Kalkudah with a private driver

Kalkudah is the northern extension of the reef-sheltered lagoon that makes Pasikuda famous, and the two beaches together form one of the most unusual swimming environments in Sri Lanka — a long, shallow, calm bay with crystal-clear water that rarely sees the swells that rough up the west coast in the monsoon. Kalkudah has seen less of the post-war resort development that has changed Pasikuda, and the beach retains a quieter character with local fishing boats hauled above the tide line and far fewer high-rise hotels. The town of Valaichchenai is close by, and the drive from Batticaloa (about 30 minutes north along the lagoon road) passes through communities where Tamil and Muslim fishing culture has been the dominant way of life for centuries.