Sri Lanka’s star attraction surf spot is the secluded and exotic Arugam Bay. It is a great combination of tropical perfection, high performance ripping, occasional tubes, and easy for learning and intermediate ability.
Starting as early as May and running through the summer and into November Arugam bay receives consistent small to overhead surf. The larger swells can reach double overhead. Swells from SoutWest Monsoon wrap around the southern tip of Sri Lanka. Long period groundswells from the lower latitudes of the Indian Ocean arrive from the South and SouthEast. The limestone reef at the top of the point was once a coral reef. It helps to traps sand and funnel a 500 metre fun and workable right peeling down the sand bar into the bay.
At the top of the point the wave breaks over sand and reef. It is fast and often barrels. As it rounds the corner and down the point it transforms into a rippable wall as it lines up. Except for the seldom swells that reach the double overhead range, Arugam Bay is a fairly easy wave. On the low tide the reef begins to show. It can be sharp, and there are some rock formations to watch out for as well.
Arugam’s reputation for fun, playful, waves in an exotic setting, translates into big crowds. The local surfers have the wave dialed and there is a constant flow of international rippers and surfers of all abilities. To avoid the crowds one can surf early when there is a bit of morning sickness and bumpy faces. By 9am it is offshore and, until late morning or midday it is usually crowded. When the daily sea breeze blows in from the South or SouthEast the outside sections at the top of the point can be a a little blown out, but as most point breaks, it is plenty surfable all day. The tropical sun is very strong here. Be sure to have plenty of sunscreen for afternoon sessions. There is a palm-shaded café at the top of the point which makes walking back to the point more appealing at times than the long paddle.
