Kalpitiya
On the Kalpitiya peninsula in western Sri Lanka lies one of the most beautiful and natural beach areas between the Puttalam Lagoon, the Indian Ocean and a coconut grove. And: From there you can easily get by boat to the beautiful, nearby Safari Park Wilpattu, which is part of many round trips.
Things to do in Kalpitiya
In addition to bathing and safari holidays, there are a few other activities that make the sandy headland of Kalpitiya so attractive as a travel stopover. Kitesurfing is at the top of the list of things to do on Kalpitiya, followed by dolphin tours, whale watching, stand-up paddling and kayaking trips.
- Wildlife viewing : In the European winter, you can see large schools of dolphins around Kalpitiya and even the rare pink Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins in the lagoon. Whales are also regularly spotted at this time.
- Surfing : The European summer, on the other hand, offers the best conditions for kitesurfers. It is not without reason that many accommodations have the words "wind" and "kite" in their names. Kite beginners use the calm water of the lagoon, advanced kitesurfers venture into the open sea.
- Dutch Fort : The fortress is a historic landmark from the Dutch colonial era, built between 1667 and 1676 and only accessible with a guided tour. Inside the fortress, the remains of an old church can be seen. Originally, it was a Roman Catholic Portuguese shrine around which the Dutch had built their fortress.
Places to stay in Kalpitiya
From surf camps to nature-based lodges to first-class beach resorts, there are many different accommodation options along the narrow Kalpitiya peninsula. We recommend the noble and very stylish Hotel Villa Setha Wadi located directly on the Dutch Bay lagoon.
Arrival/Transport to Kalpitiya
There is about a 3-hour drive between Colombo Airport and the beautiful Kalpitiya Peninsula, which is separated from the mainland by a lagoon. There are bus services to Negombo, Colombo and Puttalam.
Best time to visit Kalpitiya
The best beach holiday is in Kalpitiya dry season from January to March. During this time, the chances of sighting dolphin and whale watching are also very good. The daytime temperatures on the west coast during this time are 29 to 32 degrees, the water temperatures are 24 to 26 degrees. At night it cools down to a pleasant 23 degrees, and it stays dry 16 to 19 days a month.
The two dry months of July and August are also suitable for a holiday by the water, in Kalpitiya especially for kitesurfing and surfing. The temperatures on the west coast during this time are 27 to 30 degrees, the water temperatures are about 27 degrees. It hardly cools down at night, but it stays dry about 15 days a month.
Between October and December, the monsoon around Kalpitiya causes downpours.
