Sri Lanka Surf Guide

Stunning beaches, palm trees, warm waters and great waves. Sri Lanka is a bucket list destination for every surfer and traveler alike, with the most beautiful landscapes in the world. Delicious food, great tea, warm people, wild elephants, marvelous caves, Buddhist ruins, yoga and safaris. Sri Lanka has endless things to keep you busy – and at a cheaper price. Let the falling coconuts be your only worry in life.

With waves for every surfing level, this paradisiac island is a great place to start surfing, with plenty of schools around and still a good option if you’re tagging along with a non-surfing partner of family and want to make the best of both traveling and getting stoked.

Sitting in the Indian Ocean, just south of India, Sri Lanka receives the same swells that Indonesia and the Maldives – just slightly smaller. There are two main regions for surfing, each with its own optimal surf period, that makes this island a surfing destination all-year-round:

• • Southwest Coast: November to March. With the best time for surf being from January to April. Rainfall likely to happen during the SW Monsoon from April to September
  • East Coast: April to October. With the best surfing season being from May to July. Rainfall likely with the NE Monsoon from November to March.

The weather in Sri Lanka is quite tropical, being always sunny (300+ days a year) with 26ºC to 30ºC in the coastal area, with a humidity of almost 70 to 90%. The inter-monsoonal period of October and November often brings heavy rainfall around the Island.

In the island you can go everywhere by tuk-tuk, train or bus.

Mirissa is one of the most picturesque waves in the world. This long and hollow right-hander breaks over a shallow reef with a stunning backdrop of lushing palm trees. Sometimes crowded. Watch out for rocks and urchins.

Hikkaduwa is one of the most popular spots on the island. With tons of spots that you can pick accordingly the tides and ability. Gets crowded with locals.

Midigama is one of the most popular spots on the island. With tons of peaks, you can pick accordingly the tides and ability. Gets crowded with locals.

Lazy left is a long & mellow wave, perfect for beginners. When the swell builds-up the surf will get better. Perfect for a first reef experience.

A short paddle from Lazy Left and breaking to the right, there’s a gentle & mellow wave, also perfect for beginners. When the swell gets better, so gets the quality of the wave.

Rams is a short, powerful right-hander that breaks over a shallow reef offering some barrels.

To the left of Rams, a reef provides fun waves a right-hander and an occasional left, depending on the swell. Uncrowded and holds some size.

On the other side of the beach at plantations is Coconuts. A fast left-hander and sometimes hollow peel off the shallow reef. Not many people surf here because it is not visible from the main road. Enter the water at plantations and paddle to the peak.

Weligama is big beach that offers a long and mellow wave. Ideal for beginners. Plenty of schools and surf camps on offer.

Matara is a peaky beach break set on a beautiful bay. You can find several spots  around. Best on lower tides.

Near Gallé city, Unawatuna offers several peaks, one punchy left-hander and beach break more suited for begginers. Watch out for some rocks.

Arugam Bay is the most known surfing spot in Sri Lanka. A-Bay is a right-hand point break, with long peeling waves for hundreds of meters. Starts hollow and turns into a maneuverable shoulder. Gets crowded.

Crocodile Rock is a long and mushy right-hand point break that breaks from the rock, providing rides up to 400 meters. A long 20minute walk is needed to get there, so it’s pretty much uncrowded. History of crocodile attacks and reported wild elephants and bears seen, but often harmless.

Okanda is a right-hand point break that offers great carving walls. One hour driving from A-Bay.

Peanut farm is a consistent right-hand point break that rolls in front of the rocks. A beach break is also available for beginners.

Previously known as Ceylon, the land of tea and coffee, coconuts and cinnamon, Sri Lanka is one of the most reliable surf destinations in the Indian Ocean.

Add to that the friendly locals, palm-fringed beaches and rich cultural heritage, and you have an easily accessible tropical surfing paradise! Beginners will find plenty of surf schools in Sri Lanka to learn the basics, while more experienced surfers are bound to have fun exploring the uncrowded line-ups and off-the-radar breaks to the south of the island.

With two distinct surf seasons for each side of the island, Sri Lanka is a year-round surfing destination that deserves a place of honor on your bucket list.

Boasting a great choice of waves and the highest biodiversity density in Asia, Sri Lanka is fantastic as a budget and family-friendly destination. Non-surfers will be thrilled to learn that they can practice yoga, visit ancient Buddhist ruins and tea plantations, as well as go on exciting safaris in sunny Sri Lanka. The food in Sri Lanka is simply delicious. And cheap! Think of fresh fruits and vegetables, fish and seafood, tea and coffee; what else could you ask for?