East coast beckons...

Text and Pix: Shanika Sriyananda

The mesmerizing beauty is yet to unfold. After over a lapse of two long decades, the golden sandy beaches of the Eastern coast is no longer a land of the terror. The footprints of the Tigers have been washed away by the deep blue sea.

The unpolluted terrain baked with warm sun will shine more brighter from March to October. The story of the Eastern coast is now beyond the beauty of the golden sandy beaches and shining sun. It is the revival of tourism to make the Easterners, who were battered by terror all these years happy and rearing to kick off to a fine start. Tourism, as identified by the Ministry of Tourism, is one of the major income generator to develop the East.

Starting from Trincomalee, which boasts of one of the finest and deepest natural harbours in the world, northwards to Nilaweli - the white sandy beach ideal for scuba diving to the Pigeon Island - famous for Snorkelling and diving, and then down south to Passekudah - beach with a blue shallow sea ideal for swimming to Kalkudah- with a barrier reef right down to safe for bathing, to Batticaloa lagoon famous for its singing fish and then Arugam Bay - the fishing village, popular for surfing - all will turn into fine tourist destinations with state-of-the-art facilities under the five- year plan, by the Ministry of Tourism, in the near future.

The Eastern coast is waiting to welcome you, the locals first to enjoy the warmth and hospitality of the province.

Each rupee that you spend over there will make the Easterners smile.

As the saying goes : "Don't go where the footpath may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail".

Each of your trails to the undiscovered mysteries of the Eastern coast will make the province boom with warm hopes for development and peace.

Nilaweli beach and the Pigeon Island	Vakarai beach
Arugambay beach