Archive for the 'front page' Category

Titan’s Hamish Harding: A true friend of Sri Lanka

Quote (Extract):
” Harding had expressed his interest in visiting the sacred Sri Pada mountain and Arugam Bay on the East Coast during his next visit to Sri Lanka along with his family.…”

BY FAUZ MOHAMED

News Features

9 July, 2023

On June 18, 58-year-old British billionaire adventurer Hamish Harding lost his life in the Titan submersible implosion. He is one of the few people who had been to space (on board the Blue Origin, of Jeff Bezos’ space company) and also to the depths of the ocean. He was keen to become one of the few people who had witnessed the wreck of the ill-fated Titanic ocean liner with their own eyes. He was one of the five people who lost their lives in the Titan’s implosion at a depth of about 4 Km, close to the wreck of the Titanic which sank in 1912. Following his death several stories of his close connections to Sri Lanka have surfaced. Harding apparently loved Sri Lanka and had visited the island many times. This is yet another similar story.

Hamish Harding with family members after setting a Guinness world record

According to a long-time Sri Lankan friend of Harding, the billionaire had plans to invest in Sri Lanka and was expected to visit the country following his once-in-a-lifetime adventure in the Titan submersible. The friend is Rangitha Herath, a Civil Engineer involved in many international projects as well as in Sri Lanka.

“As I recently returned to Sri Lanka, Hamish phoned me two months prior to his Titan trip and said he would visit Sri Lanka soon,” she said in a conversation with the Sunday Observer. According to Herath, Harding had visited her ancestral home in Kandy on one previous occasion as well.

Visiting Sri Pada mountain

She said Harding had expressed his interest in visiting the sacred Sri Pada mountain and Arugam Bay on the East Coast during his next visit to Sri Lanka along with his family.

According to Herath, their friendship which began in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) spanned over two decades. Harding provided much-needed knowledge on the construction of Helipads in major building sites in Dubai and met Herath often during these important meetings.

“He always appreciated my ability to overcome challenges as a woman in such a male-dominated field,” she said.

Herath recalled the exchange of knowledge between the two and the many useful discussions over the years. “He was generous with his professional knowledge and advice,” she said.

Herath said Harding had a deep interest in Buddhist philosophy and had started living according to such principles. Herath also said she gifted books on Buddhism to Harding several times which he had read keenly.

“In 2004 he launched a company called Action Aviation in Dubai. I tied a pirith thread on his hand and wished him well on that important milestone. His untimely demise is really devastating,” she said.

Orbit in Dubai

Herath said, Harding even facilitated and supported her interest in learning to pilot light aircraft and getting a Private Pilot’s licence (PPL). She said he had intended to launch a project called Orbit in Dubai and wanted her contribution to it as well.

According to Herath, Harding last visited Sri Lanka between June – July 2014. “He contacted me when he lost his wallet in Sri Lanka. I contacted the Aviation authorities and requested their support. Later, he informed me it was found and returned by a youth in Kurunegala. He praised the young man profusely” she said. This particular story was published in several local websites.

“In 2004, when the Indian Ocean tsunami happened on Boxing Day, Hamish was the first to call and inform me about it. I was in Dubai at the time. Hamish donated over seven containers of essential goods to Sri Lanka at the time to be distributed among those who were affected by the disaster in the Southern Province,” she said.

According to Herath, Harding was keen to invest in Sri Lanka and support its development. She said he loved Sri Lanka’s beauty and the tenacity and resilience of its citizens. “He believed Sri Lanka and Sri Lankans could do many great things,” she said.

“In 2019, a group of representatives from his company visited Sri Lanka as Hamish wanted to commence a Medivac (Medical Evacuation) project here. But it did not take off. Later he expressed his desire to commence a similar project based on the Port City. But it was unfortunately not to be,” she said while expressing her condolences to Harding’s family and close friends.

source:
http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2023/07/09/news-features/titan%E2%80%99s-hamish-harding-true-friend-sri-lanka

By Ruskin Brodkin On Apr 12, 2023

Planning on spending more than a day or two in Sri Lanka? Make time to head over to the island’s eastern seaboard.

Being on the opposite side of the island and a minimum of a 5-hour drive from both the commercial capital, Colombo and the island’s main international airport, the east coast destinations tend to be less crowded than those of the west and south coast at most times of the year.

And there’s plenty to see and do!

1. Experience the Splendour of Untouched Beaches

Since the east coast beaches see less footfall than the beaches on the west, southwest and south coasts, they give off more of a feeling of being untouched.

Beaches like those of Pasikuda and Kalkudah also give off a bit of a ‘Maldives’ vibe thanks to generous expanses of shallow, clear waters that are a delight to wade in.

Some of the popular east coast beaches that you can explore are:

• Trincomalee Beach
• Nilaveli Beach
• Pasikuda
• Arugam Bay

2. Get your Surf On

Arugam Bay is one of the best destinations for surfing in South Asia and the go-to spot for surfing in Sri Lanka.

There are waves of all kinds to be ridden there and it has developed into a popular east-coast beach with plenty of hotels, guesthouses and restaurants for travellers to choose from.

The best part is that when the monsoon hits the southwest coast, you can head east to Arugam Bay to experience perfect beach weather.

3. Go Dolphin & Whale Watching

Head out into the waters off the coast of Trincomalee for a chance to spot dolphins (mainly spinner dolphins) and whales fairly close to shore! 

Blue whales are some of the most commonly sighted species of whale and can be seen as close as just 30 minutes from the coastline by boat. Sperm whales frequent these waters too.

4. Enjoy Some Snorkelling

Trincomalee is known for great snorkelling spots like Swami Rock and Navy Island.

The former spot, Swami Rock,  is situated below Trincomalee’s oldest temple. When you snorkel here, you will come across statues of Hindu gods and the Buddha in addition to many varieties of tropical fish such as groupers and trumpetfish. 

The latter spot, Navy Island is a relatively shallow stretch of water where you will find a mix of hard and soft coral as well as tropical fish, octopus, eels and other marine life.

There are also great snorkelling spots near Nilaveli Beach (which is located about a 25-minute drive from Trincomalee).

5. Go WWII Shipwreck Diving

If you know how to scuba dive, then you’ll love Sri Lanka’s east coast.

Off the shores of the east coast, you’ll find wrecks of ships that sank during WWII when the Japanese attacked such as the British Sergeant (which sank off the coast of Kayankerni) and HMS Hermes (which sank off the coast of Batticaloa).

6. Safari at Minneriya National Park

If you’re staying at a beach town around the central part of the east coast,  such as Pasikuda, you can easily arrange a day trip to the Minneriya National Park. In addition to the coastal experiences and attractions, a wildlife safari at the park is one of the popular things to do in Pasikuda.

The park is located about a 2-hour drive inland and Pasikuda Resorts like Uga Bay will help you organise a wildlife safari.

Minneriya is most well known for the annual elephant gathering that takes place during the dry season (July to September), but it’s a good park to visit year-round if you’re interested in viewing all kinds of wildlife, including many endemic species.

7. Make a Day Trip to Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle

Similarly, if you’re based in an eastern coastal town such as Pasikuda or Trincomalee, you can plan a day excursion to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the Cultural Triangle.

The ancient Sigiriya Rock Fortress, for example, is about a 1 .75-hour drive away from Trincomalee and 2.5-hour drive from Pasikuda.

Ruskin Brodkin

Ruskin Brodkin writes for blackbirdnews.com. She is a graduate in journalism from the University of Maryland. Ruskin currently lives in Brooklyn, and she previously worked as a Television Producer on BBA International’s Squawk Box Europe. Ruskin has also been a movies reporter for Radio New Zealand.

source:
https://www.blackbirdnews.com/unleash-your-inner-explorer-7-must-try-experiences-on-sri-lankas-east-coast-that-will-leave-you-speechless/

From The South to Arugam Bay

This article is written to clarify Public Transport options.
From the ”Deep” South (anywhere! – to remote AbaY)
We just offer this alternative to Travelers – it is NOT intended to compete with Taxi operators.
But this – once in a lifetime Journey – offers a Cheap, economical, environmentally friendly Thrill.
A unique chance of a life time, for travelers who prefer to spend saved cash directly within a Community.
And interact with day to day poor local travelers.

Stuck in (overpriced) Galle (Tuks charge up to Rs./ 500/km!)
– We searched the Internet:
And all sorts of strange results come up for this Connection (Galle to AbaY).
Quoting long journey times, difficult connections, weird rates, etc.
Apparently it is almost impossible, takes a day +++ and at least 13 hours.
NOT TRUE:

So:
We decided to put it to the test!

Departing at around 10am from Galle.
Main Bus Depot. Main Road – in this case on the Kataragama Bus.
We also could have chosen the Badulla Bus (via Wellawaya)
Or another one via Matara etc.
+ Points:
1.) Very reasonable (Rs./ 819)
2.) Very frequent services (every hour?)
3.) HUGE savings on Roller Coaster rides
4.) It for sure is Your thrill of a Life time = A really fatalistic ride of the Century

– Points
1.) Sardine Can experience (we got window seats – lucky for some)
2.) Far too many frequent stops all over the A2
3.) Loud Music (penetrating our own ear phones)

Next Bus:
Weerawila -to- Monaragala
+ Points:
1.) Very reasonable (Rs./ 406)
2.) Bus almost empty (Pick Your seat!)
3.) Pit Stop half way (Good Food & Drinks)
4.) Perfect Roads – great Countryside
5.) Much more civilised Drivers
6.) Donation based FREE Life Music (see below)


– Points:
1.) Goes round a LOOOOOONG way
2.) Via Wellawaya (nr. Ella) even
3.) That made the direct 60km ride into a near 200km sightseeing trip

The Last Bus:
Monaragala – to – Central Arugam Bay
+ Points:
1.) Incredibly Cheap (Rs./ 339 only)
2.) Leaves sharp on time (16:30 in our case)
3.) Super friendly, fair, helpful staff
4.) Clean Bus Station (with attached Liquor bar / shop)
5.) Bus continues to PANAMA via AbaY = At no extra costs
6.) That means they drop everyone off anywhere in Arugam Bay
7.) Saves Tuk Transfer from PottuVille to AbaY (Rs./ 1k)

Arrival in the Centre of Arugam Bay (at the m. Meena Bar / Siam View Bus Stop)
At around Sunset time:
Perfect for a first, cool drink in one of the leading Bars!

Conclusion:
There are Many, Many ways EAST.
All are awesome ways to travel.
Some trips are super Cheap – and create Memories of a life Time

Lankaila pumps in Rs. 160m, acquires sixth local hotel

In addition to their recent acquirement of the iconic Peacock Hotel in Hambantota, this Singapore / Sri Lankan group has shown Full Confidence in remote Arugam Bay.
Being a true, All-Year-Round Tourist Destination.

Lankaila comprising a consortium of investors from Sri Lanka and Singapore made its sixth acquisition in the local hotel sector when they took an 80% controlling stake of Balaji Ocean Hotel, Arugam Bay pumping in over Rs. 160 million.

“We have already made investments of over USD 8 million for seven more such acquisitions so far,” said Chairman Lankaila, Dhakshitha Bogollagama. The Balaji acquisition mark their presence in the eastern coast of Sri Lanka.

“We have also allocated over USD 50 million to further invest in other hotels. These investments amply demonstrates the confidence the company has in the stability and tourism segment of Sri Lanka and we are looking at more Hotels to invest in collaboration with local investors.

“We have access to international funding, technology and believe in mutual synergy and cooperation to work with Sri Lankan companies together and to provide them with the funds, technology and international networks to grow,” he said.

Lankaila with their partner company Zeta which is the first in the world to provide a proprietary platform that integrates digital marketing to booking operations to finance will also help their assorted hotels to upgrade standards.

“This permits hotels to increase revenue through direct sales and digital marketing, and reduce costs through technology with a state of the art Hotel management system based out of Singapore,” Bogollagama said.

Ceybook.com is their own booking website which has its own payment gateway and one and only Sri Lankan Online Travel Agency (“OTA”) type booking platforms.

Ceybook is also a hotel cloud hotel management platform which can control hotels remotely which includes staff management, Guest check in, check out, accounting and all in one.

“They are also looking to provide similar operations, management and marketing support to other Hotels across Sri Lanka,” he said.

Their Digital Concierge service “DCS” will be the world’s first digital concierge service to all tourists into Sri Lanka. DCS will provide help and support to tourists on arrival, through their journey in Sri Lanka up to the point of departure.

Source:
https://www.sundayobserver.lk/2023/03/19/business/lankaila-pumps-rs-160m-acquires-sixth-local-hotel

Adam Santo – CEO, Sydney FC

The eagerly anticipated R4C2023 gets underway from 1-4 March, with a R4C record breaking 85 participants.

Cyclists from around the world will descend on Sri Lanka to ride approx 475km, from Arugam Bay to Jaffna, in aid of Green Memorial Hospital, Jaffna. Through sponsorships and donations, each rider raises funds to assist with the renovation project at the hospital.

R4C is the fundraising branch of the U.K. based charity Friends of Manipay Hospital. Alarmed to see the once thriving GMH in a state of disrepair, brothers Prof Jayantha Arnold and Anandan Arnold put the wheels in motion to renovate and reaffirm the hospital’s core value.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/arugam

The brand New, 2023 Group on Facebook has already attracted 350 New Members.
Join us!
To spot where YOU (or your friends) fit in, into our Arugam Bay Community.
There are loads of most amazing offers and opportunities posted on this Group.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/arugam

Please Click here. To open most amazing Offers!

Arugam Bay is getting ready for the 2023 High season!

Q.: Who?

Wants to:

5.) Rent one of 7 already existing Shop Units on the Main Road

6.) Be your own Boss – Run your own outlet / restaurant

7.) All with having Full permits & approvals already

8.) Ability & Skills are more important than Investment

9.) Only the most suitable, honest people will be considered.

Ask us anything! – Every message will be answered.

+94702042271 (Whats Up)

arugam@arugam.com

Join the Group below for full details!
It’s a new, 2023 Facebook Group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2492491967557995/