Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Koggala
Koggala is home to a long, wide, but wave-lashed stretch of beach. The road runs quite
close to the shore but most of the time it remains just out of sight, hidden by the high walls
of estates.
The Fortress
HOTEL
( 438 9400;
www.thefortress.lk
;
Galle-Matara Rd;r from US$280; )
From the outside this vast place, with its high walls, looks exactly like a prison and a for-
midable one at that. But inside you'll find it's all wide open in the one direction it should
be: the sea. Revel in infinity pools, 53 chic urban-style rooms with whirlpool baths and
rain showers, superb dining and more.
Ahangama & Midigama
091
The Ahangama and Midigama area are home to the most consistent, and possibly the best,
surf in Sri Lanka. It's a very low-key area with plenty of cheap surfer-friendly accommod-
ation and a scattering of pretty beaches (though the road often runs very close to the
shore).
Activities
The first surf spot heading east is the consistent beach break at
Kabalana Beach
, which
normally has something to ride even when it's tiny elsewhere.
In
Midigama
itself, a spicepot-sized village built beside a curve of sand, there are a
couple of reef breaks. Lazy Left is the aptly named wave that bends around the rocks and
into the sandy bay - it's perfect for that first reef experience. A few hundred metres further
down is Ram's Right, a hollow, shallow and unpredictable beast. It's not suitable for be-
ginners.
Note that the water covers loads of rocks, coral and other hazards. Also, besides a few
guesthouses offering battered boards for rent (Rs 600 to 1000 per day), there are no places
selling surf gear or offering repairs - you'll have to go to Hikkaduwa.
