Passikudah is one of the most picturesque beaches on the beautiful east coast of Sri Lanka. Once a popular tourist destination, this area was devastated in the 2004 tsunami but is now making a comeback, particularly since the end of the civil war in 2009.

One of the striking features of this beach is that the water is unusually shallow – no more than waist deep – for what feels like miles, thanks to a long reef. Passikudah is also one of the widest and longest beaches on the island, at 4km in length (just south of the equally beautiful Kalkudah beach).

Passikudah is a great spot for snorkelling, offering myriad species of coral and tropical fish, and is blessed with clear blue water. The reef-protected is also an ideal spot for sun bathing, wind surfing and water skiing.

The reef here is one of the best preserved in the country and has been proposed as a marine sanctuary by National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA).

A number of modern, high end luxury resorts are available in the vicinity of Passikudah. May to September is the best time to visit because it avoids the southwest monsoon at this time of the year.