Sri Lanka's hidden pearl
New Year's fire at Arugam Bay beach
Arugam Bay New Year‘s celebrations were peaceful, quiet and romantic.
However, residents and visitors were shaken by a totally unexpected fireworks display late on New Year’s day.
The fire started in some fishing huts in the middle of the Bay.
The popular “#38 Cafe del Mar” next door was engulfed soon and the blaze looked like Continue reading ‘New Year’s Blast at Arugambay’
Next week is Poya – a very Looooong weekend.
It’s the Height of this year’s season!
Arugam.info has been flooded with requests.
When will the next FMP at Arugam Bay take place?
Where and when is it going to be?
Will there be live music and entertainers?
Arugam's traditional Full Moon Party
Frankly, we don’t know what we can do, say or answer! Continue reading ‘A Dead End: Arugam Bay’
(1)Arugam Bay’s traditional Mid-Year walk from end-to-end of AbaY:
#0001 Seasands
http://picasaweb.google.com/arugamsurf/ArugamBayWalk2009#
Do you like to try your luck and spot any “progress”:
Here are links to the same-same walk of previous years:
http://picasaweb.google.com/arugamsurf/AbaYWalk2008#
http://picasaweb.google.com/arugamsurf/AbaYWalk2007#
Note:
There are changes and various improvements 2009.
Now we show not only the road/street sign.But also at least one impression of the establishment as well.
This years walk was conducted by Mr. Tavis Fu, a volunteer from Taiwan.
Links and introductions on this page (arugam.info), shown right below will be updated asap. Please allow 1 week.
By Sanath Weerasuriya
Haldumulla, though is not a popular tourist destination, is fast becoming a major transit point to Arugam Bay and Pottuvil in the Eastern Province. ‘Mount Field Cottage’ is the latest and the most modern addition to the area of mild weather. Located in the 20 acre land in the silent village of Haldumulla, beside of the Colombo- Badulla highway, Mount Field Cottage is an ideal place to spend a relaxed holiday.
 |
Just fourteen months old, ‘Mount Field Cottage’ has managed to attract the attention of Sri Lankan travellers with their nature friendly environment and luxury room service. The place is more popular with honeymooners throughout the year.
It has tastefully designed 15 cottages built towards the peak of the mountain with a panoramic view of mountains and surrounded by rock greeneries. In addition to the Cottages, main bungalow caters to luxury living. Continue reading ‘Close to nature’
It was the first time for our gang to Arugam Bay - Dinesh, Keshini, Shanil and Magda. 
What a wonderful experience we had. Arugam Bay is not a place just for the surfers – it’s for everyone – it’s truly paradise.
Highlights
ü Surfing in the wee hours of the morning with just paradise around us
ü Waking up on a hammock in the afternoon and realizing ‘it’s windy’ and we can kitesurf on the turquoise blue ocean
ü Walking through the night to reach Elephant Rock and take photos of the most amazing sunrise
ü Spending time ad sharing a beer with our local surfer Richard at his humble yet very welcome surf pad at the main surf point
ü Midnight sea swim under full moon
ü Heading to Muhudu Maha Viharaya in the night, chatting with the lone Buddhist monk and marveling at the structures built over 2,000 years ago
ü CChilling and watching Surf Movies with Fred at SVH; Saman, Minna and having their awesome pizzas; Ramesh, Liz having their out of this world homemade chocolate ice cream and chocolate fudge cake
It’s certainly raw, but it is beautiful. Arugam Bay, that’s where I want to be… in a couple of weeks perhaps…again, we’ll be there.
Dilsiri Welikala
Arugambay is full of places to stay. None of them are super posh but they’re usually cheap. LKR 700 was the cheapest rate I was quoted and LKR 5000 was the most expensive.
To find a place to stay, we just walked along the beach south from Stardust, walking into beach front guest houses and hotels and checking them out. Continue reading ‘Arugam Bay Guide 2 – Hotels and Restaurants’
Arugambay is a lot like Hikkaduwa. The accomodation is cheap but the majority of places are holes. They have fancy names (#39 Hillton!) and big, digitally printed signboards but are still holes.
Originally, when we decided to go there for the long, long weekend, I’d booked into Ranga’s #05 Beach Hut. When my wife found out Ranga’s had shared bathrooms, she had a fit, called me unspeakable names, names a wife should just not call a husband, and booked a place she found on the web called Galaxy Lounge. Continue reading ‘#03 Galaxy Lounge’
(Text by BEVERLEY JANSZ) The sunny golden beaches of Arugambay in Sri Lanka’s East Coast, which was almost devoid of tourists for the last 20 years due to the ethnic conflict, has come alive again. It is back to sun, sea and sand for both foreign and local tourists in their numbers in the wake of the Government’s peace initiative.
Chairman, Arugambay Beach Resort, Dr. Param sothi, who built the resort over 20 years ago, but was unable to even visit it for over 10 years due to the ethnic war, was all smiles and showed signs of relief. Continue reading ‘#04 Arugam Beach Resort’
While staying in the tsunami afflicted village of Arugam Bay on Sri Lanka’s east coast, we were asked to help painting a hotel door. We tried our best to make Mohammed another satisfied customer of Lehni-Trüb.
Project by Lehni-Trüb.
source:
http://kevinwadeshaw.blogspot.com/2009/02/sunrise-beach-hotel.html
#05 Beach Hut
My favorite place in Sri Lanka!!!!!!!!!
submitted by: pankrath@help-ev.de
arugamfoto@gmail.com
wishes to thank Mr. Pankrath for his submission above
Please feel free to send YOUR best impressions for publication to the above E-mail address!
#70 Upali’s Surf Cafe is the nearest place to famous Surf Point.
Right behind a huge sand dune, looking across to the Northern End of Arugam Bay.
This great place is more a way of life, than a commercial enterprise.
It certainly is situated right as a jewel in the crown of Arugam Bay; right on the tip of the peninsular.
A brief background:
This small family run Cafe offers not much more than a few local drinks, like milk tea, fruit juices and the odd Jaffle.
There is no accommodation to speak of, the first and proper shower, outdoors, is nearing completion late 2008 – after years of ‘Construction’.
Not so easy, as it may seem: There is no electricity installed so far.
And the few donated generators and not present, for whatever reasons.
There are two main characters associated with #70, and that is certainly what they are:
1.) Mr. “V.J.”
Known for his distinctive way of expression and his Super motorbike
2.) Mr. Richard
Known to be an excellent masseur. He has learned his skill from a Japanese friend it is said
Brief History:
A family run business, on the same spot for many years.
There is a sad story from long time ago associated with #70 Surf Cafe; the case remains open
More recently, the Forrest Department as well as the CCD (Coast Conservation Dept.) have planted some markers around this prime spot. Suspicions run high that authorities are planning a sort of top class hotel nearby…….
In the middle of the year, we supposed to have “High Season” at Arugam Bay.
Every July, Arugam. info walks from bridge to bridge, simply armed with a little camera.
This year we have a new USAIDs bridge to the North of our hamlet.
The Southern, Panama end bridge remains in poor shape.
Over the years every single sign and sign post has been documented in that way.
You are welcome to compare each year and study the ‘progress’ – or the opposite thereof…!?
Since 2005 the files are in Arugam.info ‘s our Picasa Album, see link below.
http://picasaweb.google.com/arugamsurf/AbaYWalk2008
| By 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.
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. 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. |
 |
 East Coast
|
 |
East Coast Surf
Sri Lanka’s east coast gets swell from the southern Indian Ocean, and is best from May to September when the prevailing wind is offshore every morning. The beach break in front of the Stardust Hotel can be OK for body surfing, but the best waves are right-hand point breaks.
Well-known Arugam Point (“The Point”) is a 15-minute walk from the hotel. Pottuvil Point and Crocodile Rock (“Croc Rock”) are less than 30 minutes away in a local ‘tuk tuk’. Several other points can be reached by road.
|
Stardust Beach Hotel |
||
| The main building at Stardust Beach Hotel was designed by architect and owner Merete Scheller, and completed in 2005. The spacious double rooms include private bathroom, telephone, fridge and your own terrace with views over Arugam Bay. Comforts include quality mattresses, mosquito net, ceiling fan and natural cooling from the delightful sea breeze.You can go surfing, relax on the beach, watch the fishing boats or shop in the local market. Visit some of the historic temples near the village, or check out the lagoon where elephants have their evening ‘shower’. Do a day trip to Lahugala National Park to see wild elephants, or visit Yala National Park, which is home to an astonishing range of birdlife. |  |
|
|
Tour Packages |
||
| Atoll Travel can book a stay at the Stardust Beach Hotel, whether you’re looking for a low stress surf holiday or a relaxing stopover on a tour around fascinating Sri Lanka. |  |
|
source:
http://www.atolltravel.com/2008/SriLanka/EastCoastArugamBay.htm
Arugam Forum
Arugam Photo Galleries on Picasa
Old Website
Press Coverage
Surf Forecast for Arugam Bay
TODAY’s Comments