Arugam Bay and area

CLIMATE Pottuvil and Arugam Bay are situated on the Indian Ocean in the dry zone of Sri Lanka's South-East coast.  The area is rich in bird life and wildlife in the widespread jungle areas, wetlands and lagoons nearby. It has it's own specific climate with very little rain compared to the rest of the island.    Average temperatures in the shade are:  28-30 degrees Celsius during Nov. Dec. and Jan.  30-32 degrees Celsius during Feb. Mar. and Sept. Oct.  32-36 degrees Celsius during April May June July August    November and December are quiet, but beautiful. It is often windy, but still warm and it rains on and off. It is the rainy time in the East, but still there are many sunny days. All through the year the variating landscape invites trips on bycycle, motorfbike and off-roaders, as well as walking along the beaches. During this period many migrating birds arrive.  January, February and March have a very agreeable , though slightly humid climate. Refreshing winds blow from the North-East. The weather and waves are mostly good for wind-surfing, rafting, fishing and swimming, and this is the best time for birdwatching.  During April and May the sun is at its Zenith, and it can get rather hot and humid. The wind changes to South-East, and the season for body-surf starts. Arugam Bay is known as one of the best surf-points in the world.  From June the climate starts to feel less hot, as the soil and air get drier. Before midday a constant breeze from South East blows. The waves are now mostly steady for surf. A canoe trip in the lagoon during sunset is unforgettable.  The same is true for July, August, September and October, which are dry as well. This is contrary to the climate on the West Coast and many holidaymakers and surfers arrive during these months. A couple of showers in September or October make the landscape green again.  THE AREA AND THE PEOPLEIn the area of Arugam Bay live approximately 3.500 people. It consists of three small villages, where fishing and farming are the main occupations. The farmers grow rice and keep cattle for production of meat and curd.  Ullae is the fishing village in the corner of the Bay, where the sea is quiet and the land forms a natural fishing harbour. As it is fishing season nearly all year round there is a colourful life on the beach, with plenty of small boats, nets and friendly people.  Being such an attractive spot a whole community of Singhalese fishing families from the West Coast settles down every year in temporary palmhuts on the beach.  Most local people in Ullae are families from the Tamil community, Christians and some Hindu. There are some Singhalese families, too. They follow the Buddist tradition. Intermarriages among Singhalese and Tamil are not uncommon in this area of Sri Lanka.  Ullae has a Singhalese and a Tamil school and lies between Perie Ullae (south) and Sinne Ullae (north).  In Perie Ullae there is a sub-postoffice, a Mosque, a Muslim school and a predominantly Muslim population. Also in Sinne Ullae the population is mostly Muslim families with a Mosque and a Muslim school.    The nearest town is Pottuvil, 2 km away from the Bay. It has 12.000 inhabitants out of which 80% are Muslim. Pottuvil is a real cowboy-town around a mainstreet with a rather widespread residential nabourhood consisting of many well-built villas as well as more humble palmhuts and cottages. In Pottuvil the cowboys ride on bycycle. 2 banks can change cash, travellers cheques and visa cards only.  There is a simple communication centre, a market, and many small shops with the daily needs for the local population of farmers, fishermen and traders. Being dominantly Muslim there are no liquor shops. The nearest liquor shop is in Siyambalanduwa 35 km from Pottuvil, where the population is Singhalese and Buddist.  Pottuvil has a small government hospital. The hospital's doctors have private clinics in Pottuvil, where they practice in the mornings and evenings.  Public transportation is cheap and mainly in small private vans and three-wheelers. You can also hire a three- wheeler for yourself only. The buses to Moneragala and Colombo leaves early morning from Ullae.  In Moneragala there is a big bus stand with connections to the rest of the island. Every second day in the afternoon a direct bus leaves from Pottuvil for Colombo, arriving there 11-12 hours later.  If you hire a car the direct drive to Colombo takes 8 hours, although it is only 320km.  Arugam Bay and Pottuvil are part of Ampara district, which has a population of 42.000 people representing all communities. The general rule is that along the coastline nearly every second village or town is either Tamil or Muslim. The Singhalese communities live further inland.    ACTIVITIES  The daily activities in Arugam Bay and Pottuvil start early. Around 4 o'clock the first fishing boats go out to sea. It is possible to arrange trips with them.  An hour later the Mullah in the mosque sends his first morning prayers out, and at six the sky is changing color.  The sun raises over the sea an hour later. Now the early surfers are already swimming near the surfpoint. This is also the ideal time to start walks along the beach or take a bycycle-ride inland.  If you want to watch wildlife, you may drive in a jeep 10-15 km down South before sunrise or walk along the lagoon. But in the evenings as well after 5 o'clock till 7 p.m. you meet wild elephants, deer, wild pig, crocodiles and many other animals nearby. Also the birdlife is known to be very rich and interesting to watch in this area.  You can swim or fight with the waves in the sea all year round. On few occasions in January and February is the lagoon opened up by the people living on it's shores, and excess water is streaming out to the sea. Then there is a bustling fishing life around the opening, and it is dangerous to swimm nearby untill it is closed again.  Being an area with links back to ancient kingdoms there are many remnants in the jungle from old Buddist culture. Just outside Pottuvil behind the dunes are escavations of a 2000 year old temple, Modu Maha Vihare.