On the beach in Mirissa, Sri Lanka
It’s a wonderful time of year in Sri Lanka – cool (relatively!) nights and warm days, no rain, perfect blue skies. Welcome to winter in the tropics.
The family just got back from an exceptional 3-day weekend in southern Sri Lanka. We left Colombo after school on Friday afternoon and returned on the Monday Poya. Our travelling companions were Geoff and Zehra, who did not seem to mind at all spending 3 days with a rambuncious toddler. We spent one night in Unawatuna, then 2 nights in Weligama. Both are past Galle, and about 3 to 4 hours drive from Colombo.
Contemplating the ocean in Unawatuna
Unawatuna is the more popular tourist destination – truly a beautiful spot, reminiscent of the Dominican Republic and its perfect beaches. Maddie, mom, and dad took a glass-bottom boat tour of the bay here and saw lots of fish and coral. The water was so clear, it was almost like air. After Unawatuna, we drove to Weligama, where we met up with friends Mark, Meredith, and Sonia.
Weligama is another exceptional spot, though with a different feel from Unawatuna. Not quite as picturesque as it is a working fishing village but that’s part of its charm. The real draw to coming here is the surfing – this is known as one of the best places in Sri Lanka for beginner surfers, because the water is shallow and calm, and the waves big enough to catch but not too big to bowl you over. The beach is wide and gorgeous, a perfect setting to let 2 year-old run free all day long. Absolutely charming.
Days were filled with sun, sand, and surf, and nights with Lion beer and guitars under the moonlit palm trees.
Perfect little waves for a toddler
Madeline had a great time, as always. She absolutely adores Geoff and Zehra and can’t get enough of them. She got to ride in a car for several hours, sitting between mom and dad and watching Dora (like a mini-airplane flight! Remember, since mom and dad don’t have a car, this is still a novelty for her.) On Friday night she got to stay up really late, playing on a beautiful beach in the moonlight after a delicious prawn dinner in Hikkaduwa.
And of course, during the nights she got what she really wanted, full nights in the ‘big bed’ with mom and dad, with none of the silly hassle of having to sleep in her own bed.
During the days, the kids were free to do whatever their hearts desired, playing with each other and lots of toys. And of course, simply being at the beach means infinite fun. We built sand castles, dug swimming pools with canals, collected seashells, made friends with the locals, and played football with Dora.
Dad tried surfing for only the second time ever and Maddie for her first. She was hooked! The ocean at Weligama is perfect for 2 year-olds, and Madeline came a long way towards getting over her fear of waves. Fearing waves is a problem when one loves the ocean as much as she does! But she stood up in the surf all day long and took the brunt of all those little waves without falling over too much.
A surfer is born!
Unfortunately, this entire stretch of coastline was completely devastated by the 2004 tsunami. The effects can still be seen in various spots. For example, there are several kilometers of highway between markers 80 and 90 that are littered with the corpses of buildings – hardly anything left but the foundations, with most trees stripped to their stumps. Touristy places like Unawatuna were rebuilt quickly, but the tsunami aftermath is evident – and you don’t have to look too hard to find it. For example, in Unawatuna there are still a few piles of rubble here and there on the beach, and a foundation or two laying in the woods. People were supposed to rebuild a certain distance from the beach, but most ignored this.
This was one of those weekends when you return home with a true appreciation of the country you live in. Sri Lanka is, in many ways, close to a perfect place to live with a toddler. It’s natural beauty is unparalleled, and there are so many opportunities to get out and about, one cannot find enough time to do them all.
A Valentine's cookie party!
Maddie at school with her best friend Amy
