“Arisi Malai” – beach with unique sand – By Arundathie Abeysinghe
Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon is an island country in South Asia situated in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal and southeast of the Arabian Sea separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar as well as the Palk Strait. Sri Lanka is rapidly gaining global recognition as one of the most beautiful beach destinations in the world. The island nation offers diverse landscapes from spectacular mountains, rolling carpets of tea, cascading waterfalls, rainforests to endless kilometers of white sandy beaches.
*Trincomalee, popularly referred to as “Trinco” by many Sri Lankans, is home to an uninterrupted stretch of spectacular coastline with crystal clear white sandy beaches and clear blue waters that stretch for almost 30 kilometers.
Trincomalee is home to some of the most breathtaking beaches in Sri Lanka including Nilaveli Beach, Uppuveli, Kuchchaveli and *Marble Beach.
Situated off the beaten track in a semi forest area in Pulmude along Nilaweli Uppuweli road, approximately 50 kilometers north of Trincomalee, sand of the beach at “Arisi Male” is unique. The majority of tourists visiting Trincomalee do not visit this beach as it is not a popular site. This is a small beach.
“Arisi Male” (“Arisi” meaning rice and “Male” meaning the beach) or ‘Mountain of Rice’ in Tamil, the Beach has extremely large particles of sand, the size of a grain of rice. Unlike the sand in the beaches in other parts of Sri Lanka, the sand in this beach is not sticky and can be wiped off easily as it does not stick on the feet.
There is a Navy Camp situated in close proximity to “Arisi Malai” and visitors to the Beach need to park their vehicles in front of the camp and walk approximately 1/ 2 kilometer to reach the Beach. Crystal clear shallow water and the gentle waves tempt visitors to bathe at this location. The surrounding vistas are breathtaking …
Many visitors call this beach as “the hidden beach in Trincomalee” as it is not a beach visited by many tourists.
Image courtesy – facebook.com & tripadvisor.com
- Trincomalee – Situated on one of the world’s finest natural and beautiful deep-water harbors, Trincomalee is a port city located on the northeastern coast in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. Ancient “Gokanna” also known formerly as “Koddiyar Bay” (meaning “Fort by the River”), Trincomalee has been a sea port that has played a major role in maritime and international trading history of Sri Lanka. Trincomalee is one of the world’s finest natural harbors. During early times, Trincomalee was a major settlement of Indo-Aryan immigrants. The first Europeans to occupy Trincomalee were the Portuguese in the 17th century. The port’s harbor was occupied by the Dutch, French and the British, until the British Colonials occupied it permanently, in 1795. Strategic significance of Trincomalee as a major British base was heightened after the Japanese ousted the British from Singapore during World War II. The British Colonials continued to hold the harbor after Sri Lanka gained independence in 1948 too, although they relinquished it, in 1957. Trincomalee has attracted seafarers, traders as well as pilgrims from Europe, Australasia, East Asia, Africa, China and Middle East from ancient periods. With a population of approximately 126000 people, Trincomalee is also a major tourist attraction and a port city visited by a large number of local and foreign tourists annually. The Bay of Trincomalee provides security and is accessible to all types of sea crafts throughout the year, irrespective of weather conditions. Beaches in Trincomalee are utilized for recreational purposes such as surfing, scuba diving, fishing as well as whale watching. Trincomalee is renowned for housing the largest *Dutch Fort in Sri Lanka. It is also home to major Sri Lankan naval bases and a Sri Lankan Air Force base.
Fort Frederick in Trincomalee – emblazoned with colonial insignia – By Arundathie Abeysinghe
Marble Beach – a pristine beach in a sheltered bay – By Arundathie Abeysinghe
https://www.elanka.co.uk/marble-beach-a-pristine-beach-in-a-sheltered-bay-by-arundathie-abeysinghe/
Pigeon Island – unique natural marvel – By Arundathie Abeysinghe
https://www.elanka.com.au/pigeon-island-unique-natural-marvel-by-arundathie-abeysinghe/
Sober Island – enchanting islet in Trincomalee – By Arundathie Abeysinghe
https://www.elanka.com.au/sober-island-enchanting-islet-in-trincomalee-by-arundathie-abeysinghe/
Strategic significance of Trincomalee Harbor – By Arundathie Abeysinghe
https://www.elanka.com.au/strategic-significance-of-trincomalee-harbor-by-arundathie-abeysinghe/
