Batticaloa or simply Batti is a historic city in Sri Lanka. The city is surrounded by marvelous lagoons and palm trees. People called this city – ‘the land of the singing fish.’ Batticaloa the former capital of Sri Lanka is located at the east coast region, which is 69 miles south by south-east of Trincomalee. The entire city is a small city with a fewer population. You can easily explore the city while walking. This city is steeped with beautiful sandy beaches, lagoons, and historical architecture from the Dutch empire.
Things to see in Batticaloa
Passikudah Bay: Passikudah Bay is the top attraction of Batticaloa, which contains a thin set of coral reefs heading towards the outside bay with sprinkled coral communities inside the bay. This place is linked with the similar reef systems that are further south to the Kalkudah. This reef system is one the best systems in the eastern region. It was proposed as Marine Sanctuary by NARA. Passikudah is famous for its calm water and it is located 28 km north of Batticaloa district of the Eastern Province.
Batticaloa Fort: This fort was a Portuguese settlement and it was first created in 1628 as a trading and administrative center. Built on a small island, Batticaloa fort extends beyond into a swampy lagoon, which surveys the salty waters (these salty waters are protected by the cities outside banks). This fort is a magnificent remnant of the Dutch colonial prowess and it was used for various trade activities. However, the King Rajasinghe of Kandy had other ideas and he resign to agree the Dutch rulers. Later in 1638, he claimed this fort and made this area sovereign from the Dutch rulers.
Things to do in Batticaloa
Visiting the beaches: Batticaloa is a famous city in Sri Lanka. It has some of the best sandy beaches in the entire Sri Lanka such as – Pasikuda and Kalkuda. These beaches are extremely beautiful with shallow waters. Apart from these beaches, there are also other beaches that draw many tourists from around the world. These beaches include – Nasivanthivu beach in Vaharai, Palchenai beach, Mankeni beach, etc. All these beaches are ideal for gathering and people will enjoy the soothing sceneries along the beaches as well. Also, the sunrise and sunset sceneries in these beaches will leave the tourists in wonder as both of these times will present something unique to behold.
Go for a boat ride: Batticaloa has several boat spots in which you can go for a boat ride. Training guides will guide you with safe equipment. Remember that boat rides become more exciting because of the lagoons in Batticaloa. Within these lagoons, there are a few tiny islands that are perfect for bird watching and camping.
Explore the Coconut cultural park: Coconut cultural park is close to the Passikudah beach sitting in front of the malu malu resort inside the coconut cultivation firm. There are lots of things to do in this park like – a ride on the bull by a cart, discovering the handy craft preparation process, and local food making process. Plus, you would love to have coconut ice cream and see the cultural dance in the park.
Bird Watching: Batticaloa is famous for inimitable species of birds as the lagoons in Batticaloa offer you opportunities to see these exciting birds. Generally, the main lagoon extends to more than 50 km and the best island for bird watching is the Bone Island (Which can be reached by boat from the Batti Lagoon Park and Batticaloa’s Lighthouse area). Besides, Batticaloa’s Buffalo Island and Manthivu Island offers you the chance to see the migrating birds and if you go the eco-park in Palameenmadu, you will see a tower. From that tower, you can see lots birds and this is why this tower is famous in Batticaloa for bird viewing.
How is the weather of Batticaloa?
Batticaloa has two different seasons – Tropical wet and dry climate. Generally, the climate of this city is warm all year round with a few variations. Amazingly, the season in Batticaloa is marked by the rains instead of temperature. The monsoon season is long here and it lasts from November to March. This season is considered to be the low season for tourists. Now, the best time to visit Batticaloa is April to September, which is either side of the monsoon season. IN this time, the weather is dry but doesn’t get too warm and hot.
How to reach Batticaloa?
You can reach Batticaloa by the following transportation –
By Car: You can reach Batticaloa by private car and you can also hire cars from car rental companies.
By Train: In between Colombo and Batticaloa route, the trains reach and depart on a regular basis. Usually, this journey will take eight to nine hours.
- From Colombo to Batticaloa: The morning train departs at 6:10 AM and night train leaves at 7:15 PM.
- From Batticaloa to Colombo: The morning train leaves at 7:15 AM and the night train will depart at 8:15 PM.
To get in the trains, you have to bring the tickets from the station directly. There is also an option for advance booking from the station.
By Bus: To reach Batticaloa, you can also opt for public buses. Following table will help you to know the time of departure of public buses and duration of travel from different cities to Batticaloa.
Finally, Batticaloa is standing on a small island, but it represents far more than this tiny island because when you stroll on the beaches or go for a boat ride on the lagoons, you will realize that this place is close to heaven. So, enjoy your stay at Batticaloa and bath in the beauties of this magnificent place with our Batticaloa travel guide.
For inquires contact Olanka Travels. Check our Sri Lanka 7 days itinerary to include Batticaloa.
