By Venessa Anthony
Coconut Hill, located in Mirissa, is an iconic location that you cannot miss out on. There’s really no point in going South if you don’t visit Coconut Hill, and the lineup of trees on the location is so recognisable that globally, it now goes hand-in-hand with Sri Lanka.
This picturesque tourist hotspot was in the news this week, following social media uproar over pictures that emerged showing the hill premises under construction. It was later revealed that Coconut Hill is privately owned, and that the Coast Conservation Department had been notified of the construction.
We spoke to a few fans of this scenic hill regarding their fondest memory of the place, and here’s what they had to say.
Getting lost was worth it: Harendra. N. Koralage
Harendra. N. Koralage, an accountant at a reputed firm, said: “It was my first trip to Coconut Hill Mirissa, and my first trip as a team leader of AIESEC. So everything was a new experience for me; the people, the adventures we had, and taking shortcuts. We even found amazing places on the way there!”
He was made team leader of a project that required volunteers to come down to Sri Lanka, to promote tourism and travel in the country, who accompanied him on his trip.
“My project was the first after the Easter bombings, and volunteers were reluctant to come, which is why this day was so memorable. It was the first and last trip where all the exchange participants, and almost all of my committee members, came for a trip.” He explained that it was nice to get away from the city and that it was his first time meeting people from countries like France, India, Germany, and China.
Talking about the journey there, he said: “We took the busses, but we had no idea where to get down, so we got lost on the way there. On that day, there were very few tourists, so we had the whole place to ourselves when we finally managed to find the area. Getting lost was worth the view we encountered.”
He added that he would be devastated if they were to change up the area, as he is especially fond of the place.
I caught a breathtaking sunset: Shashyani Senadheera
Shashyani Senadheera, a student and avid traveller, commented: “I’d seen the place so many times online, because everyone takes pictures of the sea from that hill.” She added that catching the sunset from Coconut Hill was worth experiencing for herself, especially since she’s obsessed with pretty sunsets!
She continued: “I haven’t been there recently, and I hear that it’s slowly being ruined by over-visitation, which I hope is not true, because that would be heartbreaking! That’s kind of the irony – we need such picturesque spots to boost tourism, but we also need to make sure they aren’t being damaged by too many people going there.”
Further, she said that the construction work that seems to be happening on the land is seriously affecting its natural beauty, which is a shame, because Sri Lanka is losing all its little gems.
The perfect spot for a picture: Hiruni Welmilla
Hiruni Welmilla, an undergraduate, described Coconut Hill, Mirissa as a unique cliff at the end of a beach, covered in palm trees. She noted that tourists and also so many Sri Lankans flock to this spot to take a picture with the beautiful palms overlooking the ocean. Talking about her visit to the hill, she said: “Last January, I went there with my friends. We found it quicker to walk along the beach instead of walking along the road. It was definitely a great place to watch the sunrise, and it was very scenic.”
She also added that since it’s such a tourist hotspot, the beach was super crowded when they got there, and they found it very difficult to partake in the usual culture and take a picture by the trees. She hopes that the spot remains as beautiful as always, without its natural beauty being taken away.
It was pure joy: Lyudmyla Honcharova
Lyudmyla Honcharova, a research assistant and MPhil student at the University of Visual and Performing Arts, Colombo, visited Coconut Hill for the first time just this January. “Honestly, I am not usually a big fan of popular tourist places, as it tends to be very crowded and loses its charm. However, due to Covid, I assumed that this time of the year it would be empty, and it was.”
She added that she was blessed to experience this spot on a day without noise or tourists, and instead just the sea breeze and picturesque view. “It was pure joy, with the sand under my feet while I stood and watched the waves engulf the shore. Time flies there.”
She noted that there seemed to be some construction taking place nearby, and a few days ago, they had added poles into the sand. She advised anyone planning on visiting to be mindful when walking, since it appears that they are attempting to plant more coconut trees.
The authorities don’t care about Mirissa: Keren Doll
Keren Doll, a university student with a passion for travel, went to Mirissa just as the Government decided to take down its illegal properties. “The demolition of all those places ended up drawing so much attention to Mirissa, which I think ended up in people realising how little our authorities care about places like Mirissa, which draw in such huge revenue.”
“Coconut Hill offers one of the most iconic photo-ops in Sri Lanka. It can stand on par with the Bali sky towers, where everyone takes pictures from a mirror’s reflection,” she stated.
She added that Mirissa is almost like the South’s tourism capital. “Allowing this location to remain privately owned without conditions just shows our Government’s lack of foresight.” She’s not too happy about the construction currently going on, and hopes they will leave this beauty as it is.
It didn’t seem as untapped as before: Oken Silva
Oken Silva, a digital marketer and travel blogger, went to Coconut Hill before it blew up on Instagram. He found it on Google Maps and thought it looked amazing. So in 2017, when his school friends, Damitha, Dimantha, Siyath and Nipun, returned from overseas after years of being away, he managed to convince them to check this place out with him.
“We went surfing in Weligama in the morning and made it to Coconut Hill just in time for sunset. Back then there were no pathways, you had to go through the temple that’s there. We made a small donation to the temple, and encountered the biggest dog I’ve ever seen, who was actually the temple’s dog; he was massive.” After making it to the hill, they watched the sunset go down, reminiscing back on their childhood.
He told us that he visited again in 2020, but it was different. “It was so crowded and didn’t seem as untapped as before, but it was still as beautiful as it was last time. Only thing was this time I had to watch the sunset and think about how much has changed since we last came here; my friends can’t come down to Sri Lanka because of Covid, I’m in a completely different place in my life, and so much has changed.”
PHOTO Sri Lankan Pictures Without Context/Facebook
