Top 3 Best Beginner Surfing Beaches in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is an island country located in South Asia, and while it’s a popular tourist destination, many tourists fail to realize that it’s also a great place to surf. The island of Sri Lanka is divided into two halves, and there are beaches on both sides of the island. However, the two sides differ greatly in their monsoon seasons, which also affects the quality of the waves and the best time of year to visit particular beaches.
In general, the east side of the island gets the best surf conditions between May and October each year, and the south side of the island gets the best conditions between October and April. Keep those months in mind if you’re planning a visit to Sri Lanka so you know where on the island you’ll want to spend your time.
Below, we’ll go into detail about three of the best places to go surfing in Sri Lanka along with recommendations for where and how to learn to surf on your visit. First on the list is Weligama Surfing Beach.
1. Weligama Surfing Beach
Photo credits goes to original owner
Weligama Surfing Beach is located on the southern end of Sri Lanka, is a sandy stretch of beach that’s popular for beginner surfers. The beach spans about two kilometers in length and offers a small beach resort and an established fishing scene.
Tourists tend to frequent this part of the island between peak surfing season for Weligama beach is anywhere between October and April.
Weligama is one of the best places to learn to surf (or to hone your skills) as the wave breaks make for a pleasant, easy experience compared to other beaches. There are also areas for more advanced surfers, but in general, Weligama offers a perfect beginner surf experience.
The best part of staying in Weligama is that within few minutes of ride you can reach up to nine to ten more surf spots.
Our surf camp in Sri Lanka located just middle of all these surf spots right next to the beach in Weligama surfing beach.
2. Surfing in Arugam Bay
Photo credits goes to original owner
Next on the list is Arugam Bay, located in the southeastern portion of Sri Lanka. Arugam Bay is one of the most popular surf destinations in Sri Lanka for both beginners and experienced surfers. Like Weligama, it offers a mellow, comfortable experience for first-time surfers with easy breaks and sandy banks.
There are a few specific areas to check out at Arugam Bay, including Whiskey Point (great for beginners) and Baby Point. Because Arugam Bay falls on the eastern side of the island, you’ll find the best surf conditions between the months of May and October.
3. Devata Surfing Beach Galle
Photo credits goes to original owner
Last on our list is Devata Surf Beach (also known as Galle) on the western side of the island. Like both Weligama and Arugam Bay, Devata Surf Beach offers optimal conditions for beginners. As a bonus, the town of Galle is rich with history and the area offers much more than just a surf spot. Check out the town and the beach when you visit.
As Devata Beach is on the western side of the island, you’ll have the best experience here between October and April.
If you’re planning a visit to Sri Lanka and want to learn how to surf, come visit our surf camp at Weligama during your stay. We’re a top surfing school and have world-class instructors who turn beginners into surfing naturals. Learn more about what we do if you’d like to surf Sri Lanka!
