Kalpitiya is an amazing destination
located approximately 150 kms north of capital city - Colombo and if you are
taking a relaxed drive from the Bandaranaike
International Airport-the
only international airport in Sri Lanka
the journey will take about 3.5
hours.
I found Kalpitiya
to be a truly unique destination due to many reasons. Firstly, it’s a
peninsular which separates Puttalam lagoon
from the Indian Ocean thus it
inherits a rich bio diversity ranging from coastal reefs, flat coastal plains, saltpans,
mangroves swamps, salt marshes and vast golden sandy beaches. Secondly, it was
a locale that was affected by the 30 years of Civil War (1983- 2009) in the island,
hence it is still a little visited location in the north
west of Sri Lanka.
Taking a less traveled
route is interesting and adventurous so the Elephant Island
team went with the intension of promoting it to any clients who are interested
in going somewhere ‘off the beaten track’.
(Notes On Map: A = Colombo / B = Anamaduwa /
C = Puttalam / D = Kalpitiya )
Puttalam:
A relatively large town that is indeed the
main town en route to Kalpitiya with
all the facilities such as banks, ATM machines, fuel filling stations. The huge
Puttalam Lagoon lies immediately to the west. To the north is
thwe wonderful Wilpattu National Park
– the largest in Sri Lanka.
Kalpitiya:
The journey
to Kalpitiya thereafter was
absolutely beautiful. The road was straight and smooth like a ribbon and it
created a beautiful platform for dancing and singing that took place in our
vehicle. Wow! The setting was so magical and completely different from the
other parts of Sri Lanka. The difference could be seen in every
way starting from the natural environment, the man made environment to the people
who live there and the combination of all this has made the place very unique.
The dry weather, endless rows of palm trees
covered with thick layers of dust, small and tired looking shops, less
populated towns, people paddling bicycles tell the stories of their difficult lives
yet, the roads being built, gradually rising buildings, play grounds and
tourist spots show the growing seeds of a promising future.
Accommodation In
Kapitiya:
As I have mentioned earlier, compared to
tourist friendly Negombo and beach
resorts down south, Kalpitiya has only
a limited number of hotels hence finding comfortable accommodation to suit
one’s budget is indeed a challenge. However if you choose Sethawadiya Dolphin View Echo Lodge for your stay you will feel
that it’s a self sufficient Robbinson
Crusoe island or the island that Danny
Boyle creates in his work The Beach.
The very narrow road to Sethawadiya Dolphin View Echo
Lodge – our night’s stand was amazing. The drive to the hotel on a
narrow sand strip through salt pans is a beautiful experience. My effort at
finding words to express the feelings I had at that very moment became a futile
act.
The
setting full of water was serene, charming and picture perfect.
It’s
WATER …. WATER…. and WATER
Entrance To
Sethawadiya Dolphin View Eco Lodge And Sea Food In Restaurant & Sethawadiya Dolphin View Eco Lodge – View From Outside
Puttalam
Lagoon & a Bed Room In Sethawadiaya Eco Lodge
I am still hypnotized by the natural beauty
of the setting. Shades of blue the shallow sea painted in front of your eyes
were simply wonderful. The skin drying weather, hot sun blinding eyes, strong
wind that vigorously shook the walls and roofs of the cabanas desperately
trying to enter the ladies’ room added beautiful and unforgettable experience
to the stay in Kalpitiya.
Since the time I got down in Sethawadiya
Dolphin View Eco Lodge I could not stop my mind switching between the
real life and art as I realized the way these two were connected in an
inseparable way. Most images I started seeing were the images I saw in the
award winning Sri Lankan film Ira Madiyama ( August Sun) directed by Prasanna Vithanage.
Lazing on the pearl white sand I started replaying the highlights of the movie
in my mind once again.
Sethawadiya Dolphin View Echo Lodge is a place with
simple architecture. The thatched roofs,
cottages and restaurants are very simply
designed, yet the setting of the hotel, sea food restaurant
and sea food barbeque that takes place everyday with the daily catch with bon
fires add unforgettable memories to anyone’s stay.
There is a plethora of activities one can do
from this place like walking through villages, experiencing the day to day life
of villagers, island hopping, fishing, diving, canoeing, or taking a boat ride
to observe the passage of dolphins and whales. A sea safari to the South Asia’s biggest reef ‘ Bar Reef’ marine sanctuary to view
the underwater wonderland can also be easily arranged from this point.
The flat sea in the region and the sports facilities
at Sethawadiya not only attract well
known kite surfers from all over the world to Kalpitiya but beginners too. The best time to do kite surfing is
the Off Season from April to October. The best time for diving and dolphin/ whale watching is
from November – April as the sea is
extremely calm during this time of the year. Alankuda is the best beach if you are interested in watching whales
and dolphins.
Kite Surfing In Kalpitiya Sea
Boat
Riding & Crab Hide-outs
St.Anne’s
Lagoon House
is another attractive property located in Thalawila
en route to Kalpitiya. It’s an old
boat yard which has been turned into an elegant bungalow with all the modern
facilities. This is an ideal place for those who seek first class comfort,
style and elegance. The fully furnished bungalow spreads out in an ace of land
with an extensive garden and a small swimming pool overlooking the lagoon.
However, we found the rooms are a little less spacious than expected level but
I am certain it will not create any inconvenience to any guest as the
environment is so charming and serene.
Swimming Pool Facing The Lagoon In St. Anne’s Lagoon
House
Thalawila
is
renowned for the St. Anne’s Catholic
Church which attracts thousands of pilgrims for its main festivals in March and July.
Getting To Kalpitiya
We advice guests to pre arrange
transportation in order to ensure a hassle free holiday in Kalpitiya. Transportation within Kalpitiya can be easily done by three wheelers (tuk- tuks) as they
are readily available. However, it’s a must to agree on a fair before getting
in.
I believe this account of our visit to Kalpitiya will undoubtedly provide
useful information for those who are fascinated in traveling to the north
western region of Sri Lanka and we
must mention that we at Elephant Island
will be delighted to assist you in finding the best place to stay and arrange
excursions to make your stay in Sri
Lanka more meaningful.
We Wish You A Happy
Holiday In Sri Lanka
!!!!!
Images courtesy of:
Pradeep Gunasekera
Dakshina Udayanga
Asanka Fernando
Written by:
Pradeep Gunasekera
Dakshina Udayanga
Asanka Fernando
Written by:
Inoka Karunanada
Travel Consultant
Elephant Island Europe
Limited
Visit Sri Lanka With Elephant Island – The Leading Tour Operator To Sri Lanka
Tel: 0044 (0) 207 100 2323
info@elephant-island.com
Tel: 0044 (0) 207 100 2323
info@elephant-island.com
No comments:
Post a Comment