Sri Lanka, a surfing jewel? Best places to Surf in Sri lanka

 

          Are you a beach bum who loves all water activities including surfing? If you are heading over to Sri Lanka and are wondering which spots will offer a good surf, look no more than at this guide. Nestled in between the Indian Ocean from oneside and the Bay of Bengal on the other, this teardrop shaped island offers one heck of a Surf ride from South western coast to North eastern coast. Be it a beginner or expert surfer you can be sure that there’s something for everyone in this up and coming surfing destination in South Asia. Without further a due lets head on over to Hiriketiya to see what this little city has to offer us.

HIRRIKETIYA.

 

You may have heard of this name whispered among friends and family who have been to or are in Sri Lanka like its some long lost gem. Yes, it’s a little town in the Hambantota district in the Southern Province which had been overlooked until a year or so ago. If you do visit now you’ll see the shore line dotted with many colorful Surf bars offering their services to locals and foreigners alike. The cost of a surfboard per hour is Rs500 ($1.35 to $1.5). The bay is shaped like a horseshoe and produces waves of upto 6 feet in height. The best time to visit the beach would be from October to April. I myself visited it early January and found it a both calm and relaxing as well as adventurous place to hang out with loved ones. I found the weather to be mild, which is perfect for already tanned skin and to avoid the risk of sunburn. 

If you are not a surfer and just like to chill with the waves, don't forget to watch out for shoals of fish, it truly is an amazing sight to see.

How to get to Hiriketiya?

Unfortunately trains do not stop here, but you can catch a bus from Colombo to Hiriketiya or hop off the train in Matara and take a bus to Hiriketiya. From the Hiriketiya bus stop its a 5 min tuk ride to the beach.

WELIGAMA

If you are a first time surfer, Weligama is the place to head to. Translated as Sandy Village in the local tongue and set in a half moon shaped bay, Weligama beach offers a large number of local surf schools to get you ready for a fun filled ride on the waves. One of the most well know surf schools is Freedom surf school in Weligama where there are packages for beginners as well as intermediate level surfers. Apart from them there are many more and you could be the judge of which curates to your needs more once you visit them. Apart from being well known for surfing, this beautiful beach offers a great scenery pleasing to the eye and calming to the mind. There are many resorts along the beachside where you could reside if you want to be more closer to the waters.

How to get to weligama?

The beach is approximately a 3min tuk ride from Weligama railway station.

ARUGAM BAY

Arugam bay is a world famous beach for surfing. The name Arugam bay is well know for it's international standard waves. Tourists from around the world flock to this famous spot in the south eastern coast around 117kms from Batticoloa. The waves of Arugam bay host events for big companies such as Red Bull. It has taken pride in hosting most of the international surfing competitions since 2004 and is among the top 10 best surfing destinations in the world. The popular surf spots are Baby point, Peanut farm beach, Elephant point and Main point. Best times to visit the area is June till August. Apart from Surfing another popular attraction are the many yoga sessions the city has to offer. If you do visit Sri Lanka in the low season, do not skip this attraction as there are many other activities here even though there are hardly much waves. 

How to get to Arugam Bay?

It is by no way easy to get to this spot. From the capital Colombo its around 220km as the crow flies but is around 350Km by the fastest road. You could use the southern expressway or take a train to Batticoloa railway station and jump on a bus to Arugambay or a direct bus to Potuvil. The most scenic route would be to take the train to Ella and from there a bus to Arugambay, however using public transport will prove tiresome to some. make sure you have a place to stay beforehand so that you could relax before hitting the waves.

MIRRISSA

If you know about Sri Lanka the first thing that would come to mind when Mirrissa is mentioned is dolphins and Whales. Yes, these majestic seawater residents are well known to be spotted off the coast of Mirrissa, in fact you could arrange for a whale and dolphin watching expedition. However, you need to leave in the wee hours of the morning if you want wave hello to them as this is the time they hunt for food making them visible to us.

 Coming back to the topic of discussion, Mirrissa offers intermediate level left and right hander waves and you can surf on low power throughout. The best time to surf is in the mornings or late afternoons. Just like the other beacches mentioned earlier on, Mirrissa does not fall short of surf camps. If surfing is on your bucket list you can go ahead and give one of them a try. 

A spot worth mentioning is coconut tree hill in Mirrissa, if you do visit please give this place at least a couple of minutes of your time. Its one of the most Instagramable places in Sri Lanka and its guaranteed that you will not regret the great view from atop. As the name suggests it does have a number of coconut trees so watch out for falling coconuts.

How to get there?

You can take a train from Colombo to Weligama, from Weligama its around 8km in a tuk tuk to Mirrissa beach. Another option will be to take a bus from Colombo to Mirrissa, from the bus halt it is a short distance to the beach.