8 Unique Things to Do in Batticaloa Sri Lanka

An Intro to Batticaloa

Batticaloa is a tropical penninsula on the East side of Sri Lanka, famous for nearby coconut and rice plantations. The city is relatively small, but large enough to require boats or tuk-tuks to get around.

The city is known for its tropical settings, incredible sunrises, long beaches, robust fisherman culture and colonial influences. It is on the Easternmost part of Sri Lanka, so there are relatively few tourists in the area. It’s a true “off-the-beaten-path” destination.

Batticaloa’s geography has many islands, lagoons and bay around its urban space. There are also large populations of wildlife, including egrets, crocodiles, flamingos and monkeys

Elephant sanctuaries and leopard viewing outposts are also within driving distance.

There are many local, working fishermen operating in the lagoon and ocean. They ride around in traditional boats known as “oruwas.” Some of these fishermen offer rides through the waters around Batticaloa.

Batticaloa truly is an interesting, somewhat obscure destination. There isn’t a lot of tourist infrastructure, but it’s an interesting place for intrepid explorers to go see.

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Advice When Visiting Batticaloa

Transportation

Travelers can reach Batticaloa by train or road. The local domestic airport is also operational. Trains are the most popular method for visiting.

Within the city, tuk-tuks are the most common mode of transportation, through there are also taxi services. Batticaloa is a condensed city and making it possible to walk around. There are also boat tours going out to various islands or into the bay.

Batticaloa Beaches

Unlike Western and Central Sri Lanka, the eastern coast of the country is very quiet and slow paced.  There are virtually no crowds at the beach. Access to the ocean is easy.

Despite having some truly beautiful beaches, Batticaloa isn’t the best place for swimming. The current is rough and the waves are quite large. The brackish water, found in the lagoon area, is home to saltwater crocodiles and monitor lizards. The lagoon also occasionally sucks up jellyfish from the ocean.

However, if visitors want to enjoy the beach for walks, sports, games and exploration, it’s lovely. It doesn’t take long to walk to a private part of the beach with no locals or tourists. However, the beach has no tourist infrastructure, so bring drinks and other necessary supplies.

Outdoor Activities

Batticaloa is a staging point for several nature parks, elephant sanctuaries, ruins and safaris.  There are tourism offices and travel agencies within the city. The travel agencies aren’t clearly labeled, so they may be difficult to find.

The ruins found on the beaches of Batticaloa are extremely modern, largely created by a devastating earthquake and tsunami in 2004.  The sands contain impressive, half-shattered buildings.

The ruins can make sections of the beach difficult to walk around. You might hurt a toe on some bricks buried in the sand.  Shoes are advisable.

Unique Things to Do in Batticaloa

Batticaloa Lighthouse

The Batticaloa Lighthouse is an iconic feature of the city. It’s a tall, white colonial structure that has stood for over a century. Unfortunately, visitors aren’t allowed within the lighthouse, but the parks around the structure are relaxing. There’s also access to nearby beaches. The shore has impressive views of the lagoon, including sandbanks being warped by rapid currents going into the ocean. It’s an excellent spot for sunrises.

Mottaikori Lighthouse Ruins

This unassuming structure is within walking distance of the still-standing Batticaloa Lighthouse. The Motaikori Lighthouse is now a small mound of weathered bricks, half-eaten by ivy. British colonials constructed the plant-claimed ruins of the old Batticaloa lighthouse. The structure is an often-overlooked historical marker.

Batticaloa Fort

A historically vital defense structure for colonial powers, this fort was Portuguese, captured by the Dutch and used by the British. The fort sits low near the lagoon and is still operational as an administrative structure. Tours of the fort are interesting and the building remains in fairly good condition. Visitor can see monitor lizards, crocodiles, jellyfish and herons from here.

Kallady Beach

A fairly empty beach facing east. The beach is home to numerous ruins from the 2004 tsunami and earthquake cataclysms. Great heaps semi-intact buildings stand half-sunken in sand among the shoreline. The beach has numerous shady palms, making it a good place for watching a sunrise. There are also many traditional fisherman working in the area.

St. Mary’s Cathedral

A vividly blue Christian Cathedral.  It sits close to the Batticaloa town center and looks uniquely vivid at nights. 

Kallady Bridge’s Singing Fish

Batticaloa has a local mystery. The Kallady Bridge, a long, iron causeway built by the British, At night, the water seems to “sing” making sounds akin to random guitar picking noises.

There are many theories about the singing. Some locals believe it’s caused by underwater life. Others think the sound is caused by water movement between boulders.

Supposedly, the sounds are best heard by dipping one an oar into the water and holding the other end to one’s ear. Additionally, the Singing Fish have many local legends around them, which the locals are happy to share.

Gal Oya National Park Daytrip

There are many safaris and national parks around Batticaloa. However, the most famous park is Gal Oya National Park. Currently, the park has a large lake surrounded by low fields, dense jungles and intermittent islands. The park famous for its robust wildlife. This includes the Sri Lankan Axis Deer, Water Buffalo, Sambar Deer, Muntjac, Leopards, Toque Monkeys, Tortoises, Mugger Crocodiles and various bird species. Additionally, protected elephants are the most famous residents of the park. Visitors can see herds navigating the park year-round.

Vedda (Veddah) Tribes

Though difficult to find, there are pockets and villages of Sri Lanka’s indigenous natives. The tribes have been mostly absorbed by the Sinhala-speaking population. Currently, there are efforts to preserve their culture and original way of life. The original Vedda tribes were jungle dwellers using simple tools. Interestingly, records show the Vedda religion was rooted in ancestral spirits. These spirits would enter the bodies of shamans for guidance, advice or action.

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