Main Point
A long, consistent right-hander that draws surfers from across the world.
East Coast
Arugam Bay travel guide
A world-class point break and the island’s most easy-going coastline.
About Arugam Bay
Arugam Bay & the East Coast
Arugam Bay runs on a different clock to the rest of Sri Lanka. A single sandy road, a scattering of timber guesthouses and beach kitchens, and one of Asia’s finest right-hand point breaks peeling off the headland at the southern end.
The season is the mirror image of the south coast, so when the southwest is under monsoon, the east is at its glorious best. Non-surfers come for the lagoons, the elephants that wander the back roads at dusk, and the sheer unhurriedness of it.
- Drive from Colombo
- 7 hours (320 km)
- Drive from Ella
- 3.5 hours (135 km)
- Surf level
- Main Point intermediate+, Baby Point beginner
- Ideal stay
- 3 – 5 nights
Photo gallery
Arugam Bay in high definition
Highlights & attractions
What you should not miss
The five things our guides make sure every guest sees in Arugam Bay.
Whiskey Point & Peanut Farm
Mellower breaks north and south, ideal for improvers.
Kumana National Park
Yala’s quiet neighbour — elephants, leopards and a famous bird sanctuary.
Pottuvil Lagoon
A dawn boat safari through mangroves past elephants, crocodiles and eagles.
Elephant Rock
A short walk and scramble to a sunset view over an empty beach.
Things to do
How to spend your time in Arugam Bay
- Surf Main Point at dawn, or take a lesson on the softer inside section.
- Take a sunrise lagoon safari at Pottuvil to see wild elephants feeding in the mangroves.
- Safari in Kumana National Park, far quieter than Yala.
- Walk to Elephant Rock in the late afternoon with a swim on the way back.
- Ride out to the Muhudu Maha Viharaya, an ancient temple half buried in beach sand.
- Eat fresh-landed fish at a beach shack with your feet in the sand.
Best time to visit
May to September — the east coast dry season, and prime surf.
Arugam Bay’s season runs from late April to September, when the southwest monsoon leaves the east dry, sunny and offshore. Surf peaks from June to August. Many businesses close from November to February during the northeast monsoon, when the sea is rough and rain is frequent.
Month-by-month weather guide
Tour packages
Tours that include Arugam Bay
Beach & Ayurveda Escape
Slow days on the southern coast with an authentic Ayurveda programme, whale watching and a night inside Galle Fort.
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Wildlife & Safari Expedition
Leopards in Yala, elephants at Minneriya and Udawalawe, blue whales off Mirissa and rainforest endemics at Sinharaja.
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Family Adventure
Elephants, turtles, train rides, rafting and beach days — paced properly so nobody in the family runs out of energy.
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Enquiry
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Nearby destinations
Arugam Bay pairs naturally with these — most guests combine them into one route.
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