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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