4 Best BodySurfing Breaks in Sri Lanka South Asia

Sri Lanka is the ultimate destination for bodysurfing. Thanks to its location and the fact that the whole island is surrounded by ocean, there are plenty of spots for the avid surfers to visit.

Generally speaking, Sri Lanka is one of the most popular tourist destinations. With so many tourists arriving on this island each month, anticipate beach crowds.

We've scoured the island for the best places for bodysurfing in Sri Lanka, where you can enjoy the waves and observe the beautiful scenery of the island.

1. Weligama Beach

Weligama is listed among the top spots for surfers in Sri Lanka because:

• 2 km of sandy beach and amazing scenery
• Season opens from October to April, making it a perfect place to escape to during cold winter months
• The temperature of water fluctuates between 26-30ºC, meaning that you can enjoy surfing, wearing just your UV rash shirt, board shorts, and sunscreen.

Type of surfing waves:  Weligama is perfect for pros, as well as beginners and intermediate-level surfers. There are left and right beach breaks due to a sandy bottom, meaning that you will have a mellow ride while enjoying the beauty of the Weligama beach.

2. Mirissa Bay

Right next to Weligama beach you can find Mirissa Bay – a crescent-shaped beach with rocky reefs. It has plenty of benefits for the admirers of surfing, including:

• Mirissa Bay is an isolated beach, meaning that there won’t be crowds of tourists hanging out
• The water is crystal clear
• The sea temperature is around 28 C, making it comfortable to ride the waves

Mirissa Bay is also the popular whale-watching spot, where you can observe the migration of whales and dolphins. Best time for surfing at Mirissa Bay is from October to April as well.

Type of surfing waves:  reef break waves, breaking over the rocky bottom. This means that Mirissa Bay is mostly suitable for advanced bodysurfers, as even the friendliest reef breaks can be extremely dangerous for beginners.

3. Arugam Bay and Elephant Point

Arugam Bay is located to the south-east of Sri Lanka, and the landscape and waves are a bit different. This spot has some advantages when compared to other common body surfing spots in Sri Lanka:

• Arugam Bay is a part of Yala East National Park, which means that you can spot elephants and exotic birds
• It has a crescent-shaped beach with a lot of spots to rent surfing equipment
• This is one of the few spots on Sri Lanka, which you can visit from April to October, as this area is not affected by the monsoon rains

Elephant point is one of the most visited surfing spots in Sri Lanka. Located near Arugam Bay, this is the best spot for the beginners to practice their surfing skills.

Type of surfing waves:  right-hand beach breaks with a sandy bottom, making Arugam Bay and Elephant point perfect spots to catch the perfect wave.

4. Hikkaduwa Beach

Hikkaduwa is considered the center of surfing in Sri Lanka. Located to the southwest of the island, the town of Hikkaduwa has a rich surfing history, having turned from a village to the most popular surfing spot. At the Hikkaduwa Beach, you can enjoy:

• A clean beach with clear water and a myriad of palms that provide a comforting hideaway from the heat
• The temperatures fluctuate between 29-33 C, meaning that your board shorts and a rash guard are must-have
• Tons of places where you can rent high-quality surfing equipment

The area is affected by the monsoon rains, meaning that the surfing season starts in October and lasts through April.

Type of surfing waves:  left-hand reef breaks with waves often reaching 6 ft. Some spots along the Hikkaduwa Beach offer beach break walls that peel slowly when approaching the shore. This makes Hikkaduwa Beach the ultimate destination for beginners, intermediate as well as advanced surfers.

Wrapping Up

Sri Lanka has plenty of destinations for avid surfers. Every spot has something unique to offer in terms of types of waves as well as the scenery. So, make sure that Sri Lanka is in your Top-5 of surfing destinations to visit as soon as possible!

Kate is a passionate writer who likes sharing her thoughts and experience with the readers. Currently, she works at  Flatfy. She likes everything related to self-improvement, traveling and new countries.