Pasikuda

Pasikuda is a beach resort on the east coast, about 35 km north of Batticaloa. Its horseshoe-shaped bay is protected by a reef, so the water stays shallow and calm for a long way out, making it one of the safest swimming beaches in Sri Lanka. Kalkudah, just to the south, has a longer, wilder and less developed beach.

History

Pasikuda and Kalkudah were popular with travellers in the 1970s, but the civil war and then the 2004 tsunami brought tourism to a halt. Since the end of the war in 2009, a string of resort hotels has opened along the bay, while Kalkudah has stayed much quieter.

Beaches

Pasikuda Bay

At Pasikuda Beach, you can wade out more than a hundred metres and still stand, which makes it ideal for families and weak swimmers. The bay is lined with hotels, and the sand is soft and pale. A coral reef system protects the bay.

Kalkudah

Kalkudah Beach stretches for kilometres south of Pasikuda, with fewer buildings and more fishing boats. The water is deeper and the surf a little stronger, so take care when swimming.

Water sports and diving

Hotels and operators offer snorkelling, windsurfing, kayaking, jet skis and diving; see water sports at Pasikuda and Kalkudah. Wreck dives off the coast include HMS Hermes, an aircraft carrier sunk off Batticaloa in 1942, for experienced divers, and the SS British Sergeant, sunk in the same attack.

Batticaloa

The lagoon and the singing fish

Batticaloa, the main town of the region, is built around a long lagoon, the largest in the district. Local legend says that on calm full-moon nights, sounds rise from the water under the Kallady Bridge, known as the singing fish.

Fort and lighthouse

The Dutch fort, on an island in the lagoon, dates from the 17th century and now houses government offices; parts can be visited. The Batticaloa lighthouse, at the mouth of the lagoon, was built in the early 20th century. Batticaloa also has old churches, Hindu kovils and mosques reflecting its mixed Tamil, Muslim and Burgher communities.

Food

East coast food is spicy and seafood-rich, with Tamil and Muslim influences: crab and prawn curries, fish ambul, hoppers, string hoppers and kottu. Most visitors eat at their hotel, but small restaurants in Valaichchenai and Batticaloa serve local food cheaply.

Getting there and around

Pasikuda is about six hours by road from Colombo, around three hours from Sigiriya or Habarana, and about one hour from Batticaloa. Trains on the Batticaloa line stop at Valaichchenai, a short drive away. Tuk-tuks are easy to find.

When to go and how long to stay

The best time is from about April to September, when the east coast is dry and the sea calm. From about November to January the north-east monsoon brings heavy rain and rough seas. Three or four nights suit a beach stay after touring the Cultural Triangle.

Kalkudah and the reef

The reef that shelters Pasikuda Bay is home to colourful reef fish, and it has been proposed for protection as a marine sanctuary. Snorkelling is best in the morning on calm days. Kalkudah, with fishing boats drawn up on the sand, gives a feel of the coast before tourism, and a walk between the two beaches at low tide takes under an hour.

Around Valaichchenai

Valaichchenai, the town just north of Pasikuda, has a fishing harbour and a lagoon with mangroves where boat trips can spot water birds. The coast road north towards Trincomalee passes Kalkudah, Vakarai and a string of quiet beaches and lagoons, and crosses several bridges built after the war.

Suggested plan

Spend mornings swimming and snorkelling in the bay, when the water is clearest, and use the afternoons for a trip to Kalkudah or a boat ride on the lagoon. A day trip to Batticaloa can combine the fort, the lighthouse and an evening at the Kallady Bridge.

Where to stay

Most accommodation is in large resort hotels along Pasikuda Bay, with smaller guesthouses at Kalkudah and in nearby villages. See also Trincomalee, about three hours north.