Day 13 - The sea! Let's eat Let's Sea.

15:00
I’m awake by 08:00, with the onset of nervous anticipation. It is only a couple of hours until I can feast upon Mrs Chandi’s amazing hoppers. They are, once again, sensational. An abrupt Israeli couple make a complaint nearby us, which clearly upsets Mrs Chandi. I’m tempted to follow them and set them straight. It seems to stem from slow delivery of their food. Given Mrs Chandi is working in a small kitchen on her own, and cooking everything fresh, this seems a particularly unkind position. I could eat this dhal every day. I could bathe in it. I can’t necessarily prove this, but I suspect it could cure cancer.

Back at Shehani Beach, it takes only the merest hint of wine to send me back to bed for a nap. DELUXE.

18:30
I’ve been wanting and meaning to get in the sea while we’ve been here. I should really have prioritised this at one of our earlier stays, as the water was calmer. Up here in Tangalle, there are dedicated wave breaks along the beach, designed to make swimming a touch easier and safer. Away from these wave breaks, the waves are much bigger and rougher, and there are countless rocks to watch out for.

Vicks and Shend head off to do some ultra important shopping, so Simon and I spend 30 minutes getting swept off our feet by the surf. We’re wave break adjacent. The waves are powerful, and the currents they create enough to knock us over. Top fun.

On the beach, drying off we tuck into some gins and tonic. The sun is starting to set, but retains a a deep warmth. The girls find us, and we spend some time nattering away at Happy Lab. I don’t think it would be possible to feel more chilled out than I do right now.

22:30
We’ve only a couple of dinners left before we head home, and I’ve wanted to go back to Let’s Sea - a seafood place the other end of Tangalle beach that I ate at twice in 2024, so good was it. It’s a decent 20 minute walk in the evening heat, and we more than deserve our dinner by the time we arrive. It’s a properly family-run place. Lahiru runs the front of house with his sister (who’s name I should really have learnt by now). Their mum runs the kitchen, knocking out indecently good fish dishes at more than decent prices.

Their whole fish today is white snapper, which I immediately order. Shenda and Vicki opt for tuna steaks, and Simon orders prawns.

The snapper is so simple, but so good. Flavoured with ginger, curry leaf, black pepper, I think some soy is in there as well? And served with the plainest of steamed rice, and a fruity slaw. Banging. The fish is perfectly cooked. Super juicy, and flaking away from the bone. Vicki’s tuna is very tasty, but a little bonier than she’d anticipated. She’s had better tuna on this trip - but we’re picking from a very crowded top table.

The bill is under £40 for the 4 of us. It helps that they only serve Lion for the drinkers, but even so - Let’s Sea offers outrageous value for the quality of food on offer.Läs mer