Activities to explore nature around Arugam Bay
Explore nature on your own
Arugam Bay is worth a visit for many reasons. You don’t have to be a surfer or a yogi to have a great time in Arugam Bay. One reason is definitely its stunning nature. At Stay Golden, we are lucky, as we are surrounded by nature and located at an empty beach. You just have to step on your balcony or walk 20 steps to the beach to witness its beauty. Here, you can find our tips to discover nature on your own from your starting point Stay Golden: Small tours by bike, beach walks to Crocodile’s Rock and Elephant Rock – both perfect spots for watching the sunset close to Arugam Bay, and longer tours with the scooter.
If you would like to experience organized tours to nature, we recommend booking a Kumana National Park Tour or the Lagoon Safari with us.
A small tour: Best by bicycle
Using one of our bicycles is an option for smaller tours. We don’t charge our guests for bicycle rental. A small tour might include exploring the village of Arugam Bay with its touristic stripe, or the town of Pottuvil with its typical local market life. Both towns are located next to lagoons. Life is just better close to water.
Beach walks around Arugam Bay: Crocodile’s Rock and Elephant Rock
Talking about water, it’s easy to visit the two natural sightseeing spots Crocodile’s Rock and Elephant Rock on your own from the location of Stay Golden. Standing on the beach in front of the hotel, head South and you already see both rocks.
Crocodile’s Rock close to Arugam Bay: A great getaway for sunset
Starting at Stay Golden, Crocodile’s Rock is closer to Arugam Bay than Elephant Rock. It might take 20-30 minutes walking on the beachside to get there. While walking, you will pass a fishing area, and a lagoon. Behind the lagoon, you’ll spot Crocodile’s Rock. It’s named by its shape, which looks similar to a crocodile (from above). Though, please never swim in a lagoon in this area, as crocodiles actually live in these sweetwater lagoons.
Take a couple of steps to reach the top of the Rock for the best view over the little lagoon, rice fields and the ocean. It’s especially nice in the golden hour before sunset. And, there’s a good chance to spot an elephant in the lagoon, too. Grab some snacks and drinks in advance and take a seat to observe nature. As Crocodile’s Rock is not too far, we recommend walking back.
By the way: The header picture was taking on a walk to Crocodile’s Rock. You can see its lagoon on the right side, and Elephant’s Rock on the left side.
Elephant Rock: The famous sunset spot
If you continue your beach walk heading South, after another 20-30 minutes you’ll reach Elephant’s Rock. This beach is famous for its surf and the Rock at the point. Again, there is a lagoon at the Bay. Depending on the season of the year, you might have to cross it. If this is the case in surfing season, fishermen offer their services to ferry you over with their boats. Climbing up the rock takes around 5 minutes. Especially in high season, you share the beautiful view with other people who come to watch the sunset, too.
Enjoy the atmosphere: Nature around you and surfers in the water catching their last waves of the day. The spot is instagramable – don’t forget to take the mandatory picture to post and to tag us with @staygoldenarugam afterward 🙂 Since Elephant’s Rock is further away than Crocodile’s Rock, you might take a tuk-tuk for your way back.
Our secret heroes: Grosh and Bruno
Don’t be surprised in case our dogs join you for a walk. Grosh and Bruno welcome our guests into our pack quite fast. As they love good company, they might accompany you on your walks, no matter if to town or heading to Elephant’s Rock. No worries, they know the area and will always find their way back home. On the contrary – they will protect you from other beach dogs and guide you the way.
A scooter tour to discover beaches and see wildlife
For longer tours on your own, we recommend renting a scooter. Feel the wind in your face while driving down the street in direction of Panama. For us, it expresses the feeling of freedom and, simultaneously, gratefulness for nature. How blessed we all are to live on such a beautiful planet.
When you are lucky, you will meet some elephants on the way, enjoying their day eating grass and tree branches. Include a “beach hopping”, as every beach is unique and suitable for swimming. The beaches close by are all surfer spots, too. If you are interested to find out more, have a look at our overview on the surf spots around Arugam Bay.
Kumana National Park and the Pottuvil Lagoon
Special tours offered by Stay Golden are the Kumana National Park tour and the Lagoon Safari. Find out more here: