Uga Bay luxury on a platter

28 March 2014 05:34 am Views - 7280

Shallow blue waters and coral reefs, white sand and palm trees make the long stretch of coastline popularly known as passikudah Bay. ‘passi Beach’ in the Baticaloa district has become an idyllic place to spend the day by the seaside. passikudah Bay’s shallow waters offer a perfectly safe environment in learning to swim and therefore is a popular bathing spot for families with children.

Located in Passikudah, Uga Bay is a luxury beach resort that blends tropical and mediterranean architecture to create a stunning masterpiece on the beautiful bay. ‘Uga Bay Resort' is blessed with the best beach front on the crescent shaped Passikudah Bay.

‘It was one time the best beach destination in the East and now with proper planning Passikudah is fast becoming an ‘entertainment hub' of the East with a motto of ‘fun, hip and happening'. "Currently there are five hotels operating on the Bay and five more should commence operations later and will soon be a most sought after destination in Sri Lanka" said Roshan Dylan, the General Manager of the Uga Bay Resort.

Uga Bay is contributing towards this revival, offering guests around the globe culinary experiences, water sports, excursions, luxury living and of course the spa to be added very soon. The resort is designed to provide an unobstructed ocean view from all of the 46 spacious 500 square foot rooms, as well as from the private Bay Suite and presidential suite Beach Villa. It offers five room categories which consist of a Standard Room, Beach Studio, Beach View Studio, Bay Suite and Beach Chalet. The Beach Studio is located on the ground floor while the Beach View Studio is located on the upper floor. Smoking is allowed on the balcony only.

Each cluster features two Ocean Studios upstairs and two Beach Studios on ground level with direct access to the beach. All studios offer breathtaking views of the bay and are complete with plush king sized beds, gel pillows, high-end entertainment systems and private decks. All units come with modern amenities including a 42” LCD TV, cable channels, IDD phones, complimentary wi-fi, tea/coffee making facilities, mini bar, in-room safe, I-pod docking station, individually controlled air conditioning and more.

Uga Bay pays a lot of attention to culinary experience of the guests. Apart from the traditional culinary experience at the restaurant, beach side BBQ and poolside dinners are possible on request.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served for hotel guests while guests can enjoy indoor and outdoor dining facilities. Gastronomy delights consist of a modern fusion of Mediterranean and Asian flavours while the local seafood is always a highlight when dining. There is an 'Uga' dining experience offered to the hotel guests with various flavours of food served on all days of the week.

‘We always offer a wide range of food from around the world on a la carte. Uga Bay pays special attention to a la carte over buffets' said Chef Amal, the Chef de Cuisine at the Resort.

‘Local fishing boats bring in the fresh catch of the day for your delicious seafood feast. Internationally trained Chefs prepare world class cuisine fused with local spices in state of the art kitchens and at beachside barbecues.

'Fresh from the oceansea food is our signature line. We take our guests on boat to sea for crab catching session and teach them to do their favourite cooking. We are willing to share our culinary secrets if you wish to cook a dish for yourself' Chef Amal said.

'Chef Amal is a specialized chef of sea food' explained Roshan.

Lobster Thermidor (a large serving of an entire lobster, with every bite divine) to lagoon crabs, deep fried prawns, Australian beef tenderloin, pork black curry and chicken hot curry are some of the popular dishes on the menu.

‘We strongly believe food is a major part of the travel experience and we have created the Uga Culinary Experience with all F&B staff and chefs from the group get together in one forum and develop culinary concepts for Uga. It also features theme nights, Saturday barbeques and Sunday brunches.' explains Roshan.

Apart from the many archaeological and wildlife attractions and the myriad of features the property itself has to offer, the oceans around Passikudah are famous for diving and  offer some of the most sought after dive sites

Passekudah is an ideal base from which to explore East Sri Lanka, with newly done roads and many places of cultural interest located one to two hours away. Located in close proximity to some of the country's most sought after national parks such as Minneriya, Wasgamuwa, Thoppigala, Trikonamadu, Maduru Oya and Gal Oya, which can all be reached within a short driving time of one-anda-half to two hours. Batticaloa is a must. The famous Somawathiya Chaithtya can also be easily accessed.

Other facilities at the Uga Bay resort include meeting facilities that can host from 8 - 48 guests which is also ideal for team building sessions and private parties. The resort also offers entertainment with Karaoke singers while the outdoor terrace provides comfortable lounge seating.