Kalpitiya. Where dolphins dance and the Indian Ocean dazzles
White sand. Warm waters. Delicious seafood. Great friends.
This weekend is simply for chilling with friends, feasting on seafood, and floating in the warm, clear, blue waters of the Indian Ocean. And what better place than at Nuga Villa, a four-bedroomed rustic guesthouse located on the beach at Kalpitiya, approximately 140 kms or about 3 hrs of driving from Colombo.
While Oliver, the caretaker sees to all our meals and well being, we languorously spend our weekend on the beach until the scorching sun forces us indoors, and then relax under the open-plan bar and lounge area.
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- Nuga Villa
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- Nuga Villa
Kalpitiya is seasonal. And this (or anytime from Oct to May) is the perfect time of year to visit for sightings of hundreds of dolphins dancing in the water.
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- Spinner dolphins. Photograph by Kyle Greenberg
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- Spinner dolphin mid leap. Photograph by Avi
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- Spinner dolphins. Photograph by Sarah Richter
Further out to sea it is possible to see various species of whales, as they swim indulgently in these warm waters.
Check out this amazing story that happened just a couple of days ago!
Kalpitiya lies between the Indian Ocean to the west and the Puttalam lagoon to the east, providing ideal conditions for water sports. The peninsula is 48 kms long and about seven kms wide with stunning, mostly uninhabited beaches along the way. There are 14 islands here and one can island-hop by boat.
Back for more: Kitesurfing Lanka
One week later, I am back.
“Welcome to Paradise” said a petite young foreigner, hair dripping with seawater, a surfboard tucked under her arm. She obviously knew her way around this beautiful property and seemed quite at home.
Kitesurfing Lanka is, in fact, home away from home for many young people, hell bent on getting a good ‘downwinder’. Bungalows are scattered around this property, discreetly hidden from view and each has a style and quirkiness that blends in with the ethos of Kitesurfing Lanka. Apart from lessons in kitesurfing, you can learn yoga and pole dancing!
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- Kitesurfing Lanka Kalpitiya
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- Kitesurfing Lanka Kalpitiya
Bordered by the lagoon, it’s a hop, step and a wade to the seashore. Again, the sea is calm, warm and completely uninhabited. And what better way than to sit in the water and watch the greatest show on Earth – the sunset!
THINGS TO DO
Dutch Reformed Church
A visit to the 18th century Dutch Reformed Church at the center of town. The building was renovated around 1840, when a semi-circular porch with brick and plaster pillars with Corinthian capitals was added, together with three spires on its front gable. The roof of the church has since collapsed. The belfry is original and is similar to the ones found in Galle and Colombo. Around the turn of the century the bell from the belfry, along with all the furniture from the church, was removed to an Anglican church in Puttalam. The original Dutch tombstones can still be found on the church’s floor.
Dolphin and Whale Watching
Inform your hosts at either one of these places and they will organize a boat. A boat will cost anything between LKR 10,000 to 12,000. The best time to depart is 7:00 am and the ride will take about 3.5 hours. Take your drinking water, sunnies and camera.
St. Anne’s Church Thalawila
This 17th century Dutch Church at Thalawila draws visitors between the months of March and August. The annual Thalawila St. Anne’s Church is celebrated in August. During this time, special trains run from Moratuwa and Colombo Fort to Paavi in Puttulam.
Wilpattu National Park
This National park is an hours ride from Kalpitiya. You can now take a boat to Wilpattu.
Cultural Triangle
Three-hours away from the main town. Take your time to visit all seven World Heritage Sites.
Relevant information …. there are plenty of things written in this blog that are important to remember. With basic information, this blog has also put effort into mentioning small details.
Thanks for the details.