Chasing The Wind In Coastal Sri Lanka

Experience the tropical bliss in sweeping flat waters and eco-resorts putting a small coastal village on the tourist map

- Zinara Rathnayake

Wearing a bright, ear-splitting smile, a young twentysomething serves me two slices of kiribath with lunu miris. Kiribath is rice cooked in creamy coconut milk until it turns delicately soggy. It’s best devoured with lunu miris – an onion relish made with chopped red chilli, a hint of lime, and Maldive fish. He then pours a cup of Earl Grey, a fine variety of Sri Lankan tea. At 22 years old, Kasun Tharaka works at the kitchen department at Elements Resort. He’s dressed up in his resort uniform – an aqua blue t-shirt and a brown sarong – the relaxing tropical attire of the island men in Sri Lanka.

“A tropical fruit platter and village buffalo curd?” he asks me with a dazzling smile. I start my breakfast with coconut roti and seeni sambal. It’s caramelized onion subtly flavoured with Indian Ocean spices. It’s deep golden brown in colour. The coastal breeze blows across my face while the warmth of the morning sun reflects on the aqua blue waters. The family next to my table makes plans for their day.

Elements Resort has a communal dining room. This open-air dining room overlooks the sprawling turquoise blue waters of the majestic Indian Ocean. Similar to several other resorts in the village of Kappalady, Elements Resort is committed to sustainable luxury. A few years ago, Kappalady was a rural hamlet with little or no infrastructure. Men and boys went on fishing while girls and women remained indoors.

But things changed with kitesurfing.