Kiteforum.com

Overview

Spot with fantastic conditions for freestyle kitesurfing due incredible wind statistics and flat water. Nothing to do except kiting. In a few years small lagoon will be overcrowded and not worth visiting. We stayed 3 months in 2012 and really enjoyed there.

Spots

There is small lagoon (google "kitekuda" or "kappaladi lagoon"), which is best (more flat and less gusty). Only one small piece is perfect flat, not more than 5 kitesurfers at given time.

And there is big lagoon (Sethawadi lagoon). Wind is really gusty, water is not that flat. Area is much bigger, it can suit lots of kitesurfers.

There are islands to do kite trip, really nice, but far away (1 hour by boat). Nice to visit 1-2 times.

Conditions

Lagoons are perfect flat near shore, tiny chop in general. Shallow from knee deep, waist deep (mostly), overhead (only small parts).

Wind

May to September almost every day. Strongest in May. We arrived in mid-April, wind was blowing every single day! 2-3 days for 12-14m², half for 9m², half for 7m². Little gusty, but I don't care, since its ideally flat.

There is wind in winter time too, season in October-November, 2-3 days in a week, thermal wind in afternoon for 12m² kite.

Wind is blowing offshore in lagoons, but since its shallow, its not a problem.

Sleep

Overpriced in general. Don't expect AC, hot water, only basic things.

There are few kitecamps (KiteKuda - clients complaining, Kitesurfing Lanka - better, Unhooked — new one with good food). There are few guesthouses/hotels with prices like 35-40€ per day with full board (3 meals, which is good, since there is no food around).

There are plenty of $100+ "luxury" accommodation.

There are rooms for rent in houses for $12 (crappy houses).

Food

Nothing. Only street food ("roti"), 2 shitty restaurants (not tasty). Its better to find good accomodation with full board and good cook. Another option is to rent a house with kitchen and cook for yourself (we did that).

Next supermarket is located in Puttalam.

"Unhooked kite camp" can serve you good dinner, if you ask them beforehand.

Going around

You can rent three-wheeler (tuk-tuk) for small distances (5-10 km). If you want to go longer distances (say go to supermarket every week), if you want to get out everyday, you can rent a van/jeep/lorry or tuk-tuk/motorbike. Its really difficult to find someone to help you with personal transport. Much easier to rent transport in Negombo, so if you plan long time stay, its better to rent vehicle there.

Roads are shit, lots of places with sand. Its better to think about jeep/truck 4x4.

Internet

3G dongle was showing good speed (up to 1 mbps) in summer 2012. "Mobitel" provider has best coverage of Kalpitiya. Its clever to buy dongle and sim card in airport, so you won't waste lots of time on arrival.

Flights

AirArabia is flying really cheap to Colombo. AirAsia flies from asian destinations too.

No wind?

Nothing to do [in Kalpitiya], except going around for sightseeing. Temples, national parks, that's it.

Photos

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 087&type=1

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Feel free to ask questions about the spot.

Hey!

Thanks for your report. It is very interessting to read about your experiences in Kalpitiya / Sri Lanka. One big question, where did you stay at the end? Did you stay in one of the expensive kite camps? We are 6 people, do you have some tips or contacts to find accomodation which is cheaper than the prices in Europe? We think, the price per person should be definetly under EUR 30,-- We don't need much comfort, we are just students and we are used to very simple an basic living. Also we will rent a car as you suggested. So we don't need to be directly on the spots.

Thanks for every advice and tip!

We have rented one good house, which is pretty hard to find there.

ask this guy for short-term accomodation in house https://www.facebook.com/sudesh.fernando1?ref=pymk
and also this girl https://www.facebook.com/aina.renolen

Thanks a lot

we have fantastic wind 24/7 and Kalpitiya lagoon is the happening place for kiters.
I have been living in this awesome country for 13 years now, i can tell you there's LOADS of things to see and do.The kiting has NO cons my friends, all pros. There are wonderful islands to be visited, breath-taking downwinders which can stretch for miles, passing very interesting reef wave spots, endless flatwater lagoons, sand spits, you name it, it's here! If you want wind, you might even get tired of it, it blows CONSTANTLY day and night, from May to around middle of September. Full moon lagoon sessions are common practice at our lagoon.
There are many comfortable flights nowadays and it's 3 hrs approx from the airport. The people in our village are very friendly and helpful. It is truly amazing here for kiters!
I hope the info was useful for all, if you have any questions i'll be happy to answer any. we want this place to grow!
ciaoaoaooaooo,
mondy info@rascalskiteresort.com

Very nice review dandaka, how were the downwinders , worth doing?

Yep, downwinders in waves are nice and fun. You can start south from Kappaladi lagoon and go to Kalpitiya lagoon about 15-20 kms.

Hello all,
I learned to kite in the so called baby lagoon and like the author of this thread has mentioned one of the best lagoons in Kalpitiya but unfortunately too small, it can not hold more than few kiters can be come over crowded too soon.

I am a Sri Lankan living an working abroad but traveling to Sri Lanka at least three times a year. So being a Sri lankan I should do make a note to say that Sri Lanka is not only abut kiting. Sri Lanka has some much more to offer. THe best thing about Sri Lanka is, that we now also have the possibility to attract kiters from around the globe.

- Sri Lanka has a perfect beach and reef breaks where you can surf
- Sri Lanka has so many diving sports around the country.
- We have beautiful mountain range where you will be lost for words
- We have ancient cities like Dambulla, Sigirya, Anuradhapura & Pollonnaruwa to mention few.
- We have beautiful tea plantations

I actually can go on and on about the island, but I dont want to bore you guys, so lets get back to Kalpitiya But before doing that, do have a look at this video it was done by a couple who visited Sri Lanka and it gives you a brief idea what Sri Lanka is about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCBeIlV7E1Q


So back to Kalpitiya,
- There is also alot that you can do when you are in Kalpitiya. You can get the local boat ppl to organize you a fishing trip, and I am sure you will enjoy it.
- you can go to see the bar reef which expnds for few kilometers
- If you visit kalpitiya between Oct to December you can also go whale watching / dolphin watching
- And even if all kiters of europe visit kalpitiya all at once there is plenty of space for all of you. Atleast for the kiters who are more experienced. The kalpitiya has a beach front of about 30Km and this is enough space for few thousand kiters I believe )

Note:
About hiring a Tuk Tuk to travel around or hiring a vehicle to travel around is a good thing, but officially you need a special paper to drive in Sri lanka, this piece of paper can be obtained in Colombo in about one hour. All you need is to take a Valid International Driving Licence from your countries authority ( just your driving licence does not help). Teo passport fotos and you need to fill up a formular in the colombo office and then you get a Sri Lankan paper which gives your the official right to drive in Sri Lanka.
Note: If you do meet with an accident and if person damage is done, then theoretically you will have problems.

here you can read more information: http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/ov ... untry.html

Like the author already mentioned, its best if you find a accommodation by the lagoon or close ( walking distance) to the lagoon, that way you save traveling costs and you can get in to the water and out any time you feel like it.

If you need more information just drop me a note.
Cheers enjoy my lovely country

And here is a official video pointing all the attractions what this island has to offer...do take few days to discover the country yourself, you will sure to appreciate it.

http://tinyurl.com/ls2odlj

And if you want to have something simple and economical but don't want to be traveling back and forth to the lagoon for kiting , you could visit the camping site i am putting up (www.ruukvillage.com) to help sustain kiting in Kalpitiya by giving the locals the responsibility to take care of the kiters and to learn how to provide quality and service even to suite travelers with a smaller budget.

- We want to provide you the choice to decide how you want to spend your kite holidays.
- Its only B&B and a common kitchen is provided so that you can do your own cooking if you wish to.
- A campshop is provided where you can buy just basic stuff, and if you dont wanna cook you can order your food from the camp restaurant at very good price ( almost local price).
- Its right by the lagoon so that you can get in to the water when you feel like it.
- You are completely independent and at the same time you pay almost the same price as if you would take a room away from the lagoon in a private house.
- Advantage being that you dont have to spend money on transport every day to come to the beach.
- For the begineers who wants to cross the lagoon to the other side a boat taxi is available at a very reasonable price. send us an email for more details.

Here we are, you can check on google maps: http://tinyurl.com/KiteCamp

and here you can make a reservation request directly : http://tinyurl.com/RuukVillageBooking

or first visit our home page for more information: http://ruukvillage.com/packages/

drop us a mail, and we are glad to give you more infos ( you can write to us also in German )
ruukvillage@gmail.com

Follow us on Facebook to help promote this small village : www.kalpitiya.ch

Hi Ruuk,

First of all congratulations to taking the initiative and coming up with an offer that certainly will appeal to many people (especially younger ones)

In order to avoid disappointments from your clients, let me suggest that you are clear about the fact that it will be impossible to start kiting from your land directly during the prevailing summer winds, as the land is situated in the lee, and there is typically not enough wind entering to enable a save and consistent launch.

Already the sethawadyia lodge that is situated much further up in the wind encounters often tricky situations for the launch and landing, and I have personally seen many people not making it back there.

This said, I can imagine that in winter time, the wind exposure is better(cannot judge though, as I was not there during the winter months.