#05 Beach Hut

Road Sign

Road Sign

#05 Beach Hut is without any doubt the most popular place in town.
Whenever there are just a few visitors in the Bay: They will be at “Beach Hut” for sure; this innovative, artistic place usually is full to capacity. When other places might be empty.

#05 Beach Hut's entrance

#05 Beach Hut's entrance

Together with Ram of Sooriya’s fame and Mr. Rupas of Rupas Cabanas this is the most original establishment visitors since the 1960’s remember Arugam Bay for:
Great super fresh and tasty, inexpensive food often taken together on a BIG table, boarding school like a set set meal, at a set time.
Oil lamps, camp fire, simple but clean rooms, an interesting mix of regular guests, some of which have never missed a single season in quarter of a Century!
You are bound to feel the most memorable, cool vibes anyone can experience, anywhere.

“Beach Hut” is copied by many, but this original, chilled place is very special and nobody will ever succeed with any imitation.
Further “Beach Hut” leaves you with a feeling that it is a LIFESTYLE, rather than just a commercial enterprise.

Did you ever experience “Beach Hut”?
Simply add YOUR own impressions and comments below!

Do you have a memorable photo of your time at “Beach Hut”?
Please sent it to: ArugamFoto@Gmail.com
We will take care and publish it at once!

July 28th, 2008:
The report was published today in the leading Sunday paper, The Sunday Times:
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/080629/TV/tvtimes001.html


‘Ranga’s Beach Hut’: Sun, sand and sea foodBy Sanath Weerasuriya, Pix Nilan Maligaspe

The sunny golden beach of Arugam Bay in Sri Lanka’s East Coast is one of the top attractions in the Sri Lanka’s beach destinations. Arugam Bay, which is located 230 km East of Colombo, is one of the best surfing and tourist destinations in the world.

Though it is world famous, the most significant thing is the absent of star class hotel in the area. Out of popular surfing joints, Ranga’s Beach Hut stands tall among the visitors to the area. Ranga’s Beach Hut started its operation in 1989 with just a restaurant and two Cabanas. After all these years of terrorists threats and 2004 tsunami, the Hut developed into a popular seafood place and now with 7 Cabanas and six standard rooms.

Ranga

The resort is now in full operations and a massive refurbishment is under way to cater to the influx of tourists to Arugam Bay, after the liberation of East.

‘I am certain that the golden beaches of Arugam Bay will soon be another ‘Hikkaduwa’ and the arrivals have gone up since last few months’ said Ranga Krishnarajan, the proprietor with much hope.

The service at Ranga’s Beach Hut is homely. The food delicious, offering the catch of the day straight from the Bay beach, fish, jumbo prawns, king crabs, cuttlefish and lobsters are the name of the day. It makes up the mouth watering menu in addition to the usual Western and Eastern cuisine. Guests are also offered pure curd made of fresh milk available in plenty and fresh fruits at Arugam Bay.

arugam-bay-one.jpg

Ranga’s Beach Hut offers a host of tourist attractions. It lies midway between two popular National Parks, Lahugala National Park and Kumana Bird Sanctuary, which is the eastern border of Yala National Park. Lahugala is only13 k.m. and Kumana Bird Sanctuary is only 30 km from Ranga’s Beach Hut.

A host of heritage sites and ruins dating back to the 5th century are in close proximity to the resort.
They are traditional Panama village, Magul Maha Viharaya Mudu Maha Viharaya and Kudumbi Gala Hermitage, the Oakande Rock and Hindu temple, which is said to be the spot where Sindbad the Sailor ended up after a ship wreck.

arugam-bay-three.jpgarugam-bay-two.jpg

27 Responses to “#05 Beach Hut”


  1. 1 Liz & Dean

    Totally agree with view on beach hut. We have stayed there the last three years in a row including early this year when almost nothing else was standing. Ranga is one the best hosts I have ever stayed with and seems to always attract a great bunch of guests. So much bitchiness around already and he just let‘s the stupid things slide

    Highly recommended

  2. 2 Peter

    Indeed: Ranga & Beach Hut are what we love about Arugambay.
    Old fashioned, relaxed, honest & straight business in a perfect setting.
    Brilliant food, too!

  3. 3 glenn

    Ranga is a legend,a mate and the best host and cook I have ever met.You must have a BeachHut experience just once in your travels.

  4. 4 Matt

    Like any successful place in town, good, gentle Ranga has attracted lazy, jealous so- called competitors.
    Nobody ever comes close to his style!
    We very much hope that he will continue to have the strength, determination and diplomacy to resist all attempts to disrupt his great work in this beautiful, peaceful setting.
    Strange that most bitchiness, as mentioned by Liz & Dean seems to come from the same, Muslim direction all the time.
    Keep up the great work, Ranga!
    You have our full support
    Matt & Betty
    Gold Coast
    Australia

  5. 5 Tom

    hello to anyone watching, me and two friends are coming out to arugam bay in july for a month on the 1st, were looking for a place to stay and this place looks and sounds like the place to be, how do I get in contact with anyone to book? or do we just turn up on the doorstep?? any help would be good. thanks, easy x

  6. 6 Webmistress

    You made a good choice, Monsieur Tom-Tom!
    No.5 Beach Hut is one of the most popular places at Arugam Bay.
    You can reach Ranga, the owner himself on his mobile phone:
    0094 (for Sri Lanka) 773 179 594
    Land lines are at times somewhat ‘temperamental’, but here is the correct number:
    0094 (see above) 63 (for PottuVille) 22 48202
    so from the UK, for example, you would dial:
    0094 63 22 48202
    If you wish to book by e-mail:
    Simply send your request to:
    VisitArugamBay@Gmail.com
    and we will see to it that Ranga gets it and replies to you.
    OK?
    rgds
    Arugam Bay Hotel Association
    (0094 773 200 201 is our Hotline in case you need further info)

  7. 7 Glenn

    hey tom-it would be a good idea tocall ranga as beach hut is THE place to be.
    His no. is 94 63 2248202. He does not have an email that goes to him direct so it is good to call him.
    Try to call outside cooking hours as he is very harried at these times.(7.30-9.30,12.00-2.30,4.00-8.30pm).
    Good luck getting in there as it is a special place-say hi from Glenn-I am there from mid August!
    Glenn

  8. 8 Victor

    This is by Far the best place to be in Arugam Bay. Ranga treated me really good and his kitchen staff is one of the nicest people I have ever met. The environment and atmosphere of Ranga’s Beach Hut is amazing and extremely relaxing. One of the best vacation spots I’ve been for sure.

  9. 9 Normie

    there is something indescribable about the gentle, friendly, community atmosphere here, listen to Glen above, you definately need to have at least one beach hut experience, I met him and he was just such a lovely guy. Ranga was perfect, gentle and attentively helpful, without even noticing he was doing anything all our needs were met, and the feeling of being part of something the moment you are there is a real gem when travelling, I was there for such a short time just 4 days really out of two weeks but loved it the most, not a surfer or a sea goer at all really,(in fact I don’t even think I went swimming which is a bit embarrassing really come to think of it) but the time I spent with the people and sitting at the big table with the amazing company and delicious food it’s almost as if the world comes to meet you there, I can’t recommend enough because of the delighful memories you will take away with you and the gorgeous impression this place will leave on you.Also maybe try out the Sea if you have time!!

  10. 10 Haridev (Shiva)

    Could always live a life time in Ranga Annan’s Beach Hut, Lovely Place and a person with a good heart.

    Cheers!

  11. 11 Sandra ( Italy)

    Hi Hari Dev Shiva

    We heard lot of interesting stories about your Ranga Annan’s Beach Hut.It must be a nice place with lots of juicy stories and entertainments. I heard the guests are well treated with primitive stunts like beating drums, blowing the conch shells and the barbeque carried along the roads in open trays exposing to dust, dirt and flies. His meals must be delicious – what with all the flies, bare bodied sweats and filthy furniture, cutlery and crockery! And for dessert – no, no you have locally turned out blue, blue videos with local belles in abundance. Were you there when the Australian Guy and Ranga the Great were beaten up and taken to the Police. Were you there when the villagers raided the place and wanted to set the place on fire! What did the Mosque decide about this good heart? Why did he fell on all fours and beg for pardon? No doubt you love this holy man keeping all the foreign guys entranced by his gimmicks!

  12. 12 richard

    What do you mean by saying locally turned out blue ?
    are u saying that ranga is a pimp ?

  13. 13 Sandra ( Italy)

    HASSAN JIFFREY ( Potuvil)

    Richard, your guess may be right. We are aware of the incident mentioned by Sandra.The Australian Guy is supposed to have tried to slip out of Katunayake Airport with hundreds of master videos of blue films taken at the above spot by him with the able assistance of ranga. The CID brought the Guy to Arugambay and confronted ranga in his den and the incident mentioned above was witnessed by all the villagers! It is a shame and we have to protect the culture from such vultures.

  14. 14 richard

    sorry cant believe that ranga will do that,
    he is just a sweet guy ,that cant harm nobody ,
    I think you people are just trying to hurt his
    bussines , i dont think arugam bay girls will do
    such things not a hundreds of them ,
    my guess it is just a campaign against the beach hut
    if they have prove against him why he is not in jail
    or chased away by the girls familys ?

  15. 15 Sandra ( Italy)

    HASSAN JIFFREY ( POTUVIL)

    My dear richard, don’t judge people from their appearance. There can be wolves in sheep’s clothing! I don’t have to prove anything. The girls are not from Arugam Bay. They are poor village girls from the Panama Village 15 km from Arugam Bay. they come to work here. And paid extra for the videos by him or the Australian Guy. One of the girls were not paid or not paid the promised amount. She went to the police. and at the same time the Australian Guy was brought with the CDs and the CDs played in a laptop from the CID. The videos showed starts from the Bridge. For more information you could contact the Mosque authorities and the village people. You will know the man behind his mask!

  16. 16 richard

    Dear hassan or sandra or who ever you are ,
    i dont think what you saying is true , maybe its rumers
    Just going around the village ,
    Anyway i cant believe ranga will do that ,after many years
    Of knowing him and his family and staying in the beach hut
    Ranga has helped so many people during these years and I refuse
    To believe he would take part of such a thing ,
    If he has done what you are saying he would be in jail now
    or out of bussines , and as for now he is open and wellcome
    everybody ,

    p.s the mosque dont control arugam bay,srilanka is a free country
    and arugam bay is not a muslim village ,it is a tamil , singalha and a muslim village , and police take care of order not the mosque.

  17. 17 mohamed rafi

    hi richard are you crazy ? what hell your doing? what your think about arugam area ? how to your say arugumbay not a muslim village ?
    your want to see the BF go see the http://www.playboy.com dont inculed the pottuwil mosque guys if your tell agin same comment i will fuck your asssssssssssssss mindit folllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
    ARE YOU HUMAN OR ANI…………..?

  18. 18 Victor

    Hassan… are you crazy?? hahaha You are talking about someone else man! My family knows Ranga for reaking 6 years man!! you are just opening your mouth and sh*t is coming out.. Know what you are talking about first b4 you say anything so stupid and retarded like that.
    What and absurd! He lives with his family in his house, he is a Buddhist and he is against anything bad or evil, and from the sound of it you dont know him AT ALL!!! so shut your yap and go bother someone else!

    Ranga is a loving and carrying person! and I say that from 6 yrs of experience, so dont come telling me otherwise because you are full of crap.

    Ranga’s Beach Hut is one of THE best spots to stay in Arugam Bay.

  19. 19 mohamed rafi

    hai victor i agree with. you now one think hassan 100% crazy about all girls matters so he think he the best in arugumbay area ! he dont no about me ? we will see next(25/12/2009) time in ranga place !
    bye victor

  20. 20 the arab

    Oh dear-just what is going on here? I have known Ranga for almost 20 yrs and I feel deeply saddened by the way people like Sandra and Hassan can destroy a lovely mans’ reputation. Sandra is right about the buffalo taking food to the beach but at 1km an hour the dust is not an issue! As for the flies-there are plenty about but they go to bed at dusk (6.30pm) and dinner is at 8pm so again no issue. Dirty tables and filthy cutlery- point taken but you are exaggerating simply to try to hurt as much as possible so I must ask just what is your agenda?
    So now I come to the main issue-the sex den and blue movies and aussies caught with this and that. What is the name of this despicable Australian? I know the Australians who stay at Ranga’s and none of them remotely resemble the type of person who would do this and out of interest when did all of this happen- I was there until February and saw only a couple of aussies and watched Ranga flat out 16 hours a day in the kitchen so obviously he does not sleep at all if he has time to make 100’s of dirty movies! So lets call a spade a spade-this is just a load of bullcrap and Sandra,if indeed that is your real name, God is watching you and He knows just who is good and who is bad in Arugam Bay. Is Ranga still open for business-YES- is he in prison-NO- is Beach hut a fantastic place to stay-it always has been and as long as Ranga is around always will be. To all who try to destroy something good simply because you are not inteligent enough to operate aviable alternative I can say only this-reputations are made only thru hard work and good service over a long period of time.To all who are reading this and know Ranga as I know him take comfort in the fact that a good person is ALWAYS a good person and these accusations are simply lies-enough said on this sleazy issue!

  21. 21 jimmy

    hai what going on here ? are your take any porn movie here
    you comment like that! hi all guys i tell you one think dont think about ather guys life you do your job & your life pls dont corss any body life ! you now im allso pottuwil city laste 25 years im in pottuwil but now im in greek but somany guys here alldo takeing about ranga hotel he hotel management & he hotel seve……. like okey ! pls dont make any crazy to ranga ! your want make any bis…… go and take a one hotel and manage man why your corss anther party way? WAHT IT NOT REAL NAME IM USEING 2ST NAME SO MISSUNDER…………ME I NEVER ANY JA……. OR ANY PRO….. WITH RANGA
    hai ranga i will wish you all best keepit your lavel dont think about any crazy comment esp………… MR HASSAN ok ranga brother !

  22. 22 Gunnar

    Who is “Sandra (Italy) HASSAN JIFFREY ( POTUVIL)”???
    It seems to be just some very jealous and stupid person. I know, it is not all sunshine in A’bay. If someone is successful then there are envier. In this case it is just more serious. More serious the in the way that this person tries to discredit a business competitor in a very bad way. If he is not able to do business in a proper and nice way, this will not help.
    No proof for any claims! And no truth at all! No! Just nothing!
    If this jealous person is a member of the Muslim community of A’bay then I must say he is also trying to give the Muslims and Islam (he is mentioning the Mosque as the competed authority) here a bad name.
    He can hoodwink the people, but not god! May god have mercy on his soul.

    About the situation at the “Beach Hut”, please read all the articles before the so called “Sandra (Italy)” !!

    What is there more to say? Ranga’s Beach Hut is the first choice in A’bay!

  23. 23 jimy

    yes guy i agree with your comment
    $$$$ i want to come ranga hotel how can i book hotel room in online i dint seen any link to ranga hotel i mean booking link so pls infor to me i will be there next month but i want to meet mr:hassan & mahason allso
    we will see in ranga brother hotel!
    jimy
    mohamed_rafi_85@yahoo.co.uk
    217.8.71.214
    http://mmr.socialgo.com

  24. 24 janu

    hei all are crazy i have been in arugambay since 69 years. i know all about this..so you dont care it..its all Hilton self…the Hilton Authorized got a BF and make fucking enviornment in Arugambay.they have a master key for all room and there are robbering the think of all the tourist and visitors…i lost my 20000 Dollars……..can you bleive it!its true…………dont go to the Hilton that can i suggest to you
    bye enjoy in Arugambay

  25. 25 jimmy

    hi do your job! dont invo………. any guys ok my dear!

  26. 26 Haridev (Shiva)

    Dear all,

    First thing that I say is somebody is really worried and jealous about Ranga’s business, that’s for sure….Hello Sandra and Hassan, Any plans to start up a Hotel? I don’t think so and will be successful coz you spend more time bothering about other people but most importantly being Jealous. You have to spend more time in the Kitchen if you want to run a Restaurant like Ranga’s but not spending more time to write these bullshit comments.

    The other thing is that you have missed so many comments from the people who have really enjoyed staying there but they will just ever never want to comment on you foolish people’s comments because they know which is the best place.

    One advice that I can give you is “Spend more time to improve yourself then there’s no time for you to criticize others”

    Haha nice one Huh?

    My shower of wishes to Beach Hut Family

    Shiva

  27. 27 Catherine

    hello !
    Please , can you make this e-mail reach the good personn from RANGA staff . Thank you

    Is it possible to book 1 hut for 3 people (mr,mrs,miss)
    in ” RANGA BEACH HUT” from 9 jully for 2 or 3 weeks ?
    How much does a hut cost for a night ?
    Is one hut room enough for 3 people : we are 1 couple + 1 miss 12 years old .

    can you answer my mail to help me to plan my travel:
    douteau.catherine@wanadoo.fr

    FRIENDLY
    DOUTEAU FAVROU FAMILY
    sorry ,i don’t speak a very good english .
    so, excuse me for langage’ faullts
    douteau.catherine@wanadoo.fr

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