Sri Lanka, a year-round holiday destination

Sri Lanka is truly a year-round holiday destination, unlike many other Asian destinations. However, it is important to consider which side of the country has dry and sunny weather while planning your beach stay in Sri Lanka. Between May to September north and the eastern coastal region has dry and sunny weather whereas the south and western regions experience rain during this period due to the south-western monsoon.

If you are seeking last moment summer vacation idea Sri Lanka is one of the best options available. Specially eastern part of Sri Lanka is fabulous for a fantastic beach holiday.

Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province stretches some320 km (200 miles) along the east coast from Kumana National Park in the south to Kokkilai Lagoon in the north. The pristine beaches with white sand in the region are among the best in the world. Many of the lagoons in Sri Lanka’s coastal region are located in the Eastern Region. The wetlands surrounded by these lagoons provide an opportunity to explore the part of amazing biodiversity in Sri Lanka.  The wildlife in the area is another distinguished interest for visitors with few national parks rich in endangered mammals such as elephants and leopards are situated. The world-renowned bird sanctuary Kumana is a place for bird lovers. The historical sites date back to pre-historic and colonial periods signifying the ancient civilization of Sri Lanka.     

Trincomalee 

The religious sites in and around Trincomalee were examples of an ancient civilization. The city lies along a peninsula that divides the outer and inner portions of the Harbour which provides invaluable safety to anchor vessels of every class in the most violent storms. The entrance to the harbour is about five miles wide and nearly unfathomable. Trincomalee is the gateway to some of the finest beaches in Sri Lanka and is also renowned as the hotspot to sight Whale-watching with pods of Sperm and Blue Whales living offshore.

Beaches

Nilaveli Beach

Situated 15 km north of Trincomalee, Nilaveli is home to one of the pristine beaches in Sri Lanka. The calm waters of Nilaveli beach which stretch about 6 km up to Uppuveli is conducive to water sports. Pigeon Island, one of the two marine national parks of Sri Lanka is found 1 km off the coast of Nilaveli.  It contains some of the best remaining coral reefs in Sri Lanka. The surrounding coral fringe is rich with over 100 species of corals and over 300 species of coral fish. This makes Pigeon Island a divers' paradise. A visit to the island could incorporate swimming in the sea, snorkelling, diving and sunbathing.

Passikudah Beach

Passikudah Bay contains a shallow coral reef which is connected to similar reef systems further south towards Kalkudah. It is one of the best-known reef systems in the east and has been renowned for calm, clear water which is ideal for swimming. The knee-deep shallow seas spread hundreds of meters toward the sea. 

Arugam Bay

Arugam Bay is a fishing village 2 1/2 km south of the small town of Pottuvil at the remote south end of the east coast. It is a popular surfing and tourist destination which is also renowned as one of the world’s ten best surf points.  Good surfing conditions occur between May and November. The wide sweeping beach is ideal for swimming virtually year-round. South of the long, deserted beach leads down to ‘Crocodile Rock’, from where wild elephants can often be seen.   The stunning beach offers an abundance of opportunities for those with a passion for water sports and underwater photography.

The Hot Springs

The compound of seven hot wells is a place of interest which is located in Kanniyai, 7 km North-West of Trincomalee town.  These wells contain water with different temperatures varying from cool to hot and very hot. People believe that this hot water is good for some skin deceases and it has healing power for Arthritis and Rheumatic which can be attributed to the hot springs that contain very high mineral contents. 

Historical Places of Interest

Seruwila Mnagala Raja Maha Vihara

Seruwila Mangala Raja Maha Vihara is an ancient temple which is among the sixteen holiest Buddhist shrines in Sri Lanka. It is situated some 30 km south of Trincomalee which is reachable both by road and by sea. The key attraction of the site is the stupa (shrine) built in the 2nd century BC as indicated by the ancient chronicles. The remains of ancient structures and inscription which goes back to the second century still survive around the stupa. 

Velgam Vihara

The ancient Buddhist shrine dates back to the 2nd century AD and is located 10km northwest of Trincomalee. The temple complex was maintained by the Indian Cholas after their conquest in the 10th century and the influence of Chola architectural styles is visible among the ruins. The most striking feature is the carved standing Buddha statue.  

Fort Fredric

Fort Fredrick was built by the Portuguese in 1623. The famous Koneswaram temple is located inside this fort. It was believed that the Fort was built from the debris of an ancient temple that was destroyed by the Portuguese. This fort was captured by Dutch in 1639 and followed by the British in 1795. 

Koneswaram Kovil (Hindu Temple)

The temple was constructed atop Swami Rock, a cliff on the peninsula that drops 400 feet (120 metres) directly into the sea. It is dedicated to Hindu God Siva and is one of the five ancient sivan temples in the island. The origin of the first temple which was levered into the sea by the Portuguese in 1624 is unknown but the earliest reference had been made in the chronicle Mahawansa that the Gokanna Buddhist temple was built by King Mahasen in the 3rd century. 

Thiriyaya Historical Site   

Thiriyaya is a place of Buddhist as well as the archaeological interest which is situated about 25 miles north of Trincomalee town. The history of the site is etched in an 8th century Sanskrit inscription found at the site which refers to a shrine named Girikandicaitya being established on the hilltop by a company of merchants headed by Tapassu and Bhallika. According to chronicles, they were the first to offer alms to Buddha after he reached enlightenment in 528 BC. As such the first shrine would have been built during the lifetime of Lord Buddha which was renovated or reconstructed over the course of time. Among the ruins, the vatadage (circular shrine) is the main architectural feature consisting of a small stupa in which the two merchants enshrined the Buddha’s hair relics.

Wild Life

The Eastern Province is rich in wildlife hotspots such as national parks, bird sanctuaries and reserves. Of the national parks, Kumana National Park (18,149 hectares) is one of the best places in the world to see a large number of water birds and elusive leopards and elephants. One of the significant features of the park is the Kumana mangrove swamp (200 hectares) where many nests in May and June. During April-July tens of thousands of birds migrate to Kumana which is entered at Okanda, about 30 km from the Arugam Bay.

The 62.936 hectares of Galoya National Park is centered around Senanayaka Samudra Reservoir, the largest inland body of water in Sri Lanka. The usual way of seeing the park is to hire a small motorboat around the tank, watching animals and birds on the shore. The main attraction is the herds of elephants. In addition to the national park, three sanctuaries were declared to protect the catchment area of this tank. 

Lahugala is a tiny National Park (1554 hectares) but has a superb variety of birdlife and a herd of elephants. There are 3 tanks (Lahugala, Kitulana and Sengamuwa) within the National Park and all of them are covered with Beru (Opilismanus compositus) grass favourite among Elephants. Lahugala is located in an ‘elephant corridor’ connecting with Yala East National Park and Galoya National Park.

Best itineraries for summer holidays in Sri Lanka:

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