Q? Q? Q? : Is it safe? Should I travel?
As from today, you will find here, on Arugam.info No.1 position all related issues, discussions and local observations concerning travel security.
Arugam.info has only just realised that Safety Concerns are foremost in your mind!
We thank you for your feed back, suggestions and emails, pointing this out to us.
Rather than giving you our subjective opinion, we are herewith inviting all ‘Insiders’ and recent travelers to post THEIR observations, views, experiences and advice for all to see and share.
Simply click the Comment box below and have your say!
AbaY at its Best
Surf Forecast for Arugam Bay in real time on magicseaweed.com
Press Coverage of the situation in Arugam Bay
Link to the old website of the Arugam Bay Hotel Association
Huge and often updated photo collection from Arugam Bay
Former Discussion Forum - now replaced by arugam.info
AbaY Hotel Intro
- # Introduction to all AbaY 'Hotels' To give some idea of their location, all 'hotels' are numbered. Beginning with #001 at the bridge, Northern end of Arugam Bay
- #001 Star Restaurant
- #01 Stardust Hotel
- #02 Rainbow Village
- #03 Galaxy Lounge
- #04 AbaY Beach Resort
- #05 Beach Hut
- #06 Hotel Sea Shore
- #07 Friendship Restaurant
- #08 Tiffany Hotel
- #09 Water Music
- #10 Nishantha Restaurant
- #11 Nestha Resaturnat
- #12 Sam's Hut
- #13 Waves of Love
- #14 Rock View Beach Hotel
- #15 Tsunami Hotel
- #16 Midbay Hotel
- #17 Tropicana Hotel
- #18 Sea Wind Hotel
- #19 Sea Rock Hotel
- #20 Aloha Cabanas
- #21 Danish Villa
- #22 Roccos Hotel
- #23 Food Garden Restaurant
- #24 Nina Cabanas
- #25 Lucky Leprechaun Hotel
- #26 Farath Guest House
- #27 Mermaid Village
- #28 Why Not? Restaurant
- #29 Ali's Restaurant
- #30 Blue Ocean Hotel
- #31 Royal Garden Hotel
- #32 Tri Star Hotel
- #33 Sunrise Hotel
- #34 Orient Beach Restaurant
- #35 Shanoon Beach Resort
- #36 Zara Beach Rest
- #37 Hideaway Hotel
- #38 Cafe del Mar
- #39 Hillton Hotel
- #40 Hello Madam & Gekko Restaurant
- #41 Surf & Sun Resort
- #42 Deen's Hotel
- #43 Home Needs Shop
- #44 East Beach Hotel
- #45 Sooriya's Hotel
- #46 AbaY Surf Shop
- #47 Hawkys Surf Shop
- #48 Sano Hotel
- #49 Perera's Restaurant
- #50 Siam View Hotel -SVH-
- #51 Hangloose Hotel
- #52 Subashi Beer Bar
- #53 Meena's Beer Bar
- #54 Shashni Beach Resort
- #55 Seven Sea Restaurant
- #56 Tharaka Restaurant
- #57 Beach View
- #58 Rupas Cabanas
- #59 Ruwangi Place Restaurant
- #60 Lahiru Place Hotel
- #61 Fishing Net Hotel
- #62 Palm Grove Holiday Inn
- #68 Mambo's Chill Out Surf Cafe A small Hikkaduwa resort at Arugam Bay
- #69 East Surf Cabanas
AbaY Hotel web site links
- Siam View Hotel The only Thai sea side resort in Ceylon
- Hillton Hotel Rahim's Hillton Hotel
- Stardust Hotel A top Danish managed resort
- PottuVille Point Resort Invest and relax nr. AbaY!
- Rupas Hotel Rupas Hotel & Restaurant
- Galaxy Lounge Galaxy Lounge Hotel
- Roccos Hotel Roccos Beach Front Hotel
- Tsunami Hotel, AbaY Est. 1999
- The Danish Villa Colonial style bungalow for rent
- Aloha Cabanas Tom Rieder's Aloha Cabanas
Best Photos of AbaY
- Walk from the Bridge to the end of AbaY 2007 Let us be your eyes and take a stroll!
- Romantic Arugam Bay Love photo selection
- Surf Photos of Arugam Bay Best Surfing photos 2007
- Arugam Bay Wild Life Wild Life selection photos
- Fun in Arugam Bay Having a good time in AbaY
- Is AbaY Dangerous? No Problem!
- Loving Couples are happy at Arugam bay People deeply in LOVE come to AbaY. Why?
- Party at Arugam Bay AbaY: An ideal Party resort!
- Another walk on the wild life Wild Photos
- PottuVille Point Photo Impresions The Point nr. Arugam Bay - Sri Lanka's finest resort to be
Blogs
- Arugam Bay Tour & Travel blog Tourist Services guide and local PR
- CASP rebuild Ampara blog PR on CASP ideas of rebuilding Ampara
- Cerno - A blog by a Sri Lankan in Sri Lanka Cerno. A blog by a Sri Lankan who lived abroad
- Frazer's Blog A UNOPs guys experiences on the East Coast
- Janis Kirpitis Blog - partly in Latvian Janis impressions as he assisted "Help" NGO
- Jessica Lees Blog A US lady's views, vision and experiences
- Jo-Anne Liburd's S.L. Impressions Jo-Anne is a Canadian working for Sewage Lanka
- Lanka Page Inside the smoking gun of Sri Lanka
- Papersurfer Papersurfer
- Sports sans Frontieres Niccolas au PottuVille - in French
Commercial Attacks
- Arson, murder, looting attacks in Sri Lanka non-political, but commercial dispute stories
Deutsche Freunde
- Excelent Simple Wisdom Simple Wisdom - Florian & Daniella
- German supporters of Ceylon and AbaY SLB - Sri Lanka Board
- Lanka First Web Site Lanka First- Country Information
- Reisespinne Global Travel Forum in German Language
- Saffa Org Situation in Arugam Bay
- Sri Lanka Forum Information & Discussions in German language
- Sri Lanka Info (In German) Neue Version des 'Spider' Forum Romanums
Friends
- Andrea Quintarelli in AbaY Croix Rouge and Italian fund raiser A. Q.
- Arugam Bay Tourist Association Mercy Corps sponsored site
- Cerno - A blog by a Sri Lankan in Sri Lanka Cerno. A blog by a Sri Lankan who lived abroad
- Hilltop Survivor Project Post Dec. 2004 survivor's Group
- paddle4relief Tim's private help for Arugam Bay
- Paddle4Relief Small, effivient private help organization
- Responsible Tourism Partnership Promoting good Tourism in Sri Lanka
- Supporting children through art Kids Card project and other help for AbaY
Home, Cooking, Recipes
- Somlak's Kitchen site Asian Cooking made easy
Literature about AbaY
- Der Krokodil Felsen A Book about Arugam Bay
Religious blogs
- Ancient sites are mentioned Magul Maha Vihara, Lahuga is promoted
- PottuVille Prayer Times Mosque Times at Arugam Bay and PottuVille
Safaries & Wild Life
Sri Lanka's Wild life Experts- Eco Guide Association CEGA AbaY Tour Guides
- Lahugala National Park THE home of Sri Lanka's wild Elephants
Stop over suggestions
- Suryanamaska Angela's Hotel near kandy
- Tree Tops Jungle Lodge Adventure near Buutala
Surf & Weather Info.
- Elephant Rock Surf Break Info by Wannasurf Wannasurf Info on Elephant Roack
- Okanda Surf Info by Wannasurf Wannasurf Info on Okanda Surf Break
- Peanut Farm Surf Info by Wannasurf Wannasurf Info on Peanut Farm break
- Storms, Typhoons, Clouds Real Time Satellite Views of Asia
- Surf Forecast by Magic Seaweed Surf & Swell Predictions and reports
- Wannasurf Info on Arugam Bay main break Arugam Bay Main Break Surf Info by Wannasurf
- Wannasurf Info on PottuVille Point break PottuVille Point Surf Info by Wannasurf
- Wind Guru Kite- and Wind Surf Information
Taxi Sharing
- ArugamTaxi@Gmail.com Throntree Taxi suggestions
Traveller's Reports
- Thorntree Lonely Planet
Weather at Arugam Bay
- INDIA METEOROLOGICAL DEPT INDIA METEOROLOGICAL DEPT
- Weather Satellite Picture in Real time Weather Satellite (India & Sri Lanka)
Arugam Bay Photo Gallery
Do I think it is safe for any foreigner to visit and travel around Sri Lanka?
YES! I do think SL is still a VERY safe place! Unless you happen to be Sri Lankan that is……
Danger?
Military targets, the North, the NorthEast may better be avoided.
I personally see the biggest danger to be forthcoming civil unrests, or Community riots.
Any new outrage will ignite old grudges, and we will see mob rule a la 1983 again.
This could happen very soon I fear.
Anybody caught up in such an aggressive crowd should take special care!
An added big danger is that authorities may choose to fail to contain violence. Such a lawless, emotionally highly charged and -free-for-all situation will give rise and a perfect excuse to carry out criminal activities, such as thefts and robberies, llotings and even murders.
Jealouscy is a common problem, specially in Sri Lanka. The Sudu Visitor may be seen as being rich…..and mob rule is a good excuse for some criminal elements to rob or just trouble YOU.
A situation where a mere visitor is caught up in a bomb or suicide mission still is a very small risk, in my mind.
In sharp contrast to Egypt, Turkey, Bali and in many other popular resorts nobody wishes to harm a foreigner here.
To be attacked by a rogue elephant, to be knocked over by a speeding NGO Jeep or have a coconut fall on your head is far more likely to happen these days.
Indeed, the sheer presence of a white face on a planned strategic location might even prevent an attack opon it, at least for the time being, until the reverend vistor has moved out of sight and danger.
I have personal experience of inpromptu cease-fires - warriers allowing my safe passage of elephant pass on my frequent travels to Jaffna. As soon as I was out of sight, the vicious shelling resumed…
Your visit could therefore be seen as a contribution to peace - with no realistic danger to yourself.
Also remember: The Island is mainly rural and perfectly calm in any event!
Hi Friends of Abay
We just stayed 2 nights (only) at SVH. After Valaichenai and Batticaloa it looks really much safer in Abay
BUT:
It’s not so nice when you move in the surroundings of Abay. Between bushes and trees you often will see some guns “shining” through. For first-time-visitors I would not recommend this experience.
Peace for SriLanka!