Mirissa (lang-si|මිරිස්ස) is a small town on the south coast of Sri Lanka, located in the Matara District of the Southern Province. It is approximately 240 kilometres (150 mi) south of Colombo and is situated at an elevation of 4 metres (13 ft) above the sea level. Mirissa's beach and night life make it a popular tourist destination. It is also a fishing port and one of the island's main whale and dolphin watching locations. Crack open a coconut, slip into a hammock and rock gently in the breeze, allowing the hours, days and even weeks to slip calmly by. Welcome to Mirissa, which is 4km southeast of Weligama, and is another quickly developing crescent of beach. Modest guesthouses abound and there are a string of simple cafes along the sand that seem to come and go with the tides. So far the government has stopped the kinds of sand-encroaching construction as seen at Unawatuna, but only time will tell as visitor numbers just keep growing. You’ll need to go to Weligama or Matara for most services, although there are internet and phone places, and small markets near the 149km marker. Coordinates: 5°56′45″N 80°27′35″ECoordinates: 5°56′45″N 80°27′35″E Country Sri Lanka Divisional Secretariat Southern Province Population (2012) • Total 4,695[1] Time zone Sri Lanka Standard Time Zone (UTC+5:30) • Summer (DST) Summer time (UTC+6)