Kalpitiya - kitesurfing and dolphin watching in Sri Lanka
Kalpitiya Peninsula, 44 km long and covering an area of 17 square kilometres, is a large spit of land separating the vast Puttalam Lagoon from the Indian Ocean. Kalpitiya town in the northern part of the peninsula is located 145 km to the north of Colombo, as the crow flies, or 165 km by road. The peninsula is also known as „Kalpitiya Island“. Although Kalpitiya is a dry and barren land, the peninsula is covered with plenty of coconut groves.
Kalpitiya served as a harbour in the Late Middle Ages and due to its strategic importance was occupied by the Portuguese, who built a first small fortress at the northern tip of the peninsula in the 16th century. As in the cases of Galle, Jaffna, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Mannar, this fort was heavily enlarged and improved by the Dutch in the second half of the 17th century. Like all coastal regions of Sri Lanka, Kalpitiya Peninsula became British in 1795, the British colonial name was Calpentyn. In the early years of British rule, the Dutch Fort continued to serve as a garrison. But it was abandoned already in the first half of the 19th century. The small Dutch Fort is now used by the Sri Lankan Navy.
Kalpitiya served as a harbour in the Late Middle Ages and due to its strategic importance was occupied by the Portuguese, who built a first small fortress at the northern tip of the peninsula in the 16th century. As in the cases of Galle, Jaffna, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Mannar, this fort was heavily enlarged and improved by the Dutch in the second half of the 17th century. Like all coastal regions of Sri Lanka, Kalpitiya Peninsula became British in 1795, the British colonial name was Calpentyn. In the early years of British rule, the Dutch Fort continued to serve as a garrison. But it was abandoned already in the first half of the 19th century. The small Dutch Fort is now used by the Sri Lankan Navy.
 chapel near Kudawa beach
Kalpitiya town is a predominantly Muslim community. But Roman Catholizism too play an important role on the peninsula. The festival of St. Anne‘s Church, dedicated to the mother of Mary, though Anne is not mentioned as her name in the Bible, attracts large crowds of Roman Catholic Christians from all parts of Sri Lanka to the village of Talawila. St. Anne‘s Feast Day is July 26. Throughout the year, pilgrims visit the Talawila church due to its reputation as a place of healing power. Another remarkable church building is St Peter’s Kerk, not far from the Dutch Fort, it was renovated by the British in 1840. Traditionally, the inhabitants have been fishermen. More recently, the tourism sector has played an increasingly important role.
Plenty of guesthouses are situated to the west of Kalpitiya town and to the south of Kalpitiya Lagoon, particularly at Kudawa Beach. Kalpitiya town is located at the northern end of the peninsula and opening to the Dutch Bay. The Dutch Bay to the north-east of Kalpitiya is the nexus between Puttalam Lagoon and the ocean. Within the Puttalam Lagoon as well as to the north of Kalpitiya peninsula, there are 14 islets. Ippantivu is sometimes occupied by migrant fishermen. The largest of these islets is the northernmost one called Karaitivu, it‘s a narrow sanddune of 12 km length, forming the western edge of Dutch Bay. |
saline wetlands between Kalpitiya town and Kudawa beach
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salines between Kalpitiya Peninsula and Puttalam
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Kalpitiya dolphins and dugongs
In recent years, Kalpitiya has become famous as Sri Lanka‘s best place for dolphin watching. The best season to spot shoals of dolphins is from November to March. Pods of more than 1000 individuals can be seen near Kalpitiya peninsula, spinner, bottlenose and Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins. Sometimes, whales can be observed, too.
Another animal worth mentioning, though rarely sighted, is the dugong. Dugongs are found Dugongs are found in warm coastal waters along the seashores of the Indian Ocean and Red Sea and in the western Pacific. This elusive marine mammal is said to have inspired mermaid legends. The dugongs of Kalpitiya are said to be the largest dugongs at all, more than 2 m in lenth.
Another animal worth mentioning, though rarely sighted, is the dugong. Dugongs are found Dugongs are found in warm coastal waters along the seashores of the Indian Ocean and Red Sea and in the western Pacific. This elusive marine mammal is said to have inspired mermaid legends. The dugongs of Kalpitiya are said to be the largest dugongs at all, more than 2 m in lenth.
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Kalpitiya kitesurfing
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Kalpitiya Lagoon is ideal for kite surfing, due to its shallow waters. There are many different kitesurfing spots on Kalpitiya Peninsula, not only for beginners but also for advanced enthusiasts. During the monsoon months June to September, Kalpitiya offers strong winds of more than 20 knots almost every day and 24 hours a day. A second season is the anti-monsoon between December and February, with winds of 10 to 20 knots, more comfortable for beginners.
The largest kite- and surf-school at the Kalpitiya Lagoon is called De Silva Windresort Kalpitiya. It is located on the eastern side of the lagoon. Srilankakite accommodation and kite school is a little bit further north, in only 4 km distance from Kalpitiya village. It's the only center which use North kiteboarding and ION equipment. Windforlove is a kitesurfing school helping you to find private or guesthouse accommodation, it‘s located to the south of the Kalpitiya Lagoon. There is another lagoon quite popular among kitesurfers, situated 15 km further south at the western coast of Kalpitiya Peninsula. The Kappalady Lagoon is an oblong bay, opening to the ocean at its northern end. Kappalady is smaller than Kalpitiya Lagoon and therefore can be crowded sometimes. Apart from that, it’s a perfect place for kitesurfers. The Elements Resort is a kitesurfing school with very nice own accommodation facilities at the picturesque beach of Kappalady Lagoon. |
Kalpitiya Lagoon near Kudawa Beach
Kalpitiya Lagoon near Kudawa Beach
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