“One of the prettiest beaches in the world” – Google Maps

After over two decades, the untouched, charming beaches of Passikudah, in the eastern coast of Sri Lanka, are slowly being rediscovered for their scenic golden sands and calm waters, rich in biodiversity. The bay of Passikudah comprises of a flat, soft sandy bed extending approximately 100 meters into the sea with a shallow fringing coral reef on the outer bay. Within the bay lie scattered clusters of coral that connect to similar reef systems further south, towards Kalkudah. The serene waters, a fusion of Bondi-blue, turquoise and aqua hemmed by sandy shores, conceive a scenic portrait of soothing stillness.

Set on the backdrop of these magnificent surroundings rests a charming 10 acre coastal resort named Amethyst. True to its name the resort exudes an atmosphere of stillness, balance and inner peace. It lies unobtrusively over a vast area of beach front property lined with lush green mangroves and foliage. One of the nicest things about Amethyst Resort is its vast open spaces that allow you to soak in the natural beauty of its landscape. Its structures and designs are uncluttered and simple, right from entering the reception you are treated to glistening waters of a quiet stream, a particularly pleasing and unique addition to the property, bordered with clusters of trees and mangroves. Across the little foot bridge, lies a magnificently blue pool and beyond, on the horizon, clear blue skies over a wondrous still ocean.

The rooms of the resort are nestled between the stream and ocean, offering picturesque views from all sides. They are spacious chalets that house two units each with separate entrances and verandas for each room. Despite the understated design of the chalets, the rooms themselves are fully equipped with luxury amenities, including AC, iPod dock, LCD flat screen TV, cable TV, mini-bar, electronic safe, coffee/tea making facilities and hot water. The bathrooms are nice and spacious, a refreshing change from the norm…literally. For the first phase of its operation, the resort has a total of 40 rooms. The subsequent phase includes 60 more standard rooms, which will be built further inland on higher floors to capture the panoramic views of the resort’s idyllic setting.

The Barrel – a trendy Mediterranean style pub is the main hub of activity at Resort. The décor has a rustic charm, with barrel style furniture, brick walls and wooden flooring.  It serves a wide range of alcohol with delectable snacks and bites. The Barrel is well equipped for some great evening’s entertainment. It has a vast selection of karaoke and hi tech equipment that provide great vibes for a night of partying. But even more charming is the sunset deck outside the pub. It sits on the bank of the stream and is simply a delight in the evenings. The cool breeze wafts across the stream carrying a subtle spray from the fountain across the bridge, a welcome change from the high temperatures of the day. The deck is made of large wooden rafters in keeping with the rustic theme of the pub. At night, the lights from the fountain and distant fibre optic lighting of the pool create quiet the captivating sight and provide a delightful ambience for repose.

The Pool Bar operates from 7a.m. to 7p.m. and serves a nice array of seafood light bites and snacks. The swimming pool too is quite spectacular. It’s a great fun-for-the-whole-family location with the adjoining Jacuzzi and kiddies’ pool too.

The Taprobane Restaurant serves a wide range of delectable dishes with added seafood specialties that the region is famous for. The seafood is succulent and fresh and a good variety is available year-round.

For the adventurous traveller Passikudah as a region provides many interesting activities in and around the area. The reef system is considered one of the best in the East and much of it remains largely unexplored. It consists of large inverted coral domes and very healthy coral life can be clearly seen.

For more steadfast divers Batticaloa offers some of the best deep sea diving experiences in Sri Lanka including the remnants HMS Hermes (95) the world’s first ship to be designed and built as an aircraft carrier. In World War II, after the raid on Colombo on 5 April by the Japanese, Hermes was attacked it on 9 April around nine nautical miles (17 km) off Batticaloa. Also off the shores of Batticaloa is the Boiler wreck, ideal for less experienced but keen deep sea divers. The Marrakkala Gala, a beautiful surfacing rock formation is covered in hard corals, soft coral and sponges of all shapes, sizes and colours. It’s a great underwater landscape with spectacular balance of colour in corals and marine life. There are several islands within the Batticaloa Lagoon such as Puliayantheevu, Buffaloa Island, and Bone Island. Many bridges have been built across the lagoon connecting the landmasses and the islands. The biggest bridge of all is Lady Manning Bridge located at Kallady.

Also in the vicinity are the key towns of Trincomalee, Polonnaruwa, Minneriya, Habarana, Giritale and Dambulla. They too offer opportunities for many an interesting excursion including archaeological excursions in Polonnaruwa, Whale watching in Trincomalee, the Minneriya National Park, and the Sigiriya Rock Fortress etc.

Travelling to Passikudah takes approximately six hours by road. It is 292 km from Colombo and the roads have now been reconstructed and are in a very good condition for travel. One can also travel on the intercity train daily on first class and second class which is also a rather comfortable journey of approximately six hours.

Since the end of the war in 2009, the East is gearing up for development and growth as the Tourist Development Authority has earmarked 156 acres of land for development converting Passikudah into a Tourist Zone. It is expected that that there will be approximately 1000 star class rooms in Passikudah.

Amethyst Resort’s rustic charm is complemented by the unique combination of three distinctive natural elements rolled into one. The clear blue waters of the stunning ocean framing golden sands, the lush, green mangroves providing cool shade, the delightful rippling of the gentle stream flowing by. Only Amethyst Resort has this beautiful blend of scenery to offer…it truly is the gem of the east coast.