Surfing and kitesurfing facts
- Surfing and kitesurfing spots within 50 km
3 (kitesurfing), 10 (surfing)
- Best time to travel - kitesurfing
December through February (northwest)
- Best time to travel - surfing
December through March (southwest), June through September (east coast)
- Recommended apparel
Swimsuit or Lycra (year-round)
- Flight connection
Edelweiss recommendation
The Elements Beach & Nature Resort with the Kitecenter Sri Lanka is situated in the northwest of the island beside the Kappalady lagoon. Here you can find the best wind conditions as the kitesurfing lagoons are located directly by the sea. Founder and owner Marcel Bobay is a former Edelweiss pilot and a passionate kitesurfer. His team coordinates the beach and lagoon cleaning in Kappalady and supports local schools through their partner organisation Friends Lanka Child Foundation. The resort is also part of an environmental education programme for schoolchildren, working in collaboration with Faith Kiteboarding and the local authorities.
Surfing Sri Lanka – for all tastes
From Pottuvil and Arugam Bay, through Kalpitiya, Puttalam and Kappalady, to Mirissa and Weligama: Sri Lanka is a year-round destination for windsurfing, surfing and kiteboarding –either on the west, east or south coast, depending on the time of year. Sri Lanka is especially well suited for surfers: the waves are generally not too demanding, and there are various spots along the east and south coast for beginners, intermediates and advanced surfers. As a rule, wind conditions for surfing are better in the morning and in the evening; this is because the wind picks up around noon. The significantly weaker north-eastern monsoon season lasts from October to March, which is the right time to visit the north-western regions of the island, chiefly for kitesurfing.
Top surf and kite spots in Sri Lanka
Kitesurfing bliss in the Kalpitiya lagoon
Situated less than a four-hour drive north of Colombo, the 2-kilometre long Kalpitiya lagoon is separated from the ocean by a wide sand dune and provides uniquely good conditions for kitesurfing. It is particularly popular with beginners. The lagoon offers ample space for practicing and is a flat water paradise with a very high probability of winds between 18 and 30 knots in the summer. There are also various kitesurfing schools and camps situated around the lagoon, such as the De Silva Windresort that has a selection of Duotone Kiteboarding equipment for rent and offers kitesurfing and windsurfing courses.
The east coast around Arugam Bay
The east coast surf season is between May and October, when the monsoon brings strong south-westerly winds to Sri Lanka. Popular with kiteboarders and surfers alike, Arugam Bay often serves as a venue for national and international surf competitions. Arugam Bay‘s Main Point is known for its right hand reef break with long waves and some barrel sections that coffer surfers up to 400-metre rides. This fantastic surf spot tends to get crowded during the peak season – experience is thus required. Nowadays, the shops in Arugam Bay offer fairly good surf equipment rentals. There are several other surf spots located north and south of the bay, including Pottuvil Point, which, provided there is a big swell, has the longest wave on Sri Lanka’s east coast, Pottuvil Point is a long, right hand point break with a challenging take-off area; instructions from a local or experienced surfer are recommended. In contrast, Whiskey Point, is a hotspot for surf beginners and intermediates. It is advisable to skip the busy peak periods and to surf there during off-peak times.
South coast: from Hikkaduwa to Tangalle
Learning to surf is possible almost anywhere in Sri Lanka, including in the southwest, in the Hikkaduwa and Weligama region: there are plenty of surf schools for beginners at the Hikkaduwa beach break; rights and lefts break over a sand bottom. But intermediates will enjoy this surf spot, too. The long sandy bay of Weligama is Sri Lanka’s best known surf spot for beginners. There are several peaks, rental boards and surf lessons on offer. The laid-back erstwhile hippie town of Mirissa, just a twenty-minute drive from Weligama, has developed into a popular holiday resort. Rights break over a reef during bigger swells, offering ideal conditions for advanced surfers and longboarders.
Surf camps in Sri Lanka
Roughly a 90-minute drive from Mirissa and Weligama, the Bandula Surfing School in Tangalle offers several-day surf courses with lessons available for complete beginners up to advanced surfers. With four different spots to choose from, the school will find the best waves on any given day for the ultimate learn-to-surf experience. As such, the Bandula surf camp is a nice alternative to the beginner spots in Weligama and Mirissa, which can get very crowded during the peak season.
Surfing in Colombo (Sri Lanka)
Recommended surf schools
The following schools are excellent schools to learn how to surf:
