Things to do in the East Coast this Summer

The East Coast of Sri Lanka is filled with adventure and the beaches are incomparable to any other tropical destination you’ve visited so far. Surfing is the main attraction of the East Coast, and the coral reefs are filled with exotic underwater wildlife, that’ll make you wish your holiday was longer. The beaches stated below are the best places to visit and explore if you’re travelling to Sri Lanka this summer. The East Coast is also famous for its Whale watching and Dolphin watching experiences which are sometimes the main highlight of visiting the East Coast.  Trincomalee, Arugambay, Passikudah and Batticaloa are the main destinations on the East Coast that you simply must explore.

“Trincomalee (Trinco)” sits on one of the world’s finest natural harbors. This historic city is old almost beyond reckoning, it’s possibly the site of historic Gokana in the Mahavamsa (Buddhist Great Chronicle), and its Shiva temple the site of Trikuta Hill in the Hindu text Vayu Purana. Most people just pass through the city on their way to the nearby beaches of Uppuveli and Nilaveli, but the town has some charm, plenty of history and an interesting melange of people.

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Trincomalee’s superb deep-water port has made it the target for all manner of attacks over the centuries: by the British takeover in 1795, the city had changed colonial hands seven times. It’s easy to spend a day or more exploring the ins and outs of the myriad waterfronts and the fort and its famous temple.” – LonelyPlanet

Trincomalee is located 257 km north-east of Colombo. Although Trincomalee is known for being one of the finest natural deep-water harbors in the world, there are other areas you can explore there as well.  Fort Frederick, Kandasamy Kovil, Manayaweli Cove and the Maritime and Naval History Museum.  Trincomalee’s main attraction is the snorkeling that is available to everyone.

Arugambay is another tropical and exotic beach famous for surfing and is considered a snorkeling paradise. Dolphin watching at Arugambay is also available and is recommended in the summer for those animal lovers out there.

Passikudah, which translates to ‘green algae bay’ is similar to Trincomalee and Arugambay, its turquoise blue clear water is a centre for snorkeling, surfing, and simply lying on the sand and achieving that perfect tan that only a tropical island can provide.

Another destination on the East Coast that is a must visit is the Batticaloa Lagoon, the city of Batticaloa is located between the lagoon and the Indian Ocean.  The lagoon is 56 km long and open to the sea at two points, and this lagoon attracts a wide species of water birds, so head down to Batticaloa for a picturesque view of the lagoon and its wildlife. The Batticaloa lighthouse is the perfect place to see this! Keep in mind that the East Coast, and any coast in Sri Lanka is very sunny and could cause a bad sun burn, so always have your sunscreen with you.