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Alankuda Beach, Kalpitiya, The coastal waters offer the treasures of dolphin and whale watching as well as snorkeling over nearby spectacular coral formations. In addition there is deep-sea fishing, kayaking, canoeing, sailing, kite and wind surfing. The founders of Ulpotha, the highly acclaimed retreat in the heartland of old Ceylon - www.ulpotha.com, together with a close friend renowned in the marine adventure and water sports worlds, has opened this unique and captivatingly quirky beach resort on the western peninsula of this tear-shaped island. Alankuda Beach is situated 3 hours north of Colombo and just over 2 hours from the airport. |
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Alankuda Beach features a wide range of accommodation from beach cabanas to luxury villas and serves all tastes and preferences. There is a striking open pavilion restaurant overlooking the Indian Ocean, a beach bar and a 40 meter fibre optic-lit pool - all laid out in a whimsical and intriguing mix of the traditional and the new.The food is generous and delicious local fare and the staff are graciously hospitable and unobtrusive. Best rates for Alankuda beach in Sri Lanka? Bank transfer charges Cabanas Cabanas comprise one king-size double bed and two single beds and can comfortably sleep four. Each cabana has its own detached shower and toilet. Villas Villas comprise of two double rooms and six single beds and can sleep ten if necessary. The two double rooms have ensuite bathrooms. There is an additional toilet and shower as well. Khomba House Khomba House has two double bedrooms, a spacious living/lounging area and a kitchen and can sleep up to ten. The house is approximately 200 meters up the beach from Alankuda Beach. Araliya House Araliya House has a double bedroom, a twin bedroom, a shared bathroom and a kitchen/living area. Begonia House Begonia House has two ensuite double bedrooms. The main attraction at Alankuda Beach is the rare opportunity to see dolphins and whales in their natural habitat. You can go out in the early hours of the morning, as the improbably calm sea glitters under the gently rising sun, to search for playful dolphins and awe-inspiring whales. Water sports on offer include sailing, wind surfing, kayaking, canoeing, kite surfing and snorkeling.For those who wish to explore the land around them, a visit can be made to the small, nearby town of Kalpitiya. It’s a vibrant and unspoiled fishing town with an interesting mix of historical buildings from its eventful colonial past. For those who wish to explore the island's ancient history, the many attractions of the Cultural Triangle, with its ruined cities, temples and statues, is within comfortable reach. About two to three hours away, it contains no less than four of the island’s seven World Heritage Sites. Wilpattu National Park, the island’s largest wildlife sanctuary, where you can find one of the highest concentrations of leopard in the world along with myriad other wildlife, is an hour’s drive away.The 17th century St. Anne’s Church in Talawila, a mere five miles away, is the island’s most renowned Catholic shrine. Legend has it that a Portuguese trader had a vision of St Anne while resting under a banyan tree and returned to build the church that now sprawls over the site. In March and August each year, St. Anne’s hosts the largest catholic festivals in the country, when up to 700,000 pilgrims come to pray. Munnesweram Kovil is a much-storied Hindu temple whose origins date back to great antiquity. A highly revered temple dedicated to Shiva and associated with Kali, its deity’s name can be translated as the ‘Lord of Antiquity’ and its goddess’ as the ‘Goddess of Beautiful Form’. About an hour and a half away, it is well worth a visit. The Puttlam salt pans are a half hour drive away for those interested in learning what one of our most basic condiments goes through before it ends up on our tables and in our food. |














