true advice on Sri Lanka, a new Brazil?

[athen]

Hello Everybody,
I read a lot of reviews and feedbacks about all the area of Kalpitiya big lagoons and also further north the island called Mannar (very very closed to the Indian border, then I wonder how safe could it be?)

However... my question is about how really good are these spots of Kalpitiya and Mannar that many consider a "new cheap Brazil" but in true I read so so so many disagreeing opinions (bad locations, dirty, unpleasant, bothering people all around) so before booking any flight I would like to better understand the story

thank you!!!

[Adventure Logs]

why would you think close to India would be unsafe? Sri Lanka/India is like a love it or hate it kinda of situation. I've lived in India for 3 years and been to Sri Lanka many times. Personally, if I could move to Sri Lanka, I would. Expect a lot of culture shock, getting the shits, and having your mind blown on how different it can be. I think of Sri Lanka as all the good things of india without the filth, corruption, crowd, or shit. And Sri Lanka is very safe FYI.

=Jason-

[athen]

Jason thanks a lot for your true feedback.
I personally never been in both but I met a guy (European travel guide) who told me about bad stories happened especially in the border Sri Lanka / India, that's why I wanted more information about this issue (not to believe one report only).

However as I don't like Indian mind, their continuous violence against females, little girls, etc. I am not interested neither in spending 1 week of holidays in a similar place, that's why I need more information about Sri Lanka. I am totally against the system of India and if Sri Lanka is different I am more than happy

why would you think close to India would be unsafe? Sri Lanka/India is like a love it or hate it kinda of situation. I've lived in India for 3 years and been to Sri Lanka many times. Personally, if I could move to Sri Lanka, I would. Expect a lot of culture shock, getting the shits, and having your mind blown on how different it can be. I think of Sri Lanka as all the good things of india without the filth, corruption, crowd, or shit. And Sri Lanka is very safe FYI.

=Jason-

[abel]

why would you think close to India would be unsafe? Sri Lanka/India is like a love it or hate it kinda of situation. I've lived in India for 3 years and been to Sri Lanka many times. Personally, if I could move to Sri Lanka, I would. Expect a lot of culture shock, getting the shits, and having your mind blown on how different it can be. I think of Sri Lanka as all the good things of india without the filth, corruption, crowd, or shit. And Sri Lanka is very safe FYI.

=Jason-

+1
Been in Sri Lanka and Kalpitiya. The city is not the best in Lanka, but the kite locations are better.
The fancy hotels near the kite spots are very expensive, so I would accommodate in one of the schools facilities.
The Lankan people are in general very nice and I didn't have any fear moving all around the country.
On the other hand... ahhhh... Brasil, Brasil... Cumbuco...
BTW you better check for the seasonal winds in either country you choose to go.

Good luck with your decision

[BudhaNl]

You do know there is no border India/Sri Lanka right? Sri Lanka is an island...

Your contact might have referred to the Tamil Tiger - Sri Lanka official government struggles that were going on for a long period. That's (mostly?) in the past now as far as I know.

[mago]

if we are talking of kite conditions, i would not bother to go.
you can add me to the list of ppl that found shitty gusty wind and shitty location.
yes.. the water is flat...but careful not to get any infection...
i spent 3 weeks between july and august.i've traveled the world for kiting, and trust me, look over for better kiting location, if that is your purpose.

[that_kite_couple]

Feel free to drop me a message about Sri Lanka I have spent a few seasons working there in kalpitiya and last year was lucky enough to manage the Kite school in Mannar. I have been travelling and working in Kite for many years now and this is hands down the best flat water spot in the world. Over 14km of shallow butter flat water. Consistent wind (no guests like kalpitya) and the water is clean as it is always flowing as its open not a closed lagoon

[athen]

Thanks Mago,
this is exactly what I have heard from many ppl.
Awful place, gusty wind, dirty everywhere (however if I look at all photos in internet I cannot find a decent one, all colors of the sea, the lagoon and the land are like shit, awful awful)

I have in mind the reason why many people go there and say that's a great kite place, but to avoid unpleasant polemics here, I prefer to keep my thoughts private (you know what I mean)

However your reply confirms not only what I think, but also what I found in several reviews
thanks a lot for your help!!!

if we are talking of kite conditions, i would not bother to go.
you can add me to the list of ppl that found shitty gusty wind and shitty location.
yes.. the water is flat...but careful not to get any infection...
i spent 3 weeks between july and august.i've traveled the world for kiting, and trust me, look over for better kiting location, if that is your purpose.

[magnusod]

It's definitely not an awful place. The water looks a bit shitty but I'm not sure it's that bad. Many times the colour of the water is due to the colour of sand and sea bottom and it's not white sand in Kalpitya.

It's gusty in the lagoon for sure but not so gusty that it's complete shit. That is excaggerating a lot. I still enjoyed it quite a bit but mixed the lagoon with the ocean as I also had a surfboard and usually a couple of days per week there is a swell on a reef quite far out the sea. Also the camps are nice and you meet a lot of people from around the world as it's almost only kitesurfers who stays there. Not really any restauarants around so it's an all included stay at the camps. I stayed with Kitesurfing Lanka which was really good.

Mannar is absolutely amazing. When I was there you could only go by boat. If they opened up a center there it's absolutely perfect. Just like that_kite_couple said loads of space, super flat and perfect wind.

[moret]

Please have a look at https://www.kitesurfingmannar.com/

The camp is located just front to one of the best spot of the world, laminar wind and perfect flat water (wave on the other side of the sand bank). Difficult to find a better spot. From May until October there is between 18-35 knots, the wind is quite strong. Look at this video :

https://vimeo.com/241344254

https://vimeo.com/241344254


There is as well a second season from mid December until mid March.

In Kalpitiya the big lagoon is gusty but all the other spot have clean wind, there is 7 spots in total. www.kitesurfinglanka.com is in middle of all the spot. If you go everyday in the big lagoon you can be disappointing but if you go in the different spot then you will have a blast.

Look at some video:

Puttalam lagoon

https://vimeo.com/186413644

https://vimeo.com/186413644


Vella island

https://vimeo.com/186402580

https://vimeo.com/186402580


Thalawila downwind

https://vimeo.com/186923318

https://vimeo.com/186923318


Small lagoon

https://vimeo.com/186402598

https://vimeo.com/186402598


Kalpitiya lagoon

https://vimeo.com/186402607

https://vimeo.com/186402607

Sri Lanka is clearly a good destination for kitesurfing there are 2 seasons one from May until October and one from mid December until mid March