swing; however, it is not very expensive. The Unawatuna palm tree rope swing cost 500 LKR per person (£1.30/$2.50AUD). They say this gives you two turns on the rope swing (because there are two different photo spots – more on this below), but they gave me more than this when I went and let me go on it over an hour after my first time.
Where are the best photo spots for the palm tree rope swing?
There are two main photo spots to best capture the palm tree rope swing. One is on the beach looking at the palm tree from the side (with the sunset in the background if you are visiting at sunset) and the second is from behind the tree looking out over the ocean. Both can be seen below.
How do I get photos if I am travelling solo?
Solo travellers will be pleased to hear that it is very easy to get photos at the Unawatuna palm tree rope swing. There were a few people around when I visited so I just asked someone if they could take photos for me. The staff at Dream Cabana are also so good – they know people want photos. They don’t rush you as you get your camera and set up shots with other people, they also suggest that you get someone to take photos while someone else films. if there is no one around, they are also happy to take the photos and videos for you as well. I would just show them the framing you want and ask them not to get other people in the shot. Just the fact that they give you two swings so you have the option to get photos from two different angles shows that they get it when it comes to understanding why people might come to the rope swing!
When is the best time to visit the rope swing?
Dream Cabana is open all day and into the evening so you can visit the Unawatuna palm tree rope swing whenever suits your Sri Lanka itinerary. The best time for photos is sunset as the sun sets from behind the palm tree. This is, of course, the most popular time to visit.
Is it busy?
I can only speak for when I went but it was fine. I arrived at about 5pm (sunset was 620pm) and could have my turn straight away on the Unawatuna palm tree rope swing. I then ordered a pineapple juice at the bar and waited for sunset. The Dream Cabana staff told me that the rope swing would look better closer to sunset so when that time came around they were happy for me to have another turn. By this point it was a bit busier and after I had my sunset swing everyone then also had a go (somehow I managed to get in before any line formed) but even with the line it was minor, and everyone just took their turn to have a go and it died down pretty quickly. It definitely wasn’t overcrowded at all – there were a number of people taking photos outside of the swing (just of the general area) – but it wasn’t too busy. I can only speak for when I went and hope you have the same experience.
Do I need to buy food and drink to go on the rope swing?
No, you don’t need to buy food and drink to go on the rope swing as you can just pay the 500 LKR. I imagine that’s probably why they have the 500 LKR payment because otherwise people would come, use the swing and leave without buying from the business. I did buy two drinks (a pineapple juice and soft drink) while I was there and it came to 1265 LKR (£3.30/$6.40 AUD). You can see from the menu below there is quite a lot on the menu to choose from (there are also alcoholic drinks available as well).
If you are interested in this, you may also be interested in:
