The lagoon is the first thing to wake up. Before the light has properly arrived, the water turns the colour of pewter, then peach, and somewhere out of sight a fisherman’s oar starts its slow, steady swish. I was standing on my balcony at Amaranthé Bay with a cup of tea going lukewarm in my hand, watching egrets lift off the far bank one at a time, as if they’d been given a staggered start. A palm frond ticked in the breeze. Nobody else seemed to be up. It was the kind of morning that makes you forgive the early alarm.
The resort sits in Uppuveli, a few kilometres north of Trincomalee town, right at the edge of the Pillaikulam Aru lagoon. The grounds are set within a grove of coconut and palmyra palms, which gives the whole place a shaded, hushed feel, as though the trees are quietly keeping everyone’s secrets. The best part is the double life it leads. You get still, glassy lagoon water at the front door, and the open sea of Uppuveli Beach is a short stroll away. Peace and a beach holiday, without having to choose.
There are three room types, Standard Comfort, Junior Suite and Executive Suite, and I’d been given a Junior Suite. It came with a private jacuzzi and a view over the lagoon, which I mention not to show off but because I genuinely lost an hour to it. Add the teakwood floors, the mahogany furniture and the crisp Egyptian cotton linen, and the room manages to feel both properly Sri Lankan and properly comfortable. I’d planned to be out exploring by nine. By nine I was in the jacuzzi, watching a kingfisher make a very average attempt at fishing.
Eventually I made it to the pool, which is the heart of the place. It looks straight out over the lagoon, so you can swim a slow length while the light shifts across the water beyond it. The Pool Bar sits right beside it, doing snacks, signature cocktails and freshly ground coffee, and it’s the sort of spot where “just one drink” quietly becomes a whole afternoon. I’m told it’s a lovely place for a sundowner. I can confirm this, purely as a matter of research.
Food here leans on the island’s own produce. The kitchen works with farmers and suppliers from nearby, and the menu moves between Sri Lankan and Western dishes, with Asian-inspired plates that carry a modern twist. Breakfast is a leisurely, healthy-leaning affair that sets you up well for a day of paddling or temple-hopping. Dinner, by the pool or on one of the terraces, felt unhurried in the best way. Nobody rushed me, and nobody hovered, and the evening air smelled faintly of frangipani and charcoal.
If you want to make a night of it, the floating deck is the thing to know about. It’s anchored out on the Pillaikulam Aru, decorated with candles, and serves a candlelit dinner above the water. It’s made for anniversaries, proposals and anyone who simply likes the idea of eating dinner while gently afloat. For a livelier evening, the Lagoon Lounge has a rustic, easy energy, with crafted cocktails, a good range of spirits and bar bites that disappear faster than they should. And for something more grown-up, the Wild Bar offers a wine-and-dine experience in a more relaxed, low-lit setting.
The Amaranthé Spa is worth planning an afternoon around. It’s tucked among the palms, so the light that reaches you is soft and dappled, and the breeze comes drifting in off the lagoon. It’s the sort of setting that lowers your shoulders before anyone’s laid a hand on you. After a morning in the sun, an hour there felt like the most sensible decision of my week.
When you’re ready to move, the resort has plenty to keep you busy without leaving the grounds. Bicycles are available, including child-friendly ones, which makes a ride through the local villages a very good family outing. And the lagoon itself is made for canoes and kayaks. I paddled out through the mangroves one morning, past tangled roots and a surprising amount of birdlife, and slipped into a narrow mangrove tunnel where the sound of the resort just fell away. My arms were useless for the rest of the day, and I’d do it again tomorrow.
Trincomalee itself rewards a bit of curiosity. Koneswaram Temple, perched on its headland and known as the Temple of Thousand Pillars, is the headline act, with a story that stretches back more than two thousand years. The Dutch Beach and the old fort sit close by, and the natural harbour here is one of the finest in the world. Out at sea, Pigeon Island is a marine national park with coral reefs and clear water for snorkelling, and the waters off the coast are known for whales and dolphins during the right season. Nearer to home, there’s the colourful Golden Temple, and the Kanniya hot springs, seven square wells of warm water wrapped in legend. The front desk can arrange excursions, so there’s no need to plan every detail yourself.
The resort also does celebrations well. It has a multi-purpose events area and a dedicated team for weddings, proposals and gatherings, and the lagoon makes an obliging backdrop for photographs. Whatever the occasion, the staff handle it with a warmth that feels personal rather than polished. It’s a small thing, but it’s what I remember most.
Getting there from Katunayake Airport is a proper journey, so plan it as a travel day. The most comfortable option is a private driver or pre-arranged transfer, which takes you north through the heart of the island, past the Cultural Triangle, and out to the east coast. The resort can help arrange transfers, so ask when you book. If you prefer public transport, take a taxi or bus from the airport to Colombo Fort and catch the train to Trincomalee. It’s a scenic, slow-moving ride through paddy fields and jungle, and the overnight services are a classic Sri Lankan adventure. Long-distance buses also run from Colombo, and you can finish with a tuk-tuk to Uppuveli. Domestic air taxi flights to Trincomalee’s China Bay airport are another option if you’d like to skip the road, though it’s worth checking current schedules. And if you’d rather break the trip, a night in Negombo near the airport, or a stop around Sigiriya or Habarana, makes it much gentler.
I left Amaranthé Bay with a slightly sunburnt nose, tired arms and a head full of egrets. To see more of the resort, visit their website, or follow along on Instagram and Facebook.
