Can a foreigner buy beachfront land in Sri Lanka?
Not freehold. A foreign national can take a lease of up to 99 years on beachfront land, as on any other land; dual citizens and locally controlled companies can hold freehold. The lease is registered at the Land Registry and stamp duty is 2% of the aggregate rent. See the 99-year lease explained.
Can I build on beachfront land in Sri Lanka?
Only with a permit. The coastal zone runs 300 m inland from the mean high water line (and up to 2 km inland along lagoons and rivers connected to the sea), and any development in it needs a permit from the Coast Conservation Department under section 14 of the Coast Conservation Act No. 57 of 1981. The department sets a setback for each stretch, which decides how much of a beachfront plot you can build on, so ask for it in writing before you agree a price. The order of checks is in the 8 steps to buy land safely.
How much does beachfront land cost on the south coast?
The live beachfront plots on Perch & Acre are advertised at LKR 682,308 to LKR 8,163,636 per perch, against a median of LKR 907,856 per perch for all land on the south coast (n = 160, 3 November 2026). These are asking prices, not sale prices. Method: south coast land prices.
When is the best time to see beachfront land on the south coast?
November to April. From mid-May to September the southwest monsoon brings heavy rain and a rough sea from Colombo to Tangalle, which is also the time to see how a plot copes with waves and run-off.
Land for sale by town
Ahangama, Galle, Unawatuna, Weligama, Mirissa, Dickwella, Hiriketiya, Tangalle, Midigama, Koggala, Thalpe, Habaraduwa, Matara.
Buying guides
- Can a foreigner buy land in Sri Lanka?
- The 99-year lease in Sri Lanka explained
- Buying an apartment in Sri Lanka as a foreigner
- Stamp duty, legal fees and the real cost of buying land in Sri Lanka
- The 8 steps to buy land in Sri Lanka safely
US dollar figures are indicative, at LKR 330.83 per US dollar (the rupee's close on 30 September 2026, reported by the Daily FT).
General information, not legal advice. Laws and rates change; confirm every point with your own Sri Lankan lawyer before you pay a deposit.