"The land of beaches – Sri Lanka is calling you!"

Living in an island nation brings a wealth of beach opportunity, says Indooshan Shanthakumaran, 25, a Correspondent from Colombo in Sri Lanka, as he describes some of the enticing options available to residents and visitors.

It was last January that I received a random Facebook notification that I have won a free whale watching tour.

It was highly exciting for me as I have never been on a tour like that before. Plus, along with the whale watching there are many other activities which are very famous in Sri Lankan beaches.

Beach is mostly a part of  the Sri Lankan lifestyle. Firstly, our tiny country is an island; secondly we are living so close to beaches. All major cities are just an hour drive to beaches except Kandy, and the post-war tourism promotion has beach as its main part.

The tourism board of Sri Lanka has listed five varieties of beaches that can be found here. The first category is the marble beaches. With crystal clear beaches and shallow sea shores with less tide, they are ideal for relaxing. The marble beaches are found in Trincomalee and Chilaw.

The second kind is the surfing beaches. These are beaches with wind and huge tides more suitable for surfing, as an example the world famous Aruam Bay, the surfers’ paradise.

The third groups are coral beaches, where visitors go to see the corals and jelly fish. In fact we have the largest corals in South Asia, located in Hikkaduwa.

Moreover, the beach sanctuaries are famous to spot the indigenous tortoise from their eggs to hatching and the entire lifestyle.

The windy beaches are found almost everywhere; whether you want to fly kites, or run a jet ski, or fly any para motor, it is up to you. The local heli (helicopter) tours might help you to fly over the coast.

Some special types of beaches also are available for whale watching or to see the dolphins around the west and south coast of the island.

Having beaches around your country is a luxury and having them in variety is super luxury; undoubtedly we are a blessed country in that aspect. Very recently some privately owned commercial flying clubs started activities in Colombo and the suburbs, targeting foreign tourists but some locals also actively participate in the flights. It is even breathtaking to write, so imagine how it feels to see and enjoy, as you fly in an open small aircraft along with bird and kites to see the huge tides knocking the coast.

I wrote about flying with the kites, what about flying the kites? It is up to you to design your own kite or to buy one, compete with a local or a foreigner, fly in a kite festival or just for a hobby. You can fly kites throughout the year as we have many kite festivals.

Many of you are sure about beach volleyball or football, but have you heard about beach cricket? Even though you could spot random beach cricket matches played by boys, how about having an international cricket tournament on the beach with altered rules and loads of fun? The authorities are contemplating such an annual beach cricket carnival in Sri Lanka.

With our blessed location with sun shining (scorching?) and summer all year, the sun-up or -down parties can be held any time of the year. It could be a huge international carnival or a small BBQ – we have it all.

Another major thing about our beaches is that accommodation can be found within your budget, ranging from small restaurants to five star hotels, from pubs to bars, all available for a range of prices.

Now it’s all up to you – plan your itinerary and budget, and get your fun!

photo credit: james_gordon_losangeles via photopin cc

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

About me: I am a friendly and fun loving person, highly interested in travelling around getting know different people and making lovely memories. I intend to pursue higher studies in development economics and help small and medium entrepreneurs achieve their development and their country’s development goals.

I am interested in writing about common issues that lie within the Commonwealth countries and to find some reasonable and practical solutions universally.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Commonwealth Youth Programme. Articles are published in a spirit of dialogue, respect and understanding. If you disagree, why not submit a response?

To learn more about becoming a Commonwealth Correspondent please visit: http://www.yourcommonwealth.org/submit-articles/commonwealthcorrespondents/

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………