Arugam Bay is situated on the Indian Ocean in the dry zone of Sri Lanka's South-East coast. The Bay is located 220 km due East of Colombo. It is a popular surfing and tourist destination. Many of the buildings were destroyed in the 2004 tsunami.Due to its popularity among tourists thearea has managed a slow recovery by private initiatives only.The main road through town has not been repaved yet.By April,2008 no help has been received from any official source or International organizations.
An exception is uncoordinated support for fishing folk as well as many school rebuilding programs, sadly resulting in a continuation to provide only separatist schools for each Community.
Arugam Bay is far away! 7 hours drive from Colombo, it has until fairly recently only attracted a tthts. There are now almost dayly flights to Ampara with Sri Lankan Airlines sea planes. They are presntly applying for a licence to land on Pottuvil Lagoon. The ISA (International Surfing Association) staged Arugam Bay's first international surfing competition in the summer of 2004, and despite the shocking destruction of the Tsunami, returned again in 2005 to give the battered local economy a boost.
2005 was a difficult year for Arugam Bay as it was one of the worst hit areas of the country. The post Tsunami recovery has by and large been very quick despite the remoteness of the area. many NGO's and private organisations like ourselves (LankaRealAid) have help rebuild the area and some of the guest houses are now much better than before the wave. Both north and south of Arugam Bay there are undoubtedly some of the most beautiful beaches in the whole of Sri Lanka.
The original site can be found
here.
An exception is uncoordinated support for fishing folk as well as many school rebuilding programs, sadly resulting in a continuation to provide only separatist schools for each Community.
Arugam Bay is far away! 7 hours drive from Colombo, it has until fairly recently only attracted a tthts. There are now almost dayly flights to Ampara with Sri Lankan Airlines sea planes. They are presntly applying for a licence to land on Pottuvil Lagoon. The ISA (International Surfing Association) staged Arugam Bay's first international surfing competition in the summer of 2004, and despite the shocking destruction of the Tsunami, returned again in 2005 to give the battered local economy a boost.
2005 was a difficult year for Arugam Bay as it was one of the worst hit areas of the country. The post Tsunami recovery has by and large been very quick despite the remoteness of the area. many NGO's and private organisations like ourselves (LankaRealAid) have help rebuild the area and some of the guest houses are now much better than before the wave. Both north and south of Arugam Bay there are undoubtedly some of the most beautiful beaches in the whole of Sri Lanka.
The original site can be found here.
