Batticaloa Travel Guide

 mtncorg Says:  The western coasts of Sri Lankan are well-known for their glorious sunsets. Here on this side, the sunrises are equally fine. Here, the sunrises over the lagoon and the pillboxes out in front of the old fort. 

 mtncorg Says:  Here is the worn translation for the original Dutch church monument. 

 mtncorg Says:  Within the fort there are several local governmental administrative offices along with the monument stone for the original Dutch church that was built here in the mid 18th century. 

 mtncorg Says:  Both out in front of the fort entry and atop the northeastern bastion are cannon emblazed with the VOC symbol. Those on the northeastern bastion lying next to a more modern era Sri Lankan Army pillbox watching out over the lagoon and the lagoon bridge across the way. 

 mtncorg Says:  Above the entry to the fort, you can still make out the VOC symbol of the Dutch East Indies Company which dates back to 1638 when the Portugese were ousted. 

 mtncorg Says:  In true fashion of the era, there are bastions on the four corners of the fort. The lagoon borders on the north and east with a moat on the west and part of the south sides. Cannons were originally mounted in the bastions, though today there are pillboxes mounted by the Sri... 

 mtncorg Says:  This was the main reason for the town’s importance, the fort. Superceding an earlier Portugese fort, the fort became the center of Dutch power along this part of the coast. From both this fort and the earlier Portugese, the unique colonies of Batticaloa Burgher evolved - see... 

 mtncorg Says:  Batti was another East Coast town that was hard hit by the waves of the 26 December tsunami. Waters crushed over the sea barrier island to the east and pushed up into the lagoon as well. See the accompanying travellogue for more on this. Remember that the pictures date from... 

 mtncorg Says:  This is the town of the Singing Fish. I have seen both fish and shellfish as the originators of the sounds that take place between April and September near the full moon. The long lagoon bridge is where you can hear the phenomena the best, or so I am told. I was here in... 

 Dreks Says:

 mtncorg Says:  There aren’t a lot of choices to stay here in Batti, but one of them is the Co-op Inn. Facilities are a bit rustic, ‘guesthouse’ was the term used by one Sri Lankan. Beds consist of a thin foam mattress lying atop a few boards. Mattress is probably the wrong word, as it was...