They say that only thanks to the works of the writer Martin Wikramasingh, the place of Koggala (Sri Lanka) was marked on a geographical map. Memories of the town in which Wikramasingh was born are present in many of the author’s books. And the plot of Madol Duva, the most famous novel of the writer, is closely connected with a small island located in Koggal.
The small resort of Koggala is located on the shores of the Indian Ocean, very close to the large city-fort Galle (less than 20 km). The distance to the unofficial capital of Sri Lanka, Colombo , is already more significant – 130 km, and to the international airport Bandaranaike – 147 km. There is an airport directly in Koggal that serves flights within Sri Lanka.
As a tourist resort, Koggala became popular not so long ago, and the infrastructure is not yet very well developed. The assortment of hotels can not be called wide, mainly these are expensive 5 * hotels and several guesthouses. Koggal has a bank and an exchanger, which is important for travelers.
Beach vacation
The beach in Koggal is clean, covered with fine-grained light yellow sand and framed by coconut trees.
The beach line, with a length of about 3 km, stretched to the neighboring village of Khabaraduv. As for its width, it changes throughout the year and depends on the phases of the moon, that is, on the tides. Swimming and snorkeling here can be a bit problematic, although in calm weather on the beach there is certainly a place where you can safely go into the water.
Since the beach is long and wide enough, and there are not many vacationers in Koggal, here you can always make beautiful photos without extra people in the frame.
Since Koggala is not located in the bay, the beginning and end of the season in the resort is accompanied by the appearance of high waves. For professional surfers, this is a plus, and for beginners it is better to go to Koggala in the high season.
Related article: Mirissa – a picturesque resort in the extreme south of Sri Lanka .
Things to do in Koggal
The beach in Kogalla in Sri Lanka is not all that the resort town can offer tourists. There are all conditions for playing golf and tennis, for sailing, windsurfing, diving, water skiing.
Many centers organize incredibly interesting boat trips across the ocean, during which you can watch whales and dolphins swim. Such excursions are offered both by hotels and local tourist offices. The latter can be found without problems along the main street.
The rich world of coastal waters attracts many of those who enjoy scuba diving. Unique coral reefs, a variety of aquatic inhabitants – absolutely all dives are special and unforgettable. Fans of watching the underwater world are waiting for the numerical diving centers located along the beach, but they work only from October to April. Since the waters of the ocean are very stormy from May to September, fog is often over the entire coast.
In addition to diving centers in Koggal, there are surf spots that offer their services not only to experienced athletes, but also to beginners. The beach that stretches along Ahangama is one of the best surfing spots in Sri Lanka.
Absolutely exotic entertainment is traditional for Sri Lanka pole fishing: fishermen are located on poles installed very close to the coast. Now, such fishing is mainly organized only with the aim of entertaining tourists, and not in order to get food.
See also: Surfing in Sri Lanka – which place to choose for classes .
Koggala Lake – the main attraction of the spa town
The city of Koggala is known for the lake of the same name, which stretches parallel to the coast. Koggala Lake is the largest freshwater reservoir in Sri Lanka, giving many opportunities for fans of eco-tourism and lovers of water activities.
The lake always blows wind from the ocean, but there are no high waves – such conditions are ideal for those who like windsurfing, high-speed kiting and water skiing. There are many diving centers on the shores of Koggala, so athletes have the opportunity to study the underwater world of the lake.
Here you can go fishing, ride a catamaran and a motor boat on the lake.
There are several islands on Lake Koggala – looking at the photos of Koggala in Sri Lanka, you can see them. Some of them – rocky, covered with dense thickets of mango trees – are popular only among lovers of extreme relaxation and wildlife. On some islands of the lake there are exotic Buddhist huts, which require prior permission to visit.
The most popular and most visited are 3 islands, the names of which you can understand what they have to see. The first island is Temple Island, the second is Spice Island, the third is Cinnamon.
A Buddhist temple rises on the Temple Island , or rather 2 temples – active and inactive. Tourists are allowed into an inactive temple with Buddha statues installed in it, and a blind caretaker guards the entrance to the structure.
Here, travelers are offered to make a massage with fish, the essence of which is as follows: a person sits down and puts his feet in the “paddock” with a huge number of fish, after which food is poured into the water at the feet – the fish begin to float closer, pinch their legs, and beat with their tails. This is massage.
The next island is the Spice Garden , where locals grow spices for sale. It should be noted that the government provides support in the maintenance of the garden and in the production of herbal medicines. During the tour, tourists can buy their favorite spices and herbs, which are intended for the preparation of wines and medicines.
The latter is the island of Cinnamon , which for several centuries has been inhabited by 2 families involved in the cultivation of cinnamon plantations. These plantations are the largest in Sri Lanka. During the tour, locals tell and show how to prepare cinnamon, treat them with cinnamon tea, and also offer to buy cinnamon sticks, ground spice and oil from it.
What else is there in Koggal?
There is another aspect of the life of any resort city – this is shopping . For such an activity, it does not matter what the weather in Koggal will be.
There are many shops in this Sri Lankan resort: there are fruit shops, the Dasa Tea Shop, the unique Ayurvedic goods store Lake Side Spice Garden, the FoodCity supermarket, souvenir shops, and market ranks.
In a sense, restaurants and cafes can also be considered local attractions. The most famous restaurant, “Plane”, is located in a clearing not far from The Long Beach Hotel and close to the beach. There is a cafe nearby where you can sample Sri Lankan specialties.
One of the most visited restaurants with good reviews is Restaurant Patty Place, which is characterized by decent cuisine and reasonable prices. In the photo you can see what is prepared in this institution and how much the dishes cost.
Quite reasonable prices are also in the restaurant at the FoodCity supermarket in Habaraduv, which offers European and local dishes. It makes no sense to call all the institutions of Koggaly – you can just ride in a tuk-tuk along the central road of the resort town.
On average, lunch in Koggal will cost $ 12-17 for two , without alcohol. Alcohol prices throughout Sri Lanka are high – a glass of beer or wine will cost the same amount as the main course.
Climatic conditions in Koggal
The weather in Koggal in Sri Lanka has a good rest in November-April – this is the most favorable time when it is warm and dry enough. And from May to the end of October, almost 95% of all precipitation falls.
The air temperature remains unchanged throughout the year – it is kept within + 28-30 ºС. As for the water temperature in the ocean, it is also quite stable at +26 ° C.
Since Koggala (Sri Lanka) is a beach resort city, it is best to come here in the dry season, that is, from November to May. At other times, the weather is not the best for relaxing on the beach and for a variety of beach activities, and swimming in the open bays of the ocean can be dangerous.
