Surfing in Colombo

Sri Lanka's wide array of water sport options at the south-west beach resorts provide plenty of pleasure to the tourists who visit here every year. During your tour to Colombo, you can take a short boat trip off-shore to dive over the coral reefs, grab a snorkel and mask to paddle your way through tropical fish. Take advantage of the strong breezes on the west coast from December to March to windsurf. You can also opt for Jet Ski and water-ski companies, particularly at Bentota, a two-hour drive south of Colombo. Surfing in Colombo is a famous sport here.

Surfing in Colombo is a surface water sport in which the participant is carried by a breaking wave on a surfboard. Based on the different methods or surf craft used to ride a wave, surfing can be of various types. The basic categories include regular stand-up surfing, knee boarding, body boarding, surf-skiing, bodysurfing, windsurfing, and kite surfing.

Features of Surfing in Colombo

Surfing in Colombo is one of the most popular water and land sports here. The warm waters - 27°C/80°F - around Sri Lanka's coast encourage wonderful surfing, diving and snorkeling. The calmer inland waters offer windsurfing, water skiing, dinghy sailing and jet skis. The other features of surfing in Colombo include:

  -   East Coast of Colombo is perfect for surfing from April to September. South and West Coast of Colombo invites tourists from November to April

  -   Arugam Bay on the East Coast was home to 2004 National Championships. This area is being re-developed following the cessation of hostilities in Sri Lanka but as yet has a casual/hippy atmosphere.

  -   Kite surfing is the upcoming extreme sport and Arugam Bay is the centre for coaching and German kite-sellers.

  -   Hikkaduwa, Midigama and Polhenna Beaches in the south and west are good surfing beaches to explore.

  -   Boards and gear are available for hire locally.

  -   Before surfing, take local advice regarding strong currents and undertow in some areas.