Surfing in Sri Lanka - choose a direction and a school

Surfing in Sri Lanka is just the thing for which thousands of tourists go here all year round. The season in Ceylon is always, just in different months you have to go to different places. In winter, they go with boards to the southwest coast (resorts of Weligama, Hikkaduwa, Koggala and others), in summer they ride along the waves in the eastern part of the island (in Pottuvil and Arugam Bey).

Surf schools in all these cities are sea, the competition is serious. And according to the laws of the market, this means that prices are mostly affordable. You can always find a trainer affordable. In Sri Lanka, a gentle warm ocean, a diverse landscape of the bottom and a variety of waves. In general, without embellishment, a wonderful place where experienced surfers and beginners frolic.

It is better for beginners to go out in the middle of the season, when there is always a steady wave. If you arrived in winter, then for surfing in Sri Lanka this season you should choose the south-west direction, and if in the middle-end of summer - the east. The vagaries of the weather at this time are rare, although you should be prepared for surprises. Those who are not afraid of huge waves and heavy rains can try to tame the elements in the off-season (or April-October).

Which direction to choose?

If you are not tied to a specific time, and you can choose a beach not by the weather, but by the conditions for surfing, then here is what kind of separation can be made.

• Beginners who have not yet “sniffed gunpowder” and are only going to try themselves on the board will feel better in Weligama. A wonderful entrance to the water, a pleasant sandy bottom and noisy waves that don't knock you down will be waiting for you on the shore. It is not surprising that dozens of surf schools found their place here, among them with Russian-speaking instructors. Sri Lanka surfing training is a separate source of income for local residents.
• Lovers who already know how to stick on the board can find their happiness in Hikkaduwa, Matara, Mirissa or Tangalle. It will be a little more difficult for beginners, but with zero knowledge you can master surfing here. There are wonderful beaches that attract those who just like to swim in the ocean.
• The level is complicated - we go to Galle, Midigamu or Talpe. Here the waves allow you to learn new tricks, try to invent something new.
• Professionals will not get bored at the eastern tip of the island. High waves will become the long-awaited companions on the beaches of Pottuvil and Arugam Bay.

Everywhere there is the opportunity to rent equipment and ride the waves on their own or with the help of an instructor. As you understand, in Sri Lanka there is no shortage of surf schools, but there are large centers. We will talk about them below.

Hikkaduwa

In the southwest, as we said, the season lasts from late autumn to mid spring. Moreover, lovers of ride on the boards come in January and Ferval, sometimes lingering until March. There are a lot of people at this time, but the beach in Hikkaduwa is long, there is enough space for everyone. By early April, you can safely count on a freer approach to the wave.

The weather is fine on the street, the air warms up to +31 degrees, the water is only a couple of degrees cooler. Waves rise in height from one to three meters.

This is one of the most popular resorts in Sri Lanka, so there will be no problems with accommodation: there are budget guest houses, and "glamorous" hotels for every taste. Cafes, shops, bars ... the infrastructure is on top. Therefore, if you are not going to surf around the clock, it is better to choose this place.

Arugam Bay and Weligama are more neglected and wild, they were created exclusively for fans of surf who do not care about anything around - just to have a wave. Hikkaduwa is famous for surf schools, where local instructors work, but they speak English. Russian schools can be counted on the fingers, but most likely there will be more of them, as more and more Russians come here to ride the board.

Recommendation!

Now surfing school No. 1 in Hikkaduwa is SurfLankaMeCamp, it has talented Russian-speaking instructors, so there will be no problems with communication. Reviews about the school are extremely positive:

• even unsure of their abilities get on the board on the first day;
• the breakfasts are delicious;
• The cultural program is varied and interesting: all kinds of excursions, gatherings, yoga.

Prices and other questions can be clarified on the website of the school surflanka.me.

And one more thing: even if you are brought here out of season, you will not regret it. There is where to have fun, and after the waves you can go to Galle or Devata - there will be waves suitable for beginners.

Weligama

Here the season is the same as in Hikkaduwa. The beach is hidden in the arms of a closed bay, there will be no huge waves here, so welcome, beginner surf lovers! There are most schools here. Recently, they actively began to develop surf culture for the Russian-speaking tourist. There are group lessons, and individual, even organize surf camps.

The surf camp (or the surf camp) is a "summer camp", here they create the perfect vacation for those who love surfing. Firstly, experienced instructors teach you how to catch the wave, and in just a week they will raise your level of skating. Classes - a few hours every day. And secondly, these are trips around the entire island of Sri Lanka and various entertainments: from yoga to hot parties, from informative excursions to surf tours to other islands.

Prices for surf camps are different. In Weligama - from one hundred to two hundred thousand rupees ($ 650-1300).

Everything in Weligama revolves around the topic of surfing, so there is plenty to choose from.

Recommendation!

One of the best Russian surf schools in Weligama in Sri Lanka is Surfmakers. All details and prices that interest you can be found on their website surfmakers-lanka.ru. The instructors earned positive feedback with their work:

• find an individual approach to each student;
• classes are fun and easy, you can not be shy if something does not work out;
• take photos, shoot videos, which makes it possible not only to make out mistakes, but also to capture memories.

Arugam Bay

We remind you that the season at the eastern end of the island lasts in the summer and until the beginning of October. The beaches here are beautiful, so not only ardent surf fans come to this part of Sri Lanka. Here, however, all the charm of interpretation of nature: the beach and the ocean. With housing and restaurants tight: there are several small supermarkets and guesthouses. Organized and surf schools.

If you suddenly need an ATM, a large supermarket or decent inexpensive cafes, you will have to move to the neighboring city of Pottuvil. Before him, twenty minutes walk or five minutes on a tuk-tuk. By the way, in Pottuville there are also good surf spots.

In Arugam Bay itself, there are spots for both beginners and experienced surfers. Locals are well versed in this matter, so they will take you according to your needs. Depending on the height of the wave and wind at a certain time, you will be directed to a spot that is better suited to your skills. The cost of the surf camp in Arugam Bay and Mirissa will be from 66 to 270 thousand rupees ($ 440-1800).

Surf spots

If anyone does not know, the surf spot is the place where the wave rises. There are spots in different places of Sri Lanka. The most significant are in Galle, Matar, Unawatuna, Koggal, Dalawella, Midigame.

In all the above villages there are many surf spots for people with different levels of training, the bottom is made of sand, there are almost no dangerous stones and shells. In each place there is at least one instructor who gives group or individual lessons. If you are a daredevil, you can try to ride the wave on your own. But it’s really dangerous, you can get hurt.

We advise you to take at least a few lessons, they will teach you how to move. Strictly speaking, there is no need to be constantly under the wing of a master if you are going to sign up for professionals or are not inclined to go to the surf camp.

For the first time, the teacher will support or push if there is a big wave. He will say when to go into the water, and when to take a break.

Typically, lessons are held from 8-9 in the morning, the lesson takes place within one and a half to two and a half hours. Always - small introductory words, theory, and then all actions are practiced already in the water.

Prices for classes

Each surf school in Sri Lanka has its own price tags. The cost of classes depends on the experience of the instructors, as well as on the language in which the lessons are taught, and on the equipment included in this price.

In English schools, Lankans speak British. Many even have ISA certificates that allow them to instruct people in a professional manner. Of course, their lessons are more expensive. But the level of English among teachers may be, to put it mildly, not ideal, so without excellent knowledge of the language, you better not go there.

• In Arugam Bay, an individual lesson costs about 2,500 rupees, a group lesson costs 3,800.
• In Hikkaduwa - 2,000 and 4,000, respectively.
• In Unawatuna - about 12.000 per lesson for one, 7.000 - group.
• Weligam has a particularly large price run due to competition. So, an individual lesson can cost from 3 to 80 thousand, and group - from 2 to 7.

There are Russian schools in Sri Lanka for surfing, but so far there are not so many, and prices are above average. On average, for weekly classes at a school with Russian instructors, you will have to pay from $ 300. For a day - $ 50, if you rent a board separately, a weekly rental will cost an average of $ 50

Most often, if you order several classes at once, the school goes forward and gives discounts. Sometimes there is even such a service as video and photo shooting of your swims with the subsequent analysis of errors. By the way, a great souvenir from the rest! In general, surfing in Sri Lanka is a great option for those who don’t just want to wallow on the beach and are eager to try something more interesting.
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