from Dublin to........Mirissa, Sri Lanka: Magical Mirissa...........Mirissa, Sri Lanka

Mirissa is the pick of the beach towns along the entire southern coast line. I have been to most towns between Galle and Tangalle and a few towards Hambentota and based on scenery, atmosphere, swimmability (I made that word up), likability of other travelers, accommodation options, quality of beach during both low and high season etc, it sits on the top of the pile for me. This is why I came back for my second visit.... and stayed three weeks.

It had certainly changed a bit over the five years since my last visit, fueled by aggressive government investment in tourism infrastructure (read cheap money for locals to develop their properties into homestays to meet targeted 1.5 fold increase in visitors over 5 years). These are big numbers we are talking about. A few new small scale hotels had been built (only two in total) and almost every second house had some form of construction work under way to add another storey or extension. It was a bit of a visual mess at the time and the developments seem out of character with the traditional building style. I think vacancy rates will be rather high for these guesthouses except during the very, very, busy Dec/Jan period which means an ability to bargain the price down for us. It sounds rather chaotic, but when I was there in September, it was very quiet. Some nights the beachfront was deserted and the small rasta-wannabe bars closed early. Peaceful.

I can't quite imagine what this place would be like over Xmas and New Years. My advice would be to avoid it as I just can't see how the rather limited selection of restaurants and bars could possibly cope with the massive swell in visitors. There were three places worth eating at that I found however other guesthouse restaurants will open up as demand dictates. As one would expect, the beach-side restaurants-come-bars are overpriced and the menu is biased towards Western food of poor quality (basically there are few real chefs working at these establishments, so be warned) but the location is superb....kick back and enjoy a late afternoon happy hour drink for less than $2 as the waves threaten to wash away your table and chair (this only happens during the low season). Bliss.

Three weeks may seem like a long time in a small town but you quickly adapt to a routine of lazy mornings, early curry for lunch (breakfast really), an afternoon coconut and laze on the beach, sunset downers, another curry for dinner, all washed down by evening cocktails back on the beach. A tough life. And if you really want to jam pack your day you can go for a ride on a scooter into the countryside or along the coastline visiting other beaches. I enjoyed this lifestyle and met some really nice people happy to do the same thing. Who would have thought???

If you are ever in this neck of the woods my suggestions to you are to do the following:

* Rent a scooter if you are a capable rider - Firstly, the traffic in Sri Lanka is rather crazy. Not just the volume but the insane way they drive and ride. It's utter madness. Thankfully Mirissa isn't anything like Colombo or the numerous "cities" such as Galle and Matara (what they define as a city is basically a large bustling town with perhaps a few 100,000 people) but there are still plenty of buses whizzing by and the odd madman in a car who thinks that driving 100kph on the wrong side of the narrow road into oncoming traffic incessantly tooting his horn is the best way to get somewhere other than to an early grave. Despite these hazards, a bike is still the best way to explore the coastline and the numerous beaches along it as well as to head inland where you will only see the real people and lifestyle of the locals. You don't need to go very far inland either, perhaps only one kilometre but this is where the majority of people live and work and it hasn't been affected by tourism. It is easy to get lost out there but the people you see along the road are so friendly and so surprised to see a Westerner riding down their road that they would be more than happy to show you the way back home. There are some picturesque lagoons and farmland out there. I just rode aimlessly around. An enjoyable afternoon.

* Mirissa Beach - There may be more isolated beaches in Sri Lanka, however I think it is something special. It is swimmable all year round which isn't always the norm. It has waves which makes it more fun. There isn't a strong current. The sand quality is high. There is almost no rubbish on it unlike many Asian beaches. The slope is very gentle which affords a nice long wave good for body surfing or boarding. At the far end there is a narrow beach between some rocks where you can surf. It isn't for beginners as the water is a little shallow and the waves rather temperamental. Surfing is best during the wetter months of the year, say April-July.

In September there were never more than 15 people in the water along the entire beach at any one time so it felt very relaxed. Once again, if you are after some peace and quiet I wouldn't visit during the height of the peak season when the small bars swell with patrons. It depends what you are after I suppose. The best thing about the peak season is that the beach becomes 20-30 metres wider and the water is calmer and clearer and more beautiful. In the off season when the tide reaches the edge of the beach which slopes up more steeply, an outgoing wave is created which makes for spectacular viewing as the waves crash together sending a stream of water straight up in the air and inevitably catching a few newbies to the beach by surprise as they get squashed by two waves at the same time. Amusing and fun. But as I said earlier, it is still swimmable all year round. Watch out for the odd big wave that sneaks in during off season and surprises (scares the hell out of) the odd inattentive swimmer.

* Day trip to Galle - A worthy day trip to walk around (on top) the fort and wander the inner streets with its boutique stores, up market cafes and historic squares with hundreds of years old trees. Personally I wouldn't stay here as it is quite expensive and can comfortably be visited in a whole day.

* Cooking class at Dimali or Dewmini - Both offer very good courses at an affordable price and enough food at the end of it to feed a small army. You can ask to prepare anything you want which means that even if you have prepared the typical dishes elsewhere, you can still learn a lot. Both speak quite good English so you can ask as many questions as you like. Like most classes held throughout the country, you will spend most of your time observing rather than actually preparing but this allows you to learn how to prepare a wider variety of dishes. Both are excellent cooks and put a fresh touch on some stock standard curries.

* Eat at Dimali's - Not as many visitors make their way here as they should. Located on Galle Road just past the banks, it is definitely worth the 5-10 minute walk from your guesthouse. Dammi is a chef and doesn't dumb down her food for Westerners (unless requested). She prepares a daily curry with accompanying seasonal vegetables of all different varieties, some that you probably wont get elsewhere. Her daily lunchtime curry is very popular with locals so get there before 1pm to avoid disappointment. Otherwise she can prepare made to order dishes. There is a small menu that she has but ask her what other dishes she can prepare on the evening if you want something different. Expect a warm welcoming smile and a friendly chat whilst you enjoy your meal. Try the bistake, cuttlefish curry, seafood fried rice....

* Coffee at No. 1 Mirissa Hotel - Sri Lanka definitely isn't the place to come for coffee but if you are desperate for some then this place is probably your best bet in Mirissa. It is the fanciest place in town and has a great view of the whole length of the beach so it is worth the extra rupees for your fix. He serves up Nespresso as there aren't many trained baristas in this country. (I believe they serve outside guests....hopefully....I was invited by the owner so can't be 100% sure).

* Fruit smoothies - Located in Weligama town (5 km away) is a small fruit shop / smoothie bar called AVM just up from the BRI bank near the bus terminal. They have a massive menu of smoothies, juices, fruit salads etc with an amazing array of weird and wonderful fruits. Check what is out the front of the shop to know what is in season (available). Try an avocado shake with ice-cream on top.....silky smooth! And they are very affordable.

* Sunset from the rock - At the east end of the beach is a small rock linked by a short stretch of shallow water (waist deep at high tide if you pick the wrong line) with a few benches up top to watch the sunset from. Very pleasant if you can tear yourself away from the lounges on the beach.

* Surfing / Body boarding- There are always waves adequate for body boarding. They are cleaner throughout the peak season and good fun.

* Snorkeling - It isn't really possible during the off-season but some of the more protected beaches towards Matara and even around the rock on Mirissa are suitable for snorkeling.

* Whale Watching - Since I was last here, whale watching tours have exploded from nowhere. I didn't get the feeling that they were particularly well run tours so I would ask around before going on one. I decided against it as the seas where generally rougher than usual.

Other restaurants to try out:

* Dewmini's Roti Shop in the back streets - well known for her sweet and savoury rotis but she also prepares a mean curry if you call well in advance. You will see the whole family helping prepare your meal fresh. Good value as well.

* Indra Restaurant - A very small restaurant along the Junction Road that prepares curries with some advance warning and hoppers in the evenings. Probably a little heavy handed with the salt for my liking (ask for less) but this is typical for older generation cooks.

* The fresh fish at Wadiya is reasonably good. The Western food is pretty average and overpriced. The head chef has some formal training around the world that he is excited to talk about. Most beach front restaurants set up a table on the beach and display their whole fish. The selection is pretty good but I question what happens to the fish that doesn't sell that night. (Note: Head Chef has now left).

September, 2013

Dammi's cooking class