Things to do — East Coast

The East Coast offers a combination of beach, sports and cultural activities particularly attractive for travellers wanting to go off the beaten track.

In Trincomalee and around, the flagship attraction remains the Pigeon Island excursion (May to October, USD 25-40 with mask and snorkel). Allow half a day on site to explore the reef, meet green turtles and blacktip sharks, and savour a toes-in-the-sand lunch on return. In the town itself, visit the Koneswaram Hindu temple perched on Swami Rock (one of the five sacred Pancha Ishwarams of Shiva in Sri Lanka, founded in the 4th century BC), with its spectacular panorama over the ocean. The Kanniya hot springs (8 km from the centre), used since antiquity, offer a curious experience — seven wells at varying temperatures (28 to 46 °C) within a sacred enclosure. For certified divers, the Second World War wrecks off Swami Rock (the HMS Hermes, first British aircraft carrier sunk in 1942) make for a world-renowned dive site.

At Arugam Bay, surf is obviously the queen activity. The main spot (Main Point) is a long, powerful right-hand reef break, ideal for intermediate to advanced levels. Beginners can start at Baby Point or take lessons at Whiskey Point. Many French-speaking schools offer 1-7 day packages (lessons + board + photography, USD 30-60/day). Outside surfing, do not miss the Pottuvil lagoon safari (4h in the morning, USD 25, crocodile observation, elephants at twilight, migratory birds) and the Kumana National Park safari (peaceful alternative to Yala for leopards, USD 60-80).

At Batticaloa, a historic Tamil town in the centre of the East Coast, the unusual attraction is the encounter with the singing fish of the lagoon. These fish (sciaenidae) emit at dusk sounds audible from the surface — a unique acoustic phenomenon studied by scientists for decades. Evening boat visit (USD 15-20). The town also houses the Dutch Fort of Batticaloa (1665), well preserved, and several remarkable Hindu temples (Mamangam Pillaiyar, Thiruchendur Murugan).

The beaches of Pasikuda and Kalkudah (between Batticaloa and Trincomalee) are among the calmest and most beautiful in the country. Circular beach at Pasikuda, ideal for family swimming (water at chest height for 100 metres), quiet atmosphere outside resorts. Some sea turtle nesting sites (January to April for green turtles, September to November for hawksbills) open to evening guided visits (Kosgoda Sea Turtle Conservation sanctuary).