Kuchchaveli holidays
Holidays to Kuchchaveli whisk you away to a coastal village hemmed with chalky sands that stretch for miles.
Lazy beach days
Kuchchaveli’s a small village on the east coast of Sri Lanka, and it has a real away-from-it-all feel. The beach is made up of crumbly sands speckled with coral-coloured rocks, and it rolls out for a few miles along the coast. There are a couple of hotels dotted here and there, but other than that, things are pretty quiet – put it this way, there’ll always be a peaceful spot for you to settle on the sand. When you’re not reading a book or snoozing on your sunbed, you should keep an eye out for wildlife. This part of Sri Lanka’s known for its biodiversity – the land’s got everything from forests and marshlands to tropical lagoons, and there are hundreds of species of bird in the area.
Under the sea
If you’re into scuba diving, you’ll be in your element at Kuchchaveli. There are lots of places to dive along this part of the coast, and a shedload of diving companies offer underwater adventures for different levels of experience. Some of the dives are deeper – things like cave dives and nighttime trips are on the cards – and there’s an array of marine life to look out for under the waves. These waters are home to everything from stingrays to turtles, so be sure to keep your eyes wide open. If you want a glimpse of sea creatures but you’re not a fan of the water, you could always hop on a whale-watching boat tour instead.
Days in Trincomalee
When you fancy a change from the beach scene, the vibrant town of Trincomalee’s just up the coast from Kuchchaveli – it takes around 40 minutes to get there by car. One of the most famous landmarks in this town is the Koneswaram Temple of Trincomalee, sometimes known as the Temple of a Thousand Pillars. It’s a Hindu temple with a huge gold statue keeping watch out front, and according to legend, it was built under the order of Lord Shiva. There’s also a bundle of restaurants and shops to make your way around in the city, along with an ancient fort, a few panoramic viewpoints and a handful of museums brimming with historical artefacts.