Historical Background

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Kalkudah beach is located 282km east of Colombo in the eastern coast of Sri Lanka. Passikudah beach is located just south of Kalkuda beach. The Eastern coast extending from Yala National Park (South East) spreads right up to the beautiful beaches of Nilaveli and Uppuveli at Trincomalee in the North-eastern coast.

Kalkudah beach & Passikudah beach

Kalkudah & Passikudah in Sri Lanka adorned with coconut palms set up an ideal stretch for bathing, Windsurfing and water skiing. Kalkudah Bay is a 2km long wide stretch of beach well protected by the off shore reef. Passikuda beach is wide and long. It spread along for 4km long just south of Kalkudah. The beach also houses a varied number of tropical fishes and exotic coral reefs. The combined beaches of Kalkudah and Passikudah are ideal for bathing as the sea is clear, calm and reef-protected: perfect setting for sun bathing, windsurfing, and skiing.

The combined area of Kalkudah beach and Kalkudah beach was declared as the National Holiday resort in 1973. Kalkudah & Passikudah are emerging as a popular tourist center with many modern hotel facilities.

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May to September is considered as the best time to visit east coast, as it is dry during this period and the surfers can go for sun bathing, wind surfing as they please.

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Shopping

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House of Pasikudah

Willing to take home locally produced souvenirs for your beloved ones? A one-stop shop for souvenirs and handicraft items, House of Pasikudah exhibits local women’s production at walking distance from Passikudah Beach… The good news is that they also have delicious fruit juices and a variety of tasty cakes, local breakfasts and bites…  At least 2 very good reasons to pay them a visit!

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SOUVENIRS and HANDICRAFT ITEMS:

Cane and palmyrah handicraft (baskets, boxes, hats, mats, etc).

Decorative shell and coconut compositions.

Origami products. Wooden statues.

Handloom sarees. Batik clothes. Knitted fabric.

Postcards of Batticaloa district.

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Events

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Whale & Dolphin spotting in Trinco: The East Coast season for whale and dolphin spotting is from about March to September.

Surfing in Arugam Bay: Listed as one of 10 best surf spots in the world, Arugam Bay comes alive each July and August which is the surfing season. The UK Pro-Surfing Association’s Sri Lanka Surf Championships are held each year in Arugam Bay in July.

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Climate

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Sri Lanka’s east coast comes into its own while the rest of the island is experiencing monsoonal rains. The best weather is from April to September, with the monsoon running from October until January. Sri Lanka is affected by two separate monsoons which generally means that there is usually good weather somewhere. Essentially the main south-west (“yala”) monsoon brings rain to the west and south-west coasts and hill country largely between May and July. The less severe north-east (“maha”) monsoon hits the east coast – including the cultural triangle - predominantly from November to January. There is also an inter-monsoonal period of unsettled weather preceding the Maha monsoon in October during which heavy rainfall can occur anywhere across the island.

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Sights

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Arugam Bay: Arugam Bay is Sri Lanka at its most escapist. The relatively isolated beaches and a simple, laid-back lifestyle, away from the main tourist haunts, have many devotees. A' Bay offers high-class surfing (the best on the island) and deserted beaches. Surfing season is from about mid-May to August. Go on a jeep safari and explore the jungles of Lahugala National Park.

Batticaloa & Ampara: Visit Batticaloa’s 17C Dutch Fort, go bird watching by the lagoon or stroll on Kalladi Beach. Travelling further south, you reach Ampara – dotted with lush green paddy fields, Palmyrah trees and tranquil lagoons.

Gal Oya National Park: An extensive wildlife sanctuary edged by a lake that is inhabited by herds of elephants, water buffalo, deer and crocodile. Go on a boat safari.

Kumana National Park: The swamp lakes of Kumana, also known as Yala East National Park, are nesting sites for water birds from June onwards. The jungles are also home to wild elephants, buffalo and deer. Often the endangered marine turtles come ashore to nest on secluded beaches. The main entrance to Kumana is in Okanda, south of Arugam Bay. Best time to visit is at dawn and late afternoon.

Maligawila Buddha statues: Situated south of Monaragala en route to Pottuvil, the Maligavila Buddha is the largest freestanding image of Lord Buddha in Sri Lanka. Carved out of a single block of limestone, this statue was discovered in fragments and restored in 1980.

Pasikudah: Pasikudah and Kalkudah are fast recovering their popularity in the 1980s as a beach destination but with a more upmarket feel. Now several boutique hotels line the bay and offer a range of watersports from jet skiing to catamaran sailing. Take a bicycle ride inland. Bird watching in Vakarai lagoon about 45 minutes north.

Trincomalee: Sri Lanka’s equivalent to the Maldives, Trinco’s never-ending white sandy beaches, coral islands and shimmering blue seas are distinctly different from the coastal areas of the rest of the island. Bask in the sun on the secluded beaches of Uppuveli, Nilaveli & Kuchchaveli to the north of town. Discover the magnificent marine life around Pigeon Island or go on a dolphin and whale-watching excursion into the deep seas. Trincomalee’s natural harbour - considered to be the finest in the world, can be viewed from Fort Frederick. Past Fort Frederick is Swami Rock also referred to as 'Lover's Leap'.