Days in the sun on Tangalle beach now only a memory
Deserted beach (left) and above, guest houses shuttered or left in mid-construction
“Do you serve lager?”
“Are these jumbo prawns from the lagoon behind?”
“How much is one of these grilled large crabs?”
“We want to taste your calamari!”
“What kind of fish is this – it looks yummy!”
“Hello there! We want to try out something different to what we had yesterday.”
“We want the same ‘kottu’ you served us last night. It was fantastic!”
These questions asked in different accents – some in halting English -now haunt the deserted Tangalle beach. A year ago, these parts were swarming with European holiday makers. So much so, on any given day during the peak season between December and April, Tangalle beach would have easily had as many as 500 tourists, most of them young backpackers who stayed a minimum one week to overcome their work or studystress.
The famous beach colony which is free of the local fishing community is sandwiched between the mangrove fringed lagoon and the inviting Indian Ocean. As such,it offers much-sought isolation and privacy for tourists. During the heat of the day, they either frolic in the sea or relax on hammocks in the shade of lush foliage whilst counting on the sea breeze to soothe them. The sound of rolling wavelets gently lapping the soft sand fills their days. They read, they reflect, they meditate and use social media to let their friends know how relaxed they are in this paradise.
Come dusk, they stroll on the beach or on the road hugging the beach, couples often hand in hand – to find out which seafood outlet they should try-out that day. They pass bonfires on the beach and read the special menu of the day of their favourite restaurant with the light cast by a hurricane lamp at its doorstep; all very rustic, all very traditional, all perfectly simple and all easy on the purse. For them Tangalle is what Bentota is for the affluent!
Even the Easter attacks in 2019 which traumatized the industry failed to discourage the tourists. Came December, they reserved their accommodation in a rush, rapidly filling the booking charts of lovely little guest houses nestled in green groves. Thus, what commenced watchfully and sluggishly became a promising season. Alas! All until the pandemic broke out in March 2020!
Today, nearly a year later, the once vibrant Tangalle tourist belt on the Medaketiya road looks ghostly, deserted of any life leave aside tourists. Gone are the muscular beach boys and enterprising hoteliers. No sign either of their charming wives who usually took care of preparing the food. Numerous middlemen who looked after transport requirements of tourists; renting bikes, arranging tuktuk rides for them to visit the historical sites of Mulkirigala and Kasagala or strolling with them at night with a torch in hand to watch leatherback turtles laying eggs at the neighbouring Rekawa beach, locating leopards at Yala park and blue whales at Mirissa on half-day excursions seem to have disappeared into thin air.
Whilst structures that can be secured are padlocked and shut, other temporary ones are abandoned, nearly reaching a state of dilapidation. Half-finished construction sites of small hotels are skeletons of steel and cement, withering away in the scorching sun. Desolate seafood outlets, onetime great hangouts for the tourists, have their chained furniture turned upside down for better protection from the tangy sea air. Unattended nameboards dangle sideways from loosened hinges. A few snoopy stray dogs wander around.
The pandemic has affected thousands who earned a living from tourism. The glum landscape reflects the shattered hopes of a community.
The Tangalle beach belt is not the locals’ cup of tea either. Sri Lankans prefer to relax with their families in the shallow cove in front of the colonial rest house next to the fisheries habour. Most don’t even know of the existence of a tourist beach belt on the far side.
What the future holds for the people of Tangalle beach belt is a grave question mark. All they can do is to dwell on those days of sun that brought them such joy with the tourists. They yearn for the European backpackers just as the backpackers must be yearning to be at their favourite haunt.When will it be?
The answers are yet to blow in the wind!