Kwaii Paradise Sri Lanka

With sun-kissed shores surrounded by the big blue, Sri Lanka is a surfer’s paradise, one that caters to all novices and professionals alike. The best thing is that you can surf here all year long as the country has different seasonal patterns on each side of the island; so, when one coast is choppy, the other is calm.

The waves in Sri Lanka are not the giant kind, like those in Hawaii or Western Australia; they are smaller and longer. One wave in Okanda (on the east coast) can be surfed for as long as 60 seconds if your legs can handle it. For the best day-to-day info on where the good waves are, contact our team. The main spots for surfing are the southwest, south and east coasts.

The main surfing season for the south is from November to May, and April to October in the east, so you’ve got the whole year covered in case you plan to take a 12-month surfing sabbatical. The most famous areas in the south-west are Hikkaduwa and Weligama in the south and Arugam Bay in the east.

 

Hikkaduwa


Hikkaduwa, is about 120 km south of Colombo (or 20 km north of Galle) is at the very heart of the surfing community on the south coast. Once just a surfing village, now it’s popular with surfers and party-goers alike, and a wonderful place for a surfing holiday. The best surf spots in Hikkaduwa are:

Bennys – A left hander reef break preferred by experienced surfers when the waves are over 6 ft.

Main Reef – Left and right handers over a deeper reef, good and relatively safe for all levels.

North Jetty – Long left handers with a reef break by the harbour wall.

Beach Break – The favourite with beginners, safe shore and reef break.

Weligama


Weligama has good waves all year round and is the place to go if you are new to surfing. There is the main beach break on the main beach with gentle waves and there are several smaller beaches along the bay, each with their own waves, making it an ideal spot for both novices and professionals.

Weligama Beach Break – The two kilometer main beach has a row of surfing schools with plenty of boards for rent. The unfortunate side is that sometimes it suffers from pollution, located as it is slap bang in the middle of the town. The waves are usually easy to learn on and can get a bit bigger for the intermediate level surfers.

Midigama (Lazy Left, Right and Rams Right) – Just a little north of Weligama is Midigama with three great points. The Lazy Left is better in the afternoons and a favourite with goofy riders. The Right is close to the road and has a shallow reef break. Rams Right is for more advanced surfers, with some barrels and short and tight breaks.

Gurubebila (Coconut Point and Plantation Point) – Plantation Point is great for early morning rides with both lefts and rights. It’s a rocky entry but is easier to ride than Coconut which is a classic A-Frame formation better suited for experienced surfers.

Mirissa Bay – About 16kms south from Weligama is Mirissa Bay with its crescent shaped beach lined with palm trees and rocky reefs on the sides. There are both left and right handers in this bay and it’s mostly for intermediate and advanced surfers (or more skilled beginners wanting to get better with reef breaks).

Arugam Bay


Arugam Bay is on the east coast and the best season to be here is between April and September. The time when the rest of the island is battered by monsoon rains, Arugam Bay is dry as a bone and a surfer’s delight, both for beginners and those with experience. This is also the place where several surf contests take place, so it can get a little crowded at certain times of the year.

Elephant Rock – This spot is a tuk-tuk ride from Arugam Bay. It’s best for beginners but getting here is a challenge. Don’t wear flip flops as you have to climb rocks to get to the beach. It’s worth it though, because the beach is beautiful.

Baby Point and Main Point – These are the two main points in Arugam Bay itself. Baby Point is better for beginners while Main Point is for more advanced riders.

Pottuvil and Whisky Point – These two are north of Arugam Bay and are both for experienced surfers. Whisky Point tends to get crowded.