Sri Lanka's hidden Pearl
…. Arugam Bay is a beautiful coastal town…..
We had toured Hambantota while visiting the Yala area and I wanted to share some pictures of of this southern coastal town before taking you on a journey up the east coast. ![[Nil.JPG]](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XvX4YMxuOoc/S3fSBw5U-_I/AAAAAAAAFy4/f2gWScnNitY/S220/Nil.JPG)
Hambantota is the salt producing capital of Sri Lanka, which happens to be the electorate of the current President. Continue reading ‘Hambantota, Kataragama & the Road to Arugam Bay’
Sail Sri Lanka http://www.sailsrilanka.com/ Introducing a New Regular ferry service Arugam-Basses-Bondives End up on the New “Foreigners Only” Island off Hambantot
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/140119/business-times/foreigners-only-island-off-hambantota-80015.html Then: Visit the Great and little Basses reefs & lighthouses! And then cruise onwards To to the almost
unknown Islands of The Bondives. As from 1st April 2014, cruises leave Arugam Bay every Sunday to arrive at the vibrant port of Feemal on Monday afternoon. The Basses: Great Basses Reef Lighthouse is an offshore lighthouse in the south of Sri Lanka, and it is operated and maintained by the Sri Lanka Navy. It is located on a reef 13 km off the coast of Yala National Park, near Little Basses Reef Lighthouse. It is accessible only by boat. The two Basses lighthouses, ‘Great’ and ‘Little’, are among the most famous offshore lighthouses of Asia.
The lighthouse was designed by Alexander Gordon and Sir James Nicholas Douglass in 1867. Each block weighs 2 to 3 tons.[1] It withstood the force of the tsunami with only modest damage; it was repaired with assistance from the UK lighthouse authorities Trinity House and TheNorthern Lighthouse Board.
The reef is the site of the Great Basses wreck, an early 18th-century wreck of an Indian ship, carrying a treasureof silver rupees, that was discovered by Arthur C. Clarkeand Mike Wilson in 1961. Great diving opportunities exist here! ********************************************** Sail Onwards to:
Lankaila pumps in Rs. 160m, acquires sixth local hotel
In addition to their recent acquirement of the iconic Peacock Hotel in Hambantota, this Singapore / Sri Lankan group has shown Full Confidence in remote Arugam Bay.
Being a true, All-Year-Round Tourist Destination.
Lankaila comprising a consortium of investors from Sri Lanka and Singapore made its sixth acquisition in the local hotel sector when they took an 80% controlling stake of Balaji Ocean Hotel, Arugam Bay pumping in over Rs. 160 million.
“We have already made investments of over USD 8 million for seven more such acquisitions so far,” said Chairman Lankaila, Dhakshitha Bogollagama. The Balaji acquisition mark their presence in the eastern coast of Sri Lanka.
“We have also allocated over USD 50 million to further invest in other hotels. These investments amply demonstrates the confidence the company has in the stability and tourism segment of Sri Lanka and we are looking at more Hotels to invest in collaboration with local investors.
“We have access to international funding, technology and believe in mutual synergy and cooperation to work with Sri Lankan companies together and to provide them with the funds, technology and international networks to grow,” he said.
Lankaila with their partner company Zeta which is the first in the world to provide a proprietary platform that integrates digital marketing to booking operations to finance will also help their assorted hotels to upgrade standards.
“This permits hotels to increase revenue through direct sales and digital marketing, and reduce costs through technology with a state of the art Hotel management system based out of Singapore,” Bogollagama said.
Ceybook.com is their own booking website which has its own payment gateway and one and only Sri Lankan Online Travel Agency (“OTA”) type booking platforms.
Ceybook is also a hotel cloud hotel management platform which can control hotels remotely which includes staff management, Guest check in, check out, accounting and all in one.
“They are also looking to provide similar operations, management and marketing support to other Hotels across Sri Lanka,” he said.
Their Digital Concierge service “DCS” will be the world’s first digital concierge service to all tourists into Sri Lanka. DCS will provide help and support to tourists on arrival, through their journey in Sri Lanka up to the point of departure.
Source:
https://www.sundayobserver.lk/2023/03/19/business/lankaila-pumps-rs-160m-acquires-sixth-local-hotel
Therea??s not much toA?ARUGAM BAY village itself: just a single main road running parallel to the beach dotted with guesthouses, cafA?s and shops, including some of Arugam Baya??s trademark quirky homespun architectural creations a?? rustic palm-thatch cabanas, teetering treehouses and other quaint structures (not to mention the distinctive wooden pavilion restaurant and red British telephone box of the landmarkA?Siam View Hotel ).
TheA?beach is now looking better than ever following recent clearances during which the authorities ordered the removal of all buildings within 20m of the waterline (albeit at considerable cost to local hoteliers and other residents, who were forced to watch as the government bulldozers rolled in and summarily razed significant slices of prized real estate).
A-Bay also marks the rough border between the Sinhalese-majority areas to the south and the mainly Tamil and Muslim areas further up the coast, and boasts an unusually eclectic but harmonious mix of all three ethnic groups a?? as well as a growing number of Western expats. Fears that the villagea??s uniquely (for Sri Lanka) alternative and slightly off-the-wall character will be erased by larger and more mainstream tourism developments remain, however, especially given the forthcoming opening of the newA?Hambantota airport, which will make the village significantly easier to reach for international visitors. For the time being, however, Arugam Bay preserves its own enjoyably eccentric charm.
EasygoingA?Arugam Bay is by far the most engaging of the east coasta??s resorts. A-Bay, as ita??s often known, has long been popular with theA?surfing fraternity, who come here to ride what are generally acknowledged to be the best waves in Sri Lanka. Ita??s also a good launching-pad from which to explore the gorgeous surrounding countryside and its varied attractions, from the elephant-richA?Lahugala National Park and the little-visitedA?Yala East National Park to the atmospheric forest hermitage atA?Kudimbigala.
With waves fresh from Antarctica crashing up onto the beach, Arugam Bay is sometimes claimed to be one of the top tenA?surf points in the world, and periodically plays host to international tournaments. TheA?best time for surfing is between April and Oct/Nov.
There are several breaks close to Arugam Bay, plus others further afield. The biggest wavesA?in A-Bay itself are atA?The Point Continue reading ‘Rough Guide to AbaY’
Inauguration planned for this year :
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By Shirajiv Sirimane
….”Tourists who will arrive in Mattala will also have minimum transit times to holiday destinations such as Nuwara Eliya and Arugam Bay.”….
Model / artist Impression of the New Airport
With Sri Lanka aiming for a golden double of one million tourists and one million US dollars in revenue from tourism, and the country targeting nearly two billion US
dollars in foreign direct investments and many developments taking place in Hambantota, a second airport was a crying need for almost a decade. Several new airlines too want to include Sri Lanka in their radar while the existing operators want to add capacity; hence, a second airport was a long-felt need.
Though a second airport was discussed for many years, lack of finances and proper planning was a gray area. Finally, President Mahinda Rajapaksa secured a loan of US$ 190 million from the Chinese government to get the project off the ground.
Realising the importance of this project and its financial viability, Airport and Aviation Services of Sri Lanka, motivated by its Chairman Prasanna Wickramasuriya, also invested US$ 19 million for the project to get off the ground.
The construction of Sri Lankaa??s second international airport at Mattala is right on track and would be ready by the end of this year. Aviation Minister Priyankara Jayaratne is also keen that this project is completed on schedule and is monitoring the progress and wooing investors and airlines.
The biggest advantage this airport has is sea and air cargo transshipment with the Hambantota Port a few kilometres away. The proposed International Container Terminal with all modern facilities is another advantage to develop Hambantota as a cargo hub, opening many opportunities to investors.
Investment opportunities also exist in direct aviation related ventures such as aircraft MROs, aircraft painting, and flying schools as well as in related trades such as hospitality, tourism, freight forwarding and courier services.
The Mattala airport will also stress on having 60 percent of flights for cargo and 40 percent for passengers; these ratios will also be increased with the passage of time.
Progress of the control tower
Hence, the airport will be used as a principal cargo hub where vegetable and fruit exporters in southern Sri Lanka will get an opportunity to export their perishable produce to the Gulf with the minimum transit times. Tourists who will arrive in Mattala will also have minimum transit times to holiday destinations such as Nuwara Eliya and Arugam Bay.
Chairman Wickramasuriya said the airport would be the only environment friendly airport in South Asia and the Government would be targeting a??Green Statusa?? as well. Continue reading ‘“Arugam Bay” International Airport’
Hambantota - Panama - Arugam Bay. - Batticaloa?
popular surfing destination in the East coast,
Arugam Bay. Hambantota district parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa has revealed in the parliament Friday that the government has taken a policy decision to build a direct expressway and a rail line parallel to the road. Situated to the 310 kilometers east of Colombo, Arugam Bay is a fishing village in the dry zone of Sri Lanka’s southeast coast. It is known as a popular surfing and tourist destination for its best surf. The government is developing the Southern port city of Hambantota as a metropolis away from the capital Colombo. The second international airport currently under construction near Hambantota is expected to be operational by the end of 2012.
Progress. Unstoppable
……. Tourists who will arrive there will also have the minimum transit times to holiday destinations such as Nuwara Eliya and Arugam Bay……
Billed to be South Asiaa??s only environmental friendly airport :
a??Mattala airport to be tourism, cargo hub end 2012a??
Foundation stone laying ceremony for main passenger terminal today
Ravi Ladduwahetty
The $ 209 million Mattala airport, will be converted to a tourism and cargo hub for Southern Province which will be a boon to the tourism and export industries.
Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa will lay the foundation stone for the construction of the main passenger terminal building today while Aviation Minister Priyankara Jayaratne and Hambantota District Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa will also be present.
Artist Impression of the New Southern Airport
Invest in the East
The East Coast of Sri Lanka which runs from Arugam Bay, past Trincomalee and up to Nilaveli beach has finally come of age with a surge in interest from holiday makers and investors. Boasting some of the most beautiful beaches on the island, rich coral reefs and what some consider being one of the top ten surf spots in the world, the East Coast stands out from the crowd.
The peak season along this coastline runs from March to October which marries well with the west and south coast peak seasons which extend from October to April. In addition to beach activities, the East Coast is recognized for its ancient cultural sites including Koneswaram Kovil and Buddhist rock sculptures at Buduruwagala and Maligavila.
Admins Note: This seems to be a well researched and well presented advert by a property Company. Contact details shown below. Potential investors are advised to avoid traps and pitfalls. Further, impartial, non-commercial, but objective advice can be gained by contacting: arugam.info@gmail.com Continue reading ‘The East Coast of Sri Lanka is Ripe for Investment’
Could you tell us about the Arugam Bay Tourist Association? What is its role in promoting tourism in Arugam Bay?
Mr.M A H Rahim
Regarded as one of the best surfing destinations in the world, Arugam Bay is increasingly attracting both local and foreign visitors to its shores. Plans are now underway to develop a quaint village, located in Pottuvil in the Ampara District to offer enhanced services and facilities to the tourists. However, M H A Raheem, Chairman of the Arugam Bay Tourist Association, believes that such plans could have drastic consequences if they fail to take into account and protect the local community and the natural assets of Arugam Bay.
By Madhushala Senaratne | Photography by Mahesh Bandara Price for cytoxan
Lengthy Interview with Mr. M H A Rahim. Read the full text:
The tourism industry was destroyed as a result of the tsunami and the community did not know what to do. Thus, we got together and formed a small team to work with the NGOs who were coming into support Arugam Bay. For example, when the USAID Mission Director came to Arugam Bay following the tsunami, they were committed to implement any major project in the area and inquired into our needs. Although many asked for funds, the Association had the foresight to request that they build roads, bridges and water schemes. Consequently, they constructed a bridge and a water tank for the area.
When we started this Association, we had only 15 members. Gradually, it has evolved into a larger umbrella organisation for tourism in Arugam Bay. Currently, we have nearly 16 societies working together, including the Farmer’s Organisation, the women development societies, Pre-School societies and the Cattle Farm Association. In turn, we are working with all the government and local authorities, Tourism Ministry and NGOs. Continue reading ‘ARUGAM BAY SURFING INTO THE FUTURE’
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Coastal tourism, a main attraction among overseas tourists
Tourism industry diversified for rural upliftAriya Rubasinghe Sri Lanka is popular for attracting foreigners since ancient times. Marco Polo described Sri Lanka as a??the finest island for its size in all the worlda??. Tourism has become the most vibrant sector of Sri Lanka following the end of war. Tourist arrivals have increased immensely providing a huge boost to the countrya??s economic growth. Following the end of the war upto January end, nearly 400,000 tourists have visited Sri Lanka. It is targeted to attract 1.5 million tourists by the end of this year and the year 2011 has been declared a??Visit Sri Lanka Yeara??. The Governmenta??s vision is to make Sri Lanka the foremost leisure destination in the South Asian region. Sri Lanka is planning to promote its attractions during the 2011 World Cup scheduled to be held in February and March 2011. Continue reading ‘Arugam. Tourism diversifies’ |
Dharma Sri Abeyratne
A suitable choice of date for a Tsunami drill?
A tsunami preparedness rehearsal Buy cheap caverta will be held on December 26, Generic for keflex Saturday at 3.00 p.m. in 10 districts, Disaster Management Centre Director General Major General Gamini Hettiarachchi said.
Original 1999 Hotel sign. File photo
Tsunami preparedness rehearsals are held from time to time in various areas along the coastal belt so as to make the public aware regarding natural disasters which bring much havoc to human beings and resources.
Under this Tsunami preparedness exercise a single town has been selected from 10 districts amounting to 10 towns. The towns are Gampaha, Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Puttalam, Galle, Kalutara, Matara, Ampara, Hambantota and Colombo. Under this drill people will be evacuated from the selected 10 towns to places of safety identified earlier.
Sri Lanka is blessed with the azure waters of the Indian Ocean, which lap the entire 1,585 kilometres of the coastline. This, together with the two seasonal monsoons that hit each side of the island at different times of the year, means that water sports such asA?Windsurfing can be indulged in at any time.
Windsurfing began in America sometime in the early 70s after the discovery that a mast located on a swivelling pivot could be used to steer a small sailing craft by using body weight instead of a rudder. The first boards made their way to Sri Lanka in the late 70s, when a group of Swedish holidaymakers decided to try to bring them along on vacation. After this more and more tourists started bringing boards, some of which were intentionally left behind. It was these boards that west coast locals used to learn the sport for themselves. Continue reading ‘Windsurfing Arugam Bay’
Average cost of wellbutrin xl Order vytorin medicine ‘Sudu Amma visited Panama and Arugam Bay in Eastern Province distributing food, medicine, clothing and other necessary items for the displaced families.”
File photo: Rotary Club Glasses for the needy
Amarapura Saddharma Yukthika (Matara) Maha Nikaya with the consent of its Karaka Sangha Sabha conferred the honorary title ‘Sri Lanka Samaja Seva Shiromani’ on Waltrand Katharina Klett, a German philanthropist recently at a ceremony held at Purvarama Viharaya, Purvarama Place, Colombo 12. Continue reading ‘German philanthropist in Arugam Bay’
Mon, Aug 31, 2009, 08:38 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Aug 31, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights will be testing the pre-tsunami danger warning tower system Tuesday, September 1st. Purchase ralista 6
The government has recently installed fifty Tsunami Towers through out the country.
S.L. Government Tsunami Warning Tower situated on a hill overlooking Arugam Bay
The Towers are expected to provide early warning messages to coastal communities who are vulnerable to tsunamis.
Several sirens are fixed at the towers and warnings will be issued once information of a tsunami threat has been received. Danger warning messages will be issued in several languages and a danger warning alarm will also be sounded soon after receiving the tsunami alert.
The warning towers are incorporated into the national tsunami warning system and work in conjunction with existing infrastructure operated by the Disaster Management Center (DMC) in Colombo and the Department of Meteorology.
According to the Ministry, the testing of the pre-tsunami danger warning towers in the Kalutara district will be conducted from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. tomorrow. Buy cyklokapron uses
The testing of towers in the districts of the Colombo, Gampaha, Puttalam, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Ampara, Hambantota, Matara and Galle will take place on the 19th.
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Japan will strengthen and expand trade ties with Sri Lanka in the tourism, fisheries, agriculture and aqua sports sectors. A Japanese trade delegation recently met Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake, BOI and RDA officials and also visited the Agro-Tourism project in Hambantota recently with the newly appointed Consul General for Sri Lanka in Osaka, Japan, D.W. Aluthgamage. a??The main objective of the visit was to strengthen and expand trade ties between Japan and Sri Lanka in the sectors of trade, tourism, fisheries, agriculture, aqua sports and other fields. Continue reading ‘Spectacular Arugam Bay … (Japan)’ |
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