Alankuda Beach
By Nilma Dole
 The beautiful beach at Alankuda
is a delight to discover because it is untapped and unspoilt. The
prominent Alankuda Beach hotel where President himself stopped by for
lunch, it was a joy to relax and unwind here during Christmas 2009.
Easily accessible to the quaint town of Kalpitiya, the road to Alankuda
beach is a good one dotted with salterns and coastal villages where
ethnic communities live in harmony.
Set off the Puttalam road, it is the little arm as seen on the map of
Sri Lanka extending from the country’s Western coast. In December of
2007, the Alankuda Beach hotel opened along this stretch and is named
Alankuda, after the area in which it is located. A quiet space which
makes every attempt to blend with its surroundings, it is an ideal
location for a relaxing holiday or as a base for anyone interested in
exploring the area.
Whether you are kayaking, canoeing, sailing, kite and wind surfing on
the warm emerald green waters, Alankuda beach is a private getaway for
those who need peace and quiet away from the hustle and bustle of the
Southern touristy beaches. From October to May, Alankuda beach offers
sun, sea and sand with certain bouts of showers which makes the breeze
cooler at night. Of course, you can still work on that tan since the sun
does make an appearance.
The best sight to see at Alankuda are the lovely dolphins. On
Christmas Day 2009, we saw nearly 100 of these majestically graceful
mammals gliding and riding with ease. We spotted a cute baby dolphin
swimming with its mother and it did some daring moves above the water.
The other dolphins pranced and danced giving us enough of eye candy
entertainment to make our Christmas joyful.
Our boatsman said that sometimes blue whales make an appearance when
they go dolphin watching but to see dugongs (sea cow) you have to travel
all the way up to Kalpitiya. However, the beauty of aquatic life is
stunning since there is an underwater coral rock in the centre of
Alankuda beach that offers great snorkelling and possibly diving
marvels.
 However, on Boxing Day, we hardly saw one dolphin except for a daring
swordfish that was preying on a small fish. It would have been the
dolphin’s way of staying at home and remembering those who were taken
away by the 2004 Tsunami. It was poignant to be on the calm waters and
think of our brothers and sisters who were swallowed by the wave that
was the worst natural disaster of the century. Thankfully, Kalpitiya and
Alankuda were not at all affected due to the fact that the war protected
its treasures.
Besides being very beachy, you can drink in the historial importance
of this area as well. Kalpitiya is believed to have been a pivotal
trading hub and was christened ‘the island of Cardiva’ by the
Portuguese. Overall, Alankuda is a must-see beach of interest because
when you swim in it, it’s only you in the middle of watery nowhere. |
