Archive for the 'Historical sites' Category

Travel industry poised for a spirited upsurge

Published on 29/07/2010 in Arugam Bay Surf Club, Arugam Surf Club, Arugambay Surf Club, Blogs, Culture, Historical sites, Money Matters, accomodation, bars, cabanas, front page, guesthouse, hotels, people, press coverage, restaurants, services and wild life. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , .

Daily News. by Philip Fernando

…… Places like Kalpitiya, Pasikudah, Kuchchaweli, and Arugam Bay-the surfing haven, Yala, Wilpattu, Koneswaran temple in Trincomalee or Unawatuna beach-just to name a few- are entering the tourist lexicon like Banda Aceh or Pattaya Beach…..

Underpinning the tourist revival is the fact that Sri Lanka is emerging a popular destination for many seeking to fill their leisure amidst the country’s idyllic setting. The laid-back and the debonair are being increasingly lured to our shores as an assured place for respite or revelry.

Golden beaches and tropical climate, main tourist attractions. File photo

More importantly, the country’s stunning diversity embodying cultural sites, historical treasures, the sun-drenched beaches and trendy urbane hotels promises it to be a captivating destination.

It is also a fact that professionalism inherently linked to tourism, the new tier in social networking had been well-articulated by Sri Lankans practising this trade. Its vexing demands are met quite competently by thousands who are in it for good.

Sri Lankans seemed quite adept at it now. The long drought brought on by the terror war did not dim their hopes. Continue reading ‘Travel industry poised for a spirited upsurge’

Walking that walk

Published on 20/07/2010 in Blogs, Culture, Historical sites, Religious, front page, people, press coverage, stop over Ideas, the bay and wild life. 0 Comments

Arugambay:

In July, every year, pilgrims walk tru Arugam Bay on their way to Kataragama

With the end of the war, bigger crowds have joined the annual Pada Yatra, says Patrick Harrigan

Many pilgrims walk through the Surfer's resort of Arugam Bay

Earnest devotees of Kataragama by the thousands—hailing from all communities but especially Tamil Hindus—are now undertaking the annual Pâda Yâtrâ or foot pilgrimage through Yala National Park to Kataragama for this month’s Esala festival that started on July 12.

Just passing out of Arugam Bay

With decades of fear and uncertainty swept away, this year more devotees are walking than at any time in living memory, possibly even more than in 2004 when Wildlife Department officials counted over 30,000 pilgrims entering Yala East National Park on the final 70-kilometre stretch from Okanda to Kataragama.

A totally unspoiled Countryside lies ahead. Arugam Bay to Kataragama

The first waves of pilgrims all up and down the east coast have already arrived to Okanda Murugan Kovil in Yala East where tens of thousands are pausing to rest and worship before entering Yala Strict Natural Reserve on the long jungle trek to Kataragama.

The Kataragama Pâda Yâtrâ traditionally starts from points in the Jaffna peninsula like Nallur and Selva Sannidhi Murugan kovils, from where the pilgrimage may take up to two months to reach Kataragama. This year for the first time since 2005, a few souls are walking the full distance, joined along the way by a few more from Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, and Trincomalee districts. Continue reading ‘Walking that walk’

A journey through the wilderness: Lahugala

Published on 12/07/2010 in Historical sites, people, press coverage and wild life. 0 Comments

A lone Elephant in Lahugala near (Arugam Bay)

It was around 4.30 pm when a group of us passed through the gates and entered the Lahugala National Park. The evening light was casting shadows on the ground and the large trees and foliage were shading our path. As the vehicle drove forward I could not help but feel that I was truly entering the wilderness.

Words Udeshi Amarasinghe Photographs Mahesh Bandara

The Lahugala National Park was opened to the public recently, therefore the tranquillity of an untouched environment still prevails. The roads are still rough and newly cut with an occasional branch or two barring the way. Continue reading ‘A journey through the wilderness: Lahugala’

Hideaway in Arugam Bay, Lahugala, 1st Century Monastery south of Panama

Published on 04/07/2010 in Blogs, Culture, Historical sites, Literature, accomodation, books, front page, guesthouse, hotels, people, restaurants and wild life. 0 Comments

(extract quotes) ……Hideaway in Arugam Bay for the best rice and curry I have had in a very long time – very fresh, very hot.

K: Kudumbigala monastery near Arugam Bay/Panama-a fantastic setting for a 1st century BC site

Lahugala in April with millions of butterflies…..

Together on and off stage
By Smriti Daniel
Ranmali and Kumar have known each other since they were 16 – they first met on the set of Richard de Zoysa’s and Rajiva Wijesinha’s dual productions of ‘Romeo & Juliet’.They shared the stage again for several plays, including Steve de la Zilwa’s ‘Accidental Death of an Anarchist’. “I suppose you can say we ‘met’ on stage and the drama continues!” says Ranmali, of their 18-year marriage.

Unfortunately, acting hasn’t been a priority of late. As Manager Programme Delivery, Ranmali is responsible for all the arts related programmes the British Council delivers in Sri Lanka. An integral part of the team that created www.writeclique.com, she is also working on several new projects that will nurture and showcase young Sri Lankan artistes. Continue reading ‘Hideaway in Arugam Bay, Lahugala, 1st Century Monastery south of Panama’

SriLankan brings surfing to Arugam Bay

Published on 11/06/2010 in Blogs, From our own Correspondent, Historical sites, Kitesurf, Money Matters, Surf Federation News, Surf competition, front page, services, surf, the bay and wild life. 0 Comments

SriLankan Airlines is bringing one of the worlds most glamorous and highly rated surfing events to Sri Lanka, part of the airlines multi-faceted strategy to position the island as one of the worlds most sought after travel destinations.

The SriLankan Airlines Pro 2010 tournament will draw some of the top stars in the surfing world to Arugam Bay from June 18 to 24, among the 128 competitors from the United States, Australia, Spain, Portugal, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Germany and other countries.

SriLankan Airlines Pro 2010 is expected to showcase the picturesque southeast resort of Arugam Bay as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, positioning it as a destination for all types of beach lovers and not just for surfers.

It will also generate massive publicity around the world for Sri Lanka, already experiencing a continuous boom in tourism over the last 12 months.

Courtesy: DailyNews

Posted on Friday, June 11, 2010 @ 09:21:53 LKT by SaNDuN

2010: The STF adds to the Natural Beauty of Arugam Bay

Published on 31/05/2010 in Blogs, Culture, Facebook Fan Club: Arugam Surf, From our own Correspondent, Historical sites, Security & Safety, front page, people, press coverage and the bay. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

This year, 2010, the security forces had more time for truly peaceful and also very beautiful activities.
At nearby Arugam Bay camp, just across the bridge to PottuVille, the Armed Forces staged  a lovely competition between the various local camps:
Who’s Vesak lights display was to be the best, most elaborate one?

Best Vesak display at Arugam Bay camp

Here you see a very large one with imaginative motion action and intricate, beautiful small details added to the colourful display.
(STF = Special Task Force. An elite branch of the Sri Lanka Police)
A video clip showing full movements can bee seen on our Facebook site “Arugam Surf” as it was too large a file to upload here.
(See and click on the direct link below, bottom of this front page)
Below are sample photo impressions of most other displays, submitted by  various camps around Arugam Bay:

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Arugambay is just too good to let go! Be sure you’ve been there!!

Published on 02/05/2010 in Blogs, Facebook Fan Club: Arugam Surf, Historical sites, Money Matters, Traveler's Reports, accomodation, front page, hotels, people, press coverage, services, taxis, the bay and wild life. 0 Comments

Arugambay

…… on the East Coast of Sri Lanka used to be a laid back, dreamily indolent sort of locale where fishermen pursued their trade far from the madding bustle of urban zestfulness and commercial excess…………. It still is that way!

photo used by ATaT

But it certainly has jumped into the tourism map of the world with the outstanding holiday experience that it offers.  For one, it is ranked one of the Top 10 surfing beaches in the world. Arugambay Point, Pottuvil point, Peanut Farm, Kormari and Panama are now buzzwords (buzz places!) among the avid of surfers’ community worldwide.

However, Arugambay is a great deal more than bronzed physiques in motion raising the crystalline sand or cruising perilously over the ocean swells. Imagine the sheer joy one feels encountering Dolphins in their cheering habitat!!  For that is exactly what becomes possible to visitors in the season of September.

On shore and inward from the coast, the allure of the wild continues to delight……

For here, the inner yearning of the human spirit to know the confluence it possesses with nature’s bounty in birds in their natural space by the lagoon and to observe elephants as they roam nonchalantly in front of Crocodile Rock, finds fulfillment. Indeed, Arugambay nestles on the edge of a verdant forest reserve.

While on the subject, not far away in Uda Walawe Continue reading ‘Arugambay is just too good to let go! Be sure you’ve been there!!’

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How the world knew Arugam Bay.

Published on 13/03/2010 in Blogs, Culture, Environmental, Facebook Fan Club: Arugam Surf, From our own Correspondent, Historical sites, Kitesurf, Literature, Money Matters, Security & Safety, Traveler's Reports, front page, parties, people, press coverage, services, surf, the bay and wild life. 2 Comments

– Majority of the world, especially the West got to know about Arugam Bay, only after the 2004 tsunami.

Arugam Bay 'City' Centre and view to Main Surf Point

There was a moving episode on America’s most-popular talk show, the Oprah Winfrey Show where a tsunami survivor Nate Berkus was interviewed. The Chicago-based interior designer Nate Berkus related his story on television about his vacation going awry. He was relaxing at a beach cottage in Arugam Bay with his partner photographer Fernando Bengoechea, when the deadly tsunami struck. Even though Nate was spared, unfortunately, Fernando’s life wasn’t. Continue reading ‘How the world knew Arugam Bay.’

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A true Paradise on Earth. Just 10m South of Arugambay

Published on 18/02/2010 in Blogs, Historical sites, Literature, Music, accomodation, guesthouse, hotels, presse-deutsch, tuk tuk and weddings. 1 Comment

The Panama beach itself was a paradise on earth.

Unspoiled Panama beach

The sand dunes stretching along the beach made us stop our jeep and walk a short distance to the turquoise sea beach which stretched endlessly without a single sign of habitation.
A typical Robinson Crusoe atmosphere.
The pink rocks of Panama stood out at the far end of the beach.
The evening sunlight made them glow pinker.

Panama Point. Looking North to Arugam Bay

Here too were monkeys running up and down.
The beach was covered with exquisite marine plant life. It suddenly dawned on us that this may be one of the only beaches left untouched by civilization and pollution.
We were mindful not to tread on the plants or drive over them in our jeep.

Untouched Panama. A true Paradise

This beach with its abundant plant life must be saved for people to see and admire.
It should not meet the fate of the Nilaveli or Passikudah.

Badly polluted Passekudah Beach area


We remembered the native American saying:
“We did not inherit the earth from our parents, we are borrowing it from our children!”

(The above is a highlighted , illustrated  extract from the previous post / traveler’s report)

Visit Lahugala. 16m West of Arugam. Open all year

Published on 18/02/2010 in Blogs, Historical sites, front page, press coverage and wild life. 1 Comment

Though one of Sri Lanka’s smallest National Parks, Lahugala is still a very important stretch of protected land, as it’s home to Sri Lankan Elephants, who reside mostly around the reservoirs of Lahugala, Kitulana and Sengamuwa – they’ve been feeding in this region for hundreds of years, they like a special grass that grows here.
All sorts of colourful critters live here, not just the rather graceful and sedate looking elephants: there are Purple Herons, Painted Stork, Golden Jackal, Fishing Cats, Spot-billed Pelicans, Asian Openbills, Red-faced Malkoha, Tufted Grey Langur and Torque Macaques.
The monsoon makes it a bit too damp to visit in November and December – the best times to visit for wildlife is when the park is drier and all the animals venture out and stay along the reservoirs between January and March and May and October.

http://www.travel–4less.com/lahugala-national-park/

Arugambay: Like a Southern beach in its Early day

Published on 17/02/2010 in Blogs, Culture, Historical sites, Traveler's Reports, front page and people. 0 Comments

Muhudu Maha Viharaya – PottuVille/ Arugambay

From Arugam bay to the pristine beaches of Panama
Sleepy lagoons, sand dunes

It took almost eleven hours from Colombo to Pottuvil on the narrow and winding A4 road along the south east coastline of Sri Lanka.

Muhudu Maha Viharaya - Arugambay/PottuVille

There were four of us; my husband and two of our friends. So far it had been a eventful day. We had watched the antics of a herd of elephants at the Lahugala sanctuary and had stopped to wonder at the historic ruins of the Magul Maha Vihara complex.

As we were approaching Pottuvil, the narrow road cut through acres of luxuriously green paddy fields. A milk white dagoba stood out over the fields framed by coconut and palmyrah trees. At the point at which we turned south towards Arugam bay was a small Catholic church dedicated to St. Anthony.

Our destination was Arugam Bay, a further 2.5kms south of Pottuvil.

Around Arugam Bay & PottoVille

We crossed the bridge over the wide lagoon of Arugam Kalapu. The roadside was dotted with hotels, guest houses, restaurants and may have resembled the southern beach line in its early days before tourism became an industry at the cost of the environment and the village culture.

Arugam bay is known as one of the best surf points in the world, popular for its challenging breaker laden waves. It may be one of the only unspoilt beaches in Sri Lanka.

Arugam bay consists of three small villages where fishing and farming are the main occupations. Ullae is a fishing village situated at the corner of the bay Continue reading ‘Arugambay: Like a Southern beach in its Early day’

Kumana National (nr. Arugambay) opens for tourists

Published on 08/02/2010 in Environmental, Historical sites, Security & Safety, Traveler's Reports, front page, people, press coverage and wild life. 5 Comments

Chamikara WEERASINGHE

The Kumana National Park, Sri Lanka’s best santuary for bird watching, was re-opened last week after a prolonged closure.

Kumana villu - natural swamp lake

The Park was closed due to LTTE terrorist problems from 1985. Located in the the country’s southern east corner, the Kumana park came to have been affected by the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004. It was closed for public view again from 2006 with the government launching its humanitarian operations in the country’s North and East to liberate the country from clutches of terrorism.

With the Government liberating the country last year, the Environment and Natural Resources Ministry is rapidly establishing its control in the country’s game parks. The Ministry opened Yala National Park in the last year.

In search of migratory access and grazing rights

Minister Champika Ranawaka said, they will have opened all the 20 national parks in the country by the first half of this year. He said, clearing of Continue reading ‘Kumana National (nr. Arugambay) opens for tourists’

Lanka’s National Wildlife Sanctuaries Opening Again

Published on 07/02/2010 in Blogs, Environmental, From our own Correspondent, Historical sites, Security & Safety, front page, press coverage and wild life. 1 Comment

Lahugala National Park

On January 30 the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) held a ceremony near Arugambay in south-east Sri Lanka to mark the reopening of the Kumana and Lahugala National Parks. Closed since 2005 due to the war, the reopening of the wildlife sanctuaries symbolises a return to normalcy for the country’s parks system. With nearby Yala National Park already open and the rest of the country’s 20 national parks scheduled to open by April, it won’t be long before locals and foreigners can again visit some of the country’s most beautiful areas and see its most astonishing animals in their natural habitats.

Because of their location in the formerly LTTE-controlled east, Kumana and Lahugala have been inaccessible since 1985 except for a brief period in 2002-2003 during the ceasefire — too short a time for any construction to take place. Before retreating from the park in 2008, Tamil Tiger cadres destroyed what was left of Kumana’s infrastructure, including its bungalows and office buildings.

Then, last July, the DWC that comes under the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, finally received approval to begin renovating the park. This required rebuilding the park’s neglected infrastructure, especially the access roads. The Lahugala sanctuary was devastated by the 2004 tsunami but has almost fully recovered and is now, according to a press release from the DWC, “open to an influx of both local and foreign visitors.”

Although the DWC had hoped to open Kumana (formerly known as Yala East National Park) in November last year, a severe drought that began in September delayed construction. Working with government and non-government organisations, the Ministry concentrated on providing water to animals in the park to keep them alive. The heavy November rains that followed the drought brought problems of their own: all the rainwater washed away much of the recent road construction, forcing the Ministry to spend another four weeks repairing the damage. Although more roads are scheduled to open in February and March, the main road through the park is now open for traffic.

Director General of Wild Life Conservation Ananda Wijesooriya said that the next few months is the best time to visit the parks.
“The birds will start nesting in Kumana in March and April — these parks are very famous for local and migratory birds,” Wijesooriya said. “At any time of the day and any time of the year you can see elephants in Lahugala.”

Wijesooriya admitted that he didn’t know how many people would visit the newly-opened sanctuaries. Because of their remote location, Kumana and Lahugala were never as popular as Continue reading ‘Lanka’s National Wildlife Sanctuaries Opening Again’

Panama. 15km South of Arugambay

Published on 14/01/2010 in Blogs, Culture, Historical sites, Religious, Traveler's Reports, front page and wild life. 2 Comments

Pattini Devale, Panama

After the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, I made several trips to Pottuvil on the East Coast of Sri Lanka with loads of supplies for the displaced people. On one such trip, in early April, I continued south to the village of Panama (pronounced paa-nuh-muh).
Over 200 years ago, on the 13th of September 1800, an Englishman, William Orr, Esq (a civil servant) visited Panama on the way from Tangalle in the south to Batticaloa in the East. According to his report to the British Governor,
Paoneme contains sixty inhabitants, who cultivate seventy-three amonams of paddy ground.
The following year Thomas Anthony Reeder, surgeon of the 51st Regiment of Foot (who was to die soon after, during the 1st Kandyan War) travelled in the opposite direction. According to his journal,
Panoa is situate on a plain surrounded by jungle. Here are some cultivated fields, and several large stocks of paddee.
A year later, the British Governor himself, the Hon. Frederick North (later 5th Earl of Guilford), followed the southward route. He was accompanied by the Inspector of Hospitals in Ceylon, Thomas Christie, Esq, who reported that
Panoa is a considerable village, and the country round it abounds with paddee fields.

What these descriptions – which appear in James Cordiner’s A Description of Ceylon (London, 1807; Dehiwela, Tisara Prakasakayo, 1983) – show (apart from the recognised inability of the English to tackle with any accuracy the phonetics of foreign place names) is that Panama’s chief attraction was its paddy fields. The surrounding jungle was far more notable to these perfidious Albionians: Christie was highly excited by the sight, en-route to the village of
a herd of wild hogs, and an alligator, both of which allowed us to approach very near.

Rock, fields and tank at Panama

When I visited the place, however, it was in the knowledge that it possesses a Devale (temple) of the goddess Pattini. The shrine, on a rocky spot on the shore of a tank, is a Buddhist one. However, Hindu shrines of Pattini also exist, Continue reading ‘Panama. 15km South of Arugambay’

Okanda is 30km south of Arugam Bay

Published on 06/01/2010 in Blogs, Culture, Historical sites, Religious, front page, people and wild life. 0 Comments

okanda-valli-kovil

The sylvan shrine at Ukanthamalai devoted to Lord Murugan

The sylvan shrine, Ukanthamalai Shri Murugan Kovil devoted to Lord Murugan – the presiding deity at Kataragama, is a popular pilgrims’ resort in the Ampara district.

Of all the places of Hindu worship in the district, this jungle shrine, far removed from human habitation represents a manifestation of divine power and sublimity and stands unique as a much hallowed centre for penance and prayer.

Pilgrims from all parts of the country, despite their varied religions faiths and cultures wend their way to this sacred rock temple with adorations for spiritual salvation. Nearly two thousand pilgrims on Pada Yatra from the North are now at this jungle shrine. Many more thousands are expected to arrive at the shrine in the next few days.

Buddhists, Christians and Hindus seem to believe that a prayer and an offering made at this shrine brings good luck and divine intercession in times of difficulties. Therefore, a pilgrimage to Ukanthamalai Shrine is not confined to any one particular season, or to a festival. It is pooja and worship at the shrine at all days and at all times by the ever flowing stream of devotees.

The shrine is situated approximately twelve miles south of Panama, on the Kumana-Panama jungle path, within the administrative limits of Lahugala Divisional Secretariat. To the North, South and the West of the temple are the seven sacred hills the ocean to the East. Continue reading ‘Okanda is 30km south of Arugam Bay’

Arugam Bay II

Published on 27/12/2009 in Blogs, Historical sites, Traveler's Reports, front page, the bay and wild life. 1 Comment
I’ve been to Arugam Bay before in its tourist season and it’s an absolute beauty. The waves the wind and everything was so perfect. However in the raining season it’s not the case; you cannot even go out because of the rain. In the raining season it’s very hard to find a day without any rain. Thanks to a weather forecasting website I was able to find a day without any rain. It was 26th December 2009; the day is exactly 5 years after Sri Lanka was hit by the Tsunami in 2004, and surprisingly Arugam Bay is one of the very first coasts to get hit by the Tsunami in Sri Lanka. Continue reading ‘Arugam Bay II’