The founders of Ulpotha, the highly acclaimed retreat in the heartland of old Ceylon - www.ulpotha.com, together with a close friend renowned in the marine adventure and water sports worlds, have opened a unique and captivatingly quirky beach resort at Alankuda Beach near Kalpitiya on the western peninsula of this tear-shaped island.
Situated on a two kilometer stretch of beach, Bar Reef offers a truly relaxing getaway. The azure, warm ocean is almost always mirror-calm and welcoming during the months of October to May.
As lovely as it is, Bar Reef is not a boutique hotel-type experience - it is instead a very informal beach destination that offers the friendly hospitality of its village staff rather than regimented hotel-type service. And what it might lack in amenities (there's no running hot water, for example), it makes up for with its rustic charm and whimsical design of its buildings which encourage guests to meet and mingle in an unpretentious communal atmosphere.
The coastal waters offer the treasures of dolphin and whale watching as well as snorkeling over nearby spectacular coral formations. In addition, in terms of water-based action, there is deep-sea fishing, kayaking, canoeing, sailing, kite and wind surfing.
For those more inclined towards cultural adventures or land-based nature, the Cultural Triangle, featuring four of the island’s seven World Heritage sites is within two to three hours’ reach, as are interesting temples, churches, Dutch-era towns. The country’s largest National Park is within 90 minutes reach and contains the island’s highest concentration of leopard, along with elephants, bears and other spectacular wild life and bird life. In fact Alankuda and its environs are an absolute bird watcher’s paradise.
Bar Reef consists of varying accommodation types – There are two very spacious 2 bedroom Villas and seven large Cabanas with separate living and bedroom areas all set within their own landscaped lush gardens. Bar Reef is situated approximately 2 hours from the airport and 3 hours north of Colombo.
