Cruising around Sri Lanka 

Gliding gently through the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean as the steady winds fill the sails of the catamaran, relaxing aboard Sail Lanka Charter’s state of the art catamarans is an exhilarating experience. Exploring the scenic coastline by catamaran is a unique experience offered by Sail Lanka Charter which is the first chartering company in Sri Lanka with more than 10 boars in operation, offering cruises in different locations around the island. 

The company offers cruises ranging from three hours to ten days and each year they develop new programs and new bases around Sri Lanka with the objective that one day Sri Lanka will become a global yachting destination. 

 

Sail Lanka Charter operates its catamarans from Colombo, Bentota, Galle, Mirissa, Batticaloa, Passikuda, Trincomalee, Jaffna, Mannar and Kalpitiya. There are five different day cruises which range from whale watching, morning, afternoon, sunset cruises or private cruises where you hire the boat in its entirety for your own use. I joined Sail Lanka Charter aboard their catamaran Topaz on a three hour cruise in Passikudah which saw us sail towards a secluded island. Once at the destination we had ample time to dive into the clear waters and snorkel. The range of reef fish we saw was impressive and beautiful. There is also a paddle board for those who wish to paddle around. Our friendly captain explained the route we were taking and invited those interested to steer the boat which was quite an interesting experience. It was also nice to see the sails being unfurled and watch the boat propel its way across the water powered by the sea breeze. 

The catamaran Jade 52 is the first residential boat of the fleet. It has four cabins with private bathrooms and can be hired for 1 - 10 day cruises. Depending on the season you can set sail from Trincomalee to Batticaloa, from Mirissa to Galle and very soon the new route of Kalpitiya to Jaffna will be launched. 

Sail Lanka Charter is a spin off of the non-profit organization ‘Building A Future Foundation’. The foundation has three focus points: education and training, Incubation of yachting oriented SMEs and research and development of new waterbased economies and environmental responsibility. Sail Lanka Charter was set up to create and promote sailing as a new eco-friendly activity and new job opportunities for youth. 

Whether you're looking for a quiet sail down the coast of Sri Lanka, an exciting water sports adventure, or a romantic sunset cruise, you'll find sailing to be simply delightful! 

By Tina Edward Gunawardhana