Sri Lanka's two surf seasons: which coast is firing now

The dual monsoon means there is always a clean wave somewhere: southwest coast November to April, east coast May to October. How to pick your coast and your break. Sri Lanka surfs year-round because its two monsoons take turns grooming opposite coasts. From November to April the southwest, Hikkaduwa down through Ahangama, Midigama and Weligama to Hiriketiya, gets.

travelguides.lk · updated 16 Apr 2026 Sourced editorial

The practical picture

Sri Lanka surfs year-round because its two monsoons take turns grooming opposite coasts. From November to April the southwest, Hikkaduwa down through Ahangama, Midigama and Weligama to Hiriketiya, gets dry offshore winds and its cleanest waves December to February. From May to October the show flips to Arugam Bay in the east, peaking July to September.

The water holds 27 to 29 degrees all year, so nobody owns a wetsuit here. Beginners head for Weligama Bay's two kilometres of soft sand-bottom rollers; improvers graduate to reefs like Marshmallows and Lazy Right; the advanced chase The Rock at Kabalana, Rams Right and the 300 to 500 metre rides at Arugam Bay's Main Point.

Frequently asked

When is surf season in Sri Lanka?

Southwest coast November to April, cleanest December to February; east coast May to October, peaking July to September. One coast is nearly always working.