Coconut Tree Hill

Coconut Tree Hill is a lateritic headland in Mirissa, Sri Lanka located adjacent to the Indian Ocean. It is a popular tourist destination in the country and is located at a headland with a coconut plantation. Coconut Tree Hill, despite being located on privately owned lands, is one of the most Instagrammed locations in Sri Lanka.^[1] In 1881, Ernst Haeckel portrayed Mirissa "red cliffs" in the sunset in his book, A visit to Ceylon and described "they seem to burn like coal...".^[2] The hill has been recommended as a place to observe the sunrise for the tourists.^[3] The hill is located on the Mirissa beach which is contiguous to Weligama across the Weligama bay.^[4] Mirissa beach has been described as one of the "secret beaches" in the world.^[5]

Coconut Tree Hill
Headland
Coconut Tree Hill is a lateritic headland in Southern Sri Lanka
Location in Sri Lanka
Coordinates: 5°56′21.4″N 80°28′05.1″E
Location	Mirissa, Sri Lanka

2021 controversy

In 2021, a controversy arose after constructing a fence across the hill over the private land the hill is situated. Since the fence has been erected without prior approval from the Urban Development Authority and the Coast Conservation Department, the proprietor of the land was ordered to demolish the fence.^[6] After a social media outrage, then prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa was made aware of the situation.^[7] The land area of the hill is about 400 perches of which 320 perches are owned by a Sri Lankan and the balance is owned by a foreigner. It is the Sri Lankan landowner who constructed the fence. Later, the hill was reopened for both local and foreign tourists.^[8]

See also

• List of beaches in Sri Lanka

References

1. Wijesinghe, Dimithri (17 January 2021). "10 tourist hotspots you didn't know were privately owned". The Morning. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
2. Weerasuriya, Sanath (18 October 2012). "'Red Cliffs' Heaven on hill". Daily Mirror. Wijeya Newspapers. Retrieved 21 May 2022 – via PressReader.
3. Monteiro DSouza, Primrose (24 April 2022). "She Rented A Tuktuk To Self Drive In Sri Lanka. You Can Do It Too". Femina. Worldwide Media. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
4. "ඉකිරි ගැවසෙන තල්පේ ස්වභාවික නාන තඩාග". Lankadeepa (in Sinhala). Wijeya Newspapers. 31 March 2019. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
5. "Secret beaches around the world: readers' tips". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. 31 August 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
6. Kumarasinghe, Kalani (7 Jan 2021). "Fence across iconic Mirissa Coconut Tree Hill ordered to be removed". dailymirror.lk. Wijeya Newspapers. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
7. "PM to intervene in Mirissa coconut tree hill issue after massive social media outrage". newswire.lk. Wire Digital Pvt Ltd. 5 January 2021. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
8. "Mirissa Coconut Hill beach area re-opened to local and foreign tourists". Hiru FM. ABC Radio Networks. 6 January 2021. Retrieved 21 May 2022.