Omeesha Resort, Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka

Omeesha Resort, Kalpitiya,  provided the perfect end to my short Taste of Sri Lanka tour with Olivia and Andrew. What a perfect last night it was with a moonlight cocktails and dinner on the beach! So peaceful and still with the calming sh sh sh sh shshshsh of the waves as they gently found the shore.

Beach at Omeesha Resort, Kalpitiya

Dinner deserves a special mention. It was both beautifully presented and delectable! And served with a genuine cheerful smile ! Unusually for such places in Sri Lanka the menu was big, not only on locally sourced seafood caught on the day, but also Chinese, Indian, Sri Lankan and pasta dishes so it took us some time, and a few cocktails, to make our choices.

Evening on the beach at Kalpitiya

Omeesha Resort is in a less developed part of the beach on the southern part of Kalpitiya. As I walked alone along in the soft surf I felt free to relax and enjoy the moment. No vigilance regarding personal safety for a lone woman was needed here, as it is at Arugum Bay, Hikkadudwa, Bentota and other overdeveloped tourist beaches of the south. Just relax and enjoy. You can here. For now, at least. As we had come down the approach road  on arrival I had noticed blocks of land with signs indicating that this and that company's resort is to be built there soon. Not too soon, I hope. I intend to return for a longer stay on our next trip.

Kalpitiya Beach

The next morning I was up early for another walk along a deserted beach. As I wandered along I dodged the big crabs as they scuttled from the sandbanks, pausing briefly to pick up an incoming tide surge then disappearing safely in the edge of foam. Hovering seabirds then moved on to other targets. The gentle surge produced a more energetic wave that took me by surprise, splashing over my covered knees. A few fishing boats further up the beach were leaving for a day at sea.

Later some of the German tourists went for a swim in the sea. Water sports such as wind surfing, wake boarding and surfing are becoming popular at this lovely part of the central western coast.

Whale and Dolphin watching from Omeesha Resort, Kalpitiya

On the beach in front of Omeesha whale and dolphin watching tourists were heading out to sea. The twenty minute boat ride to these marine mammal's playground would be especially pleasant on the calm, quiet sea today. Sperm whales are often seen between  December and the middle of April while dolphins play around out there pretty much all the time.

Kalpitiya Beach

The wind farm along the beach line had been a surprise and a bit of a concern for us as we checked in at Omeesha. We had wondered if the noise of the propellers would be troublesome. It wasn't! Once we were inside our cabanas, no sound could be heard at all! When taking a shower under the stars outside, the gentle woosh, woosh was soothing.

Cabana, Omeesha Resort, Kalpitiya

 Omeesha Resort is a family owned and managed resort built by Keerthi [ Nixon] and Mali Peiris in 2011. The two budget, three double and two family cabanas, all built in an eco friendly way are off a central cadjanz fenced and covered walkway with the attractive and comfortable restaurant in the middle. Mali and Keerthi were the nicest of hosts so focused on ensuring their guests have a wonderful holiday, attended to by happy well trained staff, that they have decided to limit the number of cabanas to ten.

Outside shower, Omeesha Resort

 The outside bathrooms were tastefully decorated and equipped with every item a guest might need, as were the cabanas.

Walkway at Omeesha Resort, Kalpitiya

With a last look out over the Indian Ocean towards Kerala, where I would be in a couple of weeks, I made my way to the restaurant for breakfast.

Restaurant, Omeesha Resort

Once again the menu had been a challenge with its variety of offerings. I had decided on coconut roti with dahl and potato curries but first came the fruit plate.

The chef at Omeesha was amazingly young, only nineteen years old, but personally responsible for all the beautifully presented and delicious dishes. He has a great future!

Coconut roti, dahl and potato curry for breakfast

 Breakfast over, we said our goodbyes to our lovely hosts and headed for Negombo, 150 kilometres and about three hours or so south. There I left Olivia and Andrew to wait for their flight from Katunayake airport nearby.

Kalpitiya

Omeesha Resort had been a great find for us, especially after our experience in Sigiriya. Travelling at peak tourism times without pre booking accommodation often results grossly inferior accommodation at high prices somewhere in your itinerary. Sometimes, however, last minute plans need to be made, so the bad has to be endured and the lovely places celebrated.

Kalpitiya has been neglected in the past but its potential is now being recognised. Its location is perfect for a short beach stopover for travellers breaking a long journey between hemispheres. It's also a pleasant and not too long drive from Anuradhapura with Wilpattu National Park within easy reach too.

Our itinerary for this short trip was from Olu Ella to Kitulgala - Kandy - Dambulla - Sigiriya - Polonnaruwa - Kalpitiya - Negombo. I should add that unless you have a lot of time to spare such a short itinerary can only be done with a car and driver. Fortunately I personally know a couple of  sole operator tour guides and one was available for this short and short - notice tour.

Kalpitiya Beach, Sri Lanka

Now that I've found a beautiful, quiet beach with the bonus of excellent accommodation, I will be back soon!