Sri Lanka
Windsurfing is a popular water sport among the foreign tourists who visit the palm fringed pristine beaches of Sri Lanka. The most popular surfing beaches of the island are
Hikkaduwa of South Western coastal belt and Arugambay (International surfing competition venue) of Eastern coastal belt of Sri Lanka. Since the early 60’s Sri Lanka attracts surfers from all over the world. The windsurfing opportunities offered in Sri Lanka attracts the amateur windsurfers as well as the world class windsurfers participating in international windsurfing competitions.
Advantages in Windsurfing in Sri Lanka
(a) Sri Lanka being a tropical island, the
windsurfer do not need to wear protective clothing against the cold winds in the beaches. However, a protective coating of lotion would save your skin from the bright tropical sun of the Indian Ocean.
(b) Sri Lanka affords the opportunity to locate a windsurfing beach in line with the skill level of the windsurfing enthusiasts: from beginners to Professional
Windsurfer. The tranquil waters of the
Bentota river or any of the coastal lagoons or Sri Lanka’s ancient vast irrigation reservoirs offer ample opportunities to every novice to cut his teeth in windsurfing so that he would dare taking the challenge of the ocean.
(c) Sri Lanka's windsurfing tour packages offered by the tour operators and wind surfing clubs are affordable in comparison to the major windsurfing destinations of the world.
Sri Lanka Windsurfer support
For beginners of windsurfing, Bentota of the south-western coastal belt offers
windsurfing facilities, such as the hiring of boards and sails. The Club Intersport and Sunshine Watersports Centre are the main ones. Sunshine Watersports Centre is the only VDWS (Association of German windsurfing and watersport schools) -certified surf school in the island providing the necessary training and professional certification.
Sri Lanka Windsurfing season
Sri Lanka’s
Climate is such, the tropical island is hardly out of season for the
windsurfing. However, the main seasons are during November to April in the South western and Southern coastal belt and April to September in the Eastern coastal belt.
The windsurfing clubs and hotels in the windsurfing beaches are always at hand to advise on strong currents and undertow whenever and wherever those exist.
"Never do it if you don’t have the experience, never do it alone and have a supervisor at all times and check with the local authorities to see if the Weather and sea current conditions are right to windsurf. The new trend is to go kite-surfing but do it at approved centres because it takes a great deal of skill and expertise to do it." Thushal Gunawardena, (ranked among the top 10 at the World Windsurfing Championships of 1992), Sunshine Watersports Centre, Aluthgama, Sri Lanka. |
Windsurfing Sri Lanka in the South western coastal belt: November to April
The South-western and Southern coastal belts are studded with fine palm fringed sheltered tropical beaches. Some of the beaches, i.e. Bentota, Hikkaduwa,
Tangalle etc. as if the bay beaches wouldn’t do are also enriched with lagoons enhancing the opportunities for the amateurs to enjoy in water sports. The main tourist season of Sri Lanka is during the period of November to April. During this period the lovely beaches of the South-western and Southern Coastal belts of Sri Lanka are bustling with activity; hotels are bulging with guests. Bentota, Hikkaduwa, Midigama, Polhena and Tangalle Beaches are the popular windsurfing beaches.
Windsurfing in Bentota
Bentota of the South-western coast is a wind surfer’s paradise: the waves, the surf, blue waters and the palm fringed sandy beaches all bring about exhilarating beach experience. Bentota lagoon and the river afford ample chances for the amateur windsurfers to learn the ropes of the sport so that they could venture into the ocean for some serious windsurfing.
Wind Surfing in Hikkaduwa, South western coastal belt: November to April.
Hikkaduwa beach protected by a reef is famous for
Windsurfing, Corels, Diving, Fishing & Golden Sand Beaches.
Hikkaduwa beach offers 4 surf points with clear warm waters to the windsurfing enthusiasts. All four surf points have a deep bottom and flat reef.
During the season the wave size ranges from 2 to 7 feet.
North Jetty, Hikkaduwa
Coral bottom. Herein is a right wave that requires a great swell that breaks. When this wave behaves in its regular pattern it can be a wonderful windsurfing ride: it’s a long wave with very hollow sections.
Benny's, Hikkaduwa
Coral bottom. A fast left wave and quite dangerous that breaks over a very sharp reef and with shallow water. Only surf here if you really know what you are doing and at your own risk.
Main Reef, Hikkaduwa
Coral bottom. The spot offers right and left waves to have fun and relaxed surfing.
Inside Reef, Hikkaduwa
(a) Coral bottom with beach break. Breaking fast hollow waves from left and right can be quite intense at times.
(b) Sand bottom. South of the inside Reef there is a number of thin sand over which several types of waves break. This area is recommended for the inexperienced surfer.
Hikkaduwa lagoon
Hikkaduwa lagoon affords the amateur windsurfers to learn the art of windsurfing prior to launching themselves into the ocean.
Sri Lanka Wind Surfing in lagoons
Windsurfing in Sri Lanka is not confined to the beaches. Coastal lagoons too are popular among the tourists bent on windsurfing in Sri Lanka. Some of the lagoons in the South-western and Southern coastal belt of Sri Lanka afford year round opportunities. Kalutara lagoon, Blogoda lake and
Negombo lagoon feature prominently among the windsurfing options.
Wind Surfing in Negombo, close to CMB Colombo Bandaranayake int'l Airport at Katunayake
Negombo beach affords the opportunity to windsurf all year round. During the months of January-March, the shore breaks demands some experience in windsurfing. However, in all other months Negombo beach is well suited to the beginners in Windsurfing: on good days they would enjoy 6 beaufort [ wind speed-39–49 km/h- strong breeze; wave height 3–4 m; long waves begin to form; white foam crests are very frequent; some airborne spray] with an average of 4-5 beaufort. The Negombo Lagoon, with the wind blowing across the lagoon regularly, remains an ideal place for the amateurs to learn the ropes of windsurfing any day of the year.
Surf Points in South Coast, Sri Lanka
| Surf Point | Type | Skills | Direction | Time |
| From | To |
| Main Point (A Frame) | Reef | Medium Professional | L + R | November | April |
| Bennis Point | Shallow Reef | Medium Professional | L | November | April |
Beach Break | Sand + Reef | All Stranded | L + R | December | April | | Local Point | Sand + Reef | All Stranded | L + R | November | April |
| Ovakanda Point | Sand + Reef | Beginner Medium | L | December | April |
| Buddha Bay | Reef | Beginner Medium | L + R | November | April |
| Kenji Point | Sand Botom | Professional | L | November | April |
| Kabalana Point | Shallow Reef | Beginner Medium | L | November | April |
| Midigama Right | Reef | Medium Professional | R | November | April |
| Plantation | Shallow Reef | Medium Professional | L + R | November | April |
| Mirissa | Reef | All Stranded | R | November | April |
| Dikwella | Sand Botom | All Stranded | R | November | April |
Tangalle | Reef | Medium Professional | R | November | April |
Sri Lanka Windsurfing in the Eastern coastal belt: from April to September
Eastern coastal belt of Sri Lanka is home to never ending wild beaches of white sand and shallow waters with coral islands. Behind the beaches are lagoons in wilderness. The beach at Arugam Bay is among the most popular windsurfing beaches of the world. Since the Eastern coastal belt, unlike the South-western and Southern coastal belts, isn’t yet developed at all, the accommodation options and facilities for water sports are minimal.
In addition to Arugam Bay, the windsurfing enthusiasts may well head to the waters of north of
Trincomalee in Nilaveli & Uppuveli which offers fine beaches with lovely surf.
Surf Points in East Coast, Sri Lanka
| Surf Point | Type | Skills | Direction | Time |
| From | To |
| Main Point | Reef | Medium Professional | Right | April | October |
| Baby Point | Sand Botom | Beginner Medium | Right | June | October |
Crocodile Point | Sand Botom | Beginner Medium | Right | May | October | | Peanut Farm (1 st Break) | Sand Botom | Beginner Medium | Right | June | October |
| Peanut Farm (2 nd Break) | Sand Botom | | Right | May | October |
| Okanda Point | Sand Botom | All Stranded | Right | May | October |
| Secret Point | Sand Botom | All Stranded | Right | June | October |
| Potuvil Point | Sand Botom | All Stranded | Right | June | October |
| Whiskey Point | Sand Botom | All Stranded | Right | May | October |
| Light House Point | Sand Botom | All Stranded | Right | June | October |
| Green Room Point | Sand Botom | All Stranded | Right | June | October |
Sri Lanka Windsurfing in Arugam Bay of the Eastern coastal belt
Arugam Bay on the Eastern Coastal belt of Sri Lanka is a world class professional windsurfing beach: it is often cited among the top 10 surf spots of the world. While the surfing spots feature consistent swell, long runs, permanently warm (28C) crystal clear waters, the stretch of lovely sand, being devoid of luxury hotels, affords laidback beach holidays on budget accommodation in casual atmosphere.
Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP)’s International wind surfing competition held at Arugambay in June, 2010 turned out to be great success ending up with Australian windsurfer Julian Wilson.
Modern trends in windsurfing
"This new generation is set to push windsurfing to levels never before seen”
International windsurfing champions Nik Baker and Levi Siver
A variation of windsurfing catching on fast in Sri Lanka is kite boarding. For this sport smaller boards are used with the surfer attached by a harness to a large kite. The speeds achieved are similar to that of windsurfing, the difference being the massive jumps that are possible.
