The East - Sri Lanka - page 550

stays somewhat inland but intersects with lagoons where you can spot waterfowl, wading
birds, water buffalo and even elephants. It's a beautiful, savannah-like landscape.
Panama (12km south of Arugam Bay) is a farming village with an end-of-the-world at-
mosphere, whose only sights are an attractive white dagoba and a stunning, untouched
(but shade-free) sandy beach a kilometre east of town. If there's heavy seas, swimming is
usually unsafe (and surfers won't have any joy on these dumpy shore breaks). At the
northern end of the beach, close to the jellyfish-processing plant (jellyfish are sent to the
Far East for use in cooking), is a fairly lame right-point break that is good for novice
surfers. Arugam Bay three-wheelers charge Rs 1500 return, or you can wait for a rare bus.
Panama to Okanda
The superb 47-sq-km site of Kudimbigala Forest Hermitage is a jumble of forgotten
Sigiriya-style outcrops set in dense jungle. Over 200 shrines and hermits' lodgings are set
in caves or sealed rocky overhangs and six Buddhist monks still live here. While none is
individually especially interesting, the atmosphere is fantastic and the dagoba-topped sum-
mit of the highest rock offers vast panoramas across the eccentric landscape and forest
canopy. There are glimpses of lagoon and sandbars towards the shore, and the far south-
western horizon is distantly serrated by the spiky Weliara Ridge. Kudimbagala is usually
visited along with Kumana or Okanda; three-wheelers charge Rs 2500 return (prepare
yourself for the rough dirt track). As this is an active hermitage, quiet and modest dress are
requested.
The Arugam-Okanda road ends at the entry gate for Kumana National Park. Immedi-
ately east of the gate is Okanda , a seasonal settlement for local fishermen and home to the
Okanda Sri Murugan Kovil . Though relatively small, the main temple has a colourful
gopuram (gateway tower) and is a major point on the Pada Yatra pilgrimage to Katar-
agama. Thousands of pilgrims gather here during the two weeks before the July poya (full
moon) before attempting the last, and most dangerous, five-day leg of the 45-day trek from
Jaffna. The temple is of great spiritual importance as it marks the supposed point at which
Murugan (Skanda) and his consort Valli arrived in Sri Lanka on stone boats.
Just five minutes' walk from the temple is a sweeping beige-white beach with an excel-
lent right-point break, popular with surfers fleeing the crowds at Arugam Bay.