Unawatuna
Faint strains of music drift in and out on the breeze, and the gentle waves lap quietly on to the sandy beach. The sun is out, shining on the sparkling sea, turquoise and calm, which cossets the few swimmers in its midst. Sun beds line the arc of bay, bearing stretched-out bodies basking in the heat. There is a faint clinking of plates; of unceremonious chatter, There is the hum of a boat; the
padding of feet upon sand. These are the few intrusions you will ' have to put up with at Unawatuna Bay, apart from the beach sellers with their flapping clothes-or curios. The restaurants, more in number than variety, are welcoming and create the exact ambience, day or night, which you can only expect from a tropical haven. Painted brightly, they blend into the paradisaical surroundings of palm trees and blue sky. The truth is that Unawatuna hides its wounds well. Hit especially hard by the 2004 tsunami that tore through it, this very special resort was battered beyond belief hardly recognizable from the day before-or from what it looks like now, Unawatuna became a completely dark and desolate place at night for a long time after the devastating waves. Set off the main road 5km from Galle, Unawatuna's beach road, Yaddehimulla, flanked by deserted, broken and flattened houses, was empty after the sun went down. Nobody walked anywhere after dark, and anyway, there was nowhere to go.
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| Source: http://www.surfteamsrilanka.com/ |
It took a few weeks for the disaster to truly sink in, and for the survivors to come to terms with the loss of loved ones, homes, businesses and belongings. Not surprisingly there was desperation, fear and despair, but the people of Unawatuna turned around and recovered amazingly quickly.
Villagers quickly assessed what they needed to do. Land disputes and quarrels aside, the majority of residents wanted to get their homes and businesses up and running once more to be able to regain their independence, and many, though certainly not shy of financial help, wanted to be able to do it themselves; Luckier than many smaller remote coastal villages due to its contact with many returning and resident foreigners, it has been given much help to recreate its charm.
So it was that within six weeks of the tsunami a handful of restaurants opened. It was a necessity for people to meet and talk through what had happened - and what needed to be done. There were still many places to stay, though at discounted prices to encourage people to return. With more restaurateurs re-opening their establishments, people began to move around the village again, even after dusk. Many times my local friends would ask sadly if I thought people would come back, "Is this the end?" they would say. There was no answer could give to be sure of the future, though hoped that people would not be put off by this tragedy. And it was not long before NGOs and aid workers begun arriving, brightening up the stricken place with hope, though they were not the tourists that would have usually been here. But then Unawatuna was not ready for tourists.
For weeks people tirelessly worked to clean the beach and resort area. Snorkelers retrieved chunks of concrete and metal from the sea to make it safe and prevent further damage to the diminishing reef. While noisy diggers removed much of the beaihside debris, some was also cleared by hand, superficially removing obvious wounds from the tragedy, at least to the eye.
After three months came a day and night of remembrance of the many thousands of lives lost due to the tsunami. As in many other coastal towns and villages around the island, oil lamps were lit, one for every lost soul/illuminating and uniting the area in an orange-hued act of remembrance and farewell. It was time to look to the future and make Unawatuna anew.
Despite a scare of another tsunami towards the end of March, triggered by an earthquake off Indonesia, many villagers, though retreating to safer land, were not discouraged. Daily, people had run from their homes in fear of the sea, though over time, these occasions have becomes rare as the mistrust and fear of the sea has faded into everyday life, which must go on.
Six months later and Unawatuna, with its many open restaurants, shops and guesthouses, the occasional discos, and wandering tourists, was ready to play host once again. Houses remained crumpled and broken in places, though with the visage of new constructions, bright coats of paint, open doors and circulating people, it has lost that sharpness; of tragedy. Moreover, the monsoon rain has forced plants to grow up green and lush around the debris, concealing plenty from view. So after all this time, finally the questions friends asked are beginning to be answered, for it is certainly not the end. So many visitors have arrived over the European summer months that it has probably been the busiest off-season here for many years, and though many NGO workers and volunteers remain,-there is a considerable rise in holidaymakers too. Let us hope this continues. There are many places to stay from budget to top end, with something always available, now in the evenings there is liveliness on the beach with the restaurants serving up an endless array of fresh and delicious food, playing music and serving drinks long into the night. Recommended is the much-loved King Fisher's Restaurant that has been inspiringly rebuilt around a converted container with a beautifully designed wooden restaurant, serving delicious food, set in what is now a spacious and sunny area of beach. For dancer-holies, regular discos are held at Rock View and Happy Banana.
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| Source: https://www.panoramio.com/ |
Diving has resumed, snorkeling equipment is available and you can surf Unawatuna's variable waves by hiring equipment from Hot or Not? surf shop (Yaddehimulla Road). Other activities include Sri Lankan cookery classes, fishing trips and walks to Rumassala Kanda, Jungle Beach and the new Japanese temple glimmering with golden statues and vistas as far as Galle. You can start your round trip of the island here, or daytrip with a tour company such as the experienced Blue Fin Tours located on the beach by Lucky Tuna.
Though Unawatuna is in legend - and recent history -'the place that fell down' and though it is visibly different than before, it has risen again to rate once more as one of the most beautiful beaches in Sri Lanka, and probably the best place for a relaxing, independent holiday on the island. *