Kalpitiya is located in Puttlam District, 170km away from Colombo. Kalpiya consists of 14 islands and known for its serene beauty. It is now developing as an attractive tourist destination and a hot spot for Kite Surfing and Dolphin Watching.
Kalpitiya is a Marine Sanctuary with a diversity of habitats ranging from bar reefs, flat coastal plains, saltpans, mangroves swamps, salt marshes and vast sand dune beaches. It provides nursing grounds for many species of fish and crustaceans. "Bar Reef", the largest coral reef in Sri Lanka is only an hour boat trip from Kalpitiya. This reef is home to a variety of tropical fish, reef sharks and turtle. Diving and Snorkeling are not possible during the southwest monsoon period (May to November). The best times are therefore between late November and early May.
The underwater currents in the seas off Kalpitiya are generally not strong, but are influenced by small tide changes of two high water and two low water tides. The underwater temperature is approximately 75°F so no wetsuits are required (but thin wetsuits could be worn to protect from any bruising from the coral).
The seas off Kalpitiya Peninsula became famous relatively recently – in 2005 – when large pods of Spinner dolphins were spotted. These dolphins were mainly found in an area that ran north-south parallel to the Kalpitiya peninsula, in-shore off the reef, which is commonly known as the 'Dolphin Line'. The coastal waters are home to Spinner Dolphins, Bottlenose Dolphins, Risso Dolphins and Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, whales and sea turtles. The best time for dolphin watching in Kalpitiya is from November to March/April.
Kalpitiya is also a popular place for kite surfing. The kiting season is from May to October and during the season wind blows at an average of 18 – 20 knots – 24 hours a day for 7 days a week. There is a second season from December to March, where you get 4-5 days a week windy, the wind pick up in the afternoon between 15 and 20 knots.
