Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Trip to Arugam Bay - surfing destination Sri Lanka

Located in the dry zone of Sri Lanka’s South-East coast, shrouded by the wide spread wetlands, lagoons and jungles encompassing a variety of flora and fauna lies Arugam Bay, a fishing village two and a half kilometers south of Pottuvil. The area belongs to the Ampara district.
Arugam Point at the Arugam Bay in Sri Lanka be...Image via WikipediaOverall humid climate prevails at Arugam Bay. A slight breeze sweeps by from the North-East. Usually, showers are expected in September and October.
 The surfing season is at its peak between June and October. This is when many holidaymakers and surfers hit the beach. Diving is also a favourite pastime with visitors because the area comprises many ship-wrecks that are a challenge to explore. You can also catch sight of wild elephants in the long, deserted beach leading down to Crocodile Rock.
Fishing and farming are the main occupations at Arugam Bay. Farmers cultivate paddy while raring cattle to produce dairy products. Ullae situated towards the corner of the bay is an ideal fishing harbour. Therefore families of fishing communities tend to settle down in temporary palm huts on the beach to earn their living. Most of them are Tamil Christians and Hindus. However there are a few Sinhalese fisher families as well.
The area is rooted with our ancestry and evidence of its remains lies hidden in the jungles of the area. Excavations of a 2000 year old temple, Modu Maha Vihare, which lies within the boarders of Pottuvil, is one such example. Despite being shadowed by the three decades of terrorism and struck by tsunami, Arugam Bay has emerged today as one of the country’s leading tourist destinations offering its visitors a variety of entertainment and activities at an economically friendly price. The area even received the Best Destination Award at the World Travel Market World Responsible Tourism Awards in 2007 for its contribution to biodiversity conservation.
Things to do at Arugam Bay:
* Wind- surfing
* Rafting
* Diving
* Fishing
* Swimming
* Underwater photography
* Canoeing
* Bird watching
* Sun bathing
* Strolling
* Bicycling
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