Barefoot water-skiing is pretty extreme, the most extreme sport I’ve done so far. A few session of it and I was left with no choice but to retire to a more manageable sport – wake boarding.

Sigis’ place on the banks of the Bentota river has a lovely atmosphere – it’s quiet, secluded and of course the place is clean – ideal for you to just chill and relax after a hard day’s work out on the river. The day saw us trying to persuade and teach Mihira how to water ski. A few more sessions and he would be good to go! Another member to our fold perhaps…

Lunch and a game of scrabble later, we hired two man sit on top kayaks to explore the river and adjoining mangrove swamps. Definitely recommend this to anyone heading to Bentota – just be mindful of the current and wear life jackets.

Tuesday is a holiday – probably to the same again. Until then…

Dilsiri Welikala

An article in the Sunday Times on the pioneers of surfing in Sri Lanka first gave me a glimpse  of what paradise has to offer. Sri Lanka’s surf scene is not that advanced and it was only a few months ago that I met with fellow ‘like minded’ people who enjoyed what I enjoyed – the beach and activities concerning the beach.

When the winds are not  enough for Kitesurfing, we head ‘Down South’ in search of a nice gentle wave for us beginners. Julian Bowling, Sri Lanka’s Olympian in the sport of Swimming spoke of a gentle wave where Parrot Fish swam alongside the surf boards in crystal clear water. I was hooked and we headed to Medigama the following week. My cousin Keshini Hapugoda, a fellow enthusiast followed suit the week after.

Hour upon hour of surfing with Julian advancing  and giving pointers to us beginners, a nice hearty ‘String Hopper Feed’ and loads of ‘Thambili’ for breakfast gave us all the energy to go on till Sunset. That’s right, sunset (we considered stopping for lunch a waste of time!) It was truly an amazing experience surfing and marveling at what beauty this island, an island we call paradise has to offer.

Next weekend, wind or swell, we would hit a beach North or South or Sri Lanka. The adventures continue.

Dilsiri Welikala

I first came to Bentota in 2005 soon after the tsunami. One of my colleagues recommended The Den to me before leaving the country as an amazing place to hang out and do something adventurous and fun: waterski.

The Den is a small guesthouse that I found to be extremely clean and comfortable.  Everyone there did their best to provide good service and create a friendly environment. The beer was always perfectly chilled and the meals were a splendid assortment of seafood cooked to perfection. I ended up loving the place and it soon became my second home.

In my 3 years of living in Sri Lanka, I spent almost every weekend there, and was soon part of a group of frequent waterskiers that immediately became my friends. Together we enjoyed great watersports, good food and most of all we had the best of times.

Initially i skied using the gear available from PJ Mono Sports but soon i was so hooked into the sport i decided to buy my own mono ski, wakeboard, vest and gloves. It is an amazing sport and Bentota’s river is such a nice place to ski on.

Sigi, the owner of PJ Mono Sports and my waterski instructor soon became my dear friend. Looking back makes me feel so lucky to have found this place and the people there. Together we organised a waterski competition, awesome parties and the most sumptuous barbeques Bentota has ever seen

I often went on boat rides in the mangrove swamps, fishing or across the river for a swim in the ocean. Bentota Beach is to me one of the most beautiful beaches in Sri Lanka. From my passion for evenings admiring the beautiful sunsets stemmed the Sunset Bar. A coctail bar that i had built and where we had great conversations over the years.

The Den its a great family place and me and my family have always treasured our times here. My two sons have started wakeboarding here and seeing them progress in the sport has always been one of my greatest memories here.

As I now leave Sri Lanka, I find that I will miss The Den and the great times I had there with my dearest friends the most. I look forward to returning here every chance i get.

Good bye & see you soon!

PS: author requested his identity be kept private.

We arrived in the small remote village of Arugam Bay at noon, on the first day of an amazing 4 day holiday. I have never seen a more beautiful place or experienced such simple living.  Arugam Bay is a stretch of azure blue sea with crests of white fluffy waves breaking on the beach.  The beach was steaming hot at noon yet by evening it offered long walks on cool golden sands.

Set back from the beach were coconut and palmyrah palms, some in groves and others standing alone.  Across the bay at the various surf points you could see the surfers, sitting on their boards staring across the bay and waiting for the big waves.

The small hotel we stayed at was one of the most charming places I have ever stayed in.  The tree-house like rooms were made of slatted wood and red tile roofs. The profusion of white bougainvillea growing all across the wooden structures gave the place a certain irresistible beauty. We found that the best way to beat the afternoon heat was to take cold outdoor showers before taking an afternoon nap outside on the verandah of the hotel.

The evenings were beautiful.  The steaming hot sands cooled to the sea breeze.  This was the ideal time for swimming.  The sea was cool and the water a brilliant blue.  Huge waves came across the bay and we enjoyed jumping over or diving under them.  Arugam Bay is not a busy or crowded beach.  There are a few people swimming or walking on the beach and groups of surfers riding the waves.  You can actually feel the solitude and tranquility of the place. At night we enjoyed leisurely dinners under the ever brightening full moon.  On the last night the moon was brightest and a perfect golden orb in the star studded sky. The act of something so simple, as watching the full moon, felt special in Arugam Bay.

The village of Arugam is more a series of small houses, restaurants and hotels.  The people of this region are extremely friendly and welcome you with a smile.  The best way to look around is to walk, and that’s what we did.

We found the most amazing places to eat and drink. I had the best home made ice cream I have ever eaten and they even had a selection of about 10 to choose from including passion fruit, mango and pineapple. We found wonderful Sri Lankan food at small street-side restaurants and enjoyed one dinner sitting at a small table set by the side of the road while we were served with spicy Sri Lankan cuisine. Every evening we ordered pots of yogurt and honey that was made from buffalo milk which became our staple dessert. We were also impressed by the western food which was delicious.

We spent the mornings visiting the different surf points as well as taking in the sites of Arugam Bay.  Some of the surf points were in very remote places.  The beaches were untouched, the sea was clean and blue and the waves were big.  One of the most spectacular surf points is called “Pottuvil Point.  Pottuvil Point is remarkable, not only as a surf point but for the beauty of the location itself.  A rocky outcrop on golden beaches overlooking the sea and surrounded by jungle. We were told that the best time to surf was early in the morning when the waves were at their biggest.  On our adventures, we passed herds of elephants sitting in large ponds filled with water lilies.  A truly amazing and amusing sight.  We passed lagoons with crocodiles, multitudes of birds and tiny fishing boats. We met wonderful people.

Leaving Arugam Bay was difficult as our time there seemed to end so quickly.  We were never bored for a moment.  We always had so much to do, so much to see and experience.  As we left, we already made plans for our return 2 months later.