SURFING IN SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka is an amazing place for surfing enthusiasts of all skill levels. If you are an advanced surfer there will be places where the waves will test your mettle but if you are just a beginner, there are milder spots that are perfect for learning how to first stand on a surfboard. And the best thing about Sri Lanka is you can do this all around the year.

Because Sri Lanka is an island situated right in the middle of the Indian Ocean it is affected by weather patterns from both sides. This causes different seasonal weather patterns that make one side of the island choppy while the other is calm. This gives the option of finding a good surf spot throughout the year, where you will get plenty of waves.

As told above you can always find somewhere to surf in Sri Lanka regardless of the time of year. But where that is, differs. For the South Side of the island, the main surfing period is from months November to May where you get the best waves. Over on the Eastern side of the island, the main period is from months April to May; here you will get longer waves that you can ride for longer.

The major areas for surfing in Sri Lanka are in the South, Southwest and Eastern coasts. There are plenty of surfing towns and locations littered all along these coasts; some of these are very well known and crowded while there are quite a few hidden spots as well. The waves you find in Sri Lanka are not as giant as the ones you get in Hawaii or Australia, they are a bit smaller but lasts longer; you sometimes get waves that can be surfed for as long as a minute if you are skillful enough. There are plenty of local sources where you can get info on where the best surf is on a given day, so give it a go.

The Southern coast if the most preferred area for surfers. Among the surfing towns in this area, Hikkaduwa is the most famous. Situated about 120kms South of Colombo it is famous among tourists for its parties, beautiful beaches and of course the surfing opportunities. Hikka, as it is known among its patrons, has quite a few surf spots. They are namely The Main Reef, Benny’s Reef, North Jetty, and Beach Break.

Unawatuna is another town which lies just South of the City of Galle and is popular as a family surfing spot. The waves are milder here and the beach is not the best place to surf but as the locals and they will suggest you locations such as the Dalawala Reef, Unawatuna Beach Break, Kabalana Beach Break & Bonavista Bay as good surf spots.

The other prominent Southern surf spots include Weligama, Midigama, Gurubebila & Mirissa Bay.

The Eastern coast becomes more appealing for surfing when the rest of the country is being battered by the Southwest monsoon. The Southwest monsoon arrives between May and September and hits the South, Southwest and Western parts of the country hard, leading to rough seas and torrential downpours. But during this time the Eastern coast remains sunny and dry and copious amounts of great surf. Arugam Bay is the main eastern surf location and is great to visit between the months of April and September.

As with the Southern coast, there are various different surfing spots to choose from in Arugam Bay. Some of the best locations are Main Point & Baby Point, Elephant Rock, and Pottuvil. These locations have plenty of surfing opportunities to beginners as well as experienced surfers.