An ancient sea-facing dagoba set on the windblown dunes just north of Pottuvil, said to mark the spot where Queen Viharamahadevi's boat washed ashore in the 2nd century BC after she was set adrift to appease the sea.
A serene, weathered 6th-century Buddha statue stands quietly on the sand alongside more recent structures — the combination of ancient stone, open dunes and the sound of the sea makes it one of the more moving spots on the coast.
Thirty-five minutes from the kitchen, easy to combine with a stop at Arugam Bay. Best at sunrise or late afternoon when the light is soft and the dunes cool underfoot.