Tucked
away on the South Eastern coast of Sri Lanka
- about 300 kms. from Colombo, is the lazy
little fishing village of Arugambay - richly
endowed with a beautiful stretch of ocean
and vast expanses of deserted beach. For
many years a popular sea side holiday resort
for local travellers, Arugambay has grown
in the last twenty years, into a big attraction
for lovers of the surf, who coverage on
it in numbers from different parts of the
world, to indulge in their favourite hobby
of surfing and enjoy the bonus of a cheap,
easy going, hassle-free lifestyle, among
friendly Sri Lankan people. Arugambay is
unique, in that it enjoys the distinct advantage
of being unaffected by the ravages of two
monsoons which hit the Island each year
from opposite directions - the South West
and North East. A phenomenon which makes
Arugambay a "year round" destination
with excellent weather and ideal conditions
for a nice, relaxed holiday away from it
all. Another rare phenomenon which sets
Arugambay apart from other tourist destination
is that, despite its popularity among visitors
it managed to retain its natural beauty,
charm, simplicity and above all, a tranquil
atmosphere which makes it an 'unspoilt'
holiday resort, offering low budget trailers
a perfect 'getaway'.
Away from the sea and sands, Arugambay
has a wealth of magnificent inland landscapes
for the nature lover, a sleepy lagoon
which comes alive with an abundance of
indigenous and migratory bird life in
the European winter, plus the remains
of an ancient heritage in the form of
temples and monasteries. Sri Lanka's biggest
wildlife sanctuary the Yala National Park
and one of the most venerated Hindu shrines
in the country - Kataragama, are also
easily accessible from Arugambay.
Accommodation is as modest as the village
itself, with very basic facilities available
in several small hotels or guest houses
which continue to provide unpretentious
'homely' accommodation, with no such luxuries
as air conditioning, for instance. However,
there are also a few hotels which are
star class and provide up to date luxuries/facilities.
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