Arugam Bay, located on Sri Lanka’s east coast, is one of the most popular places to visit in Sri Lanka. Famous for its beaches, which have proven to be a haven for surfers, the town has a relaxed vibe that hangs in the air, making it the ideal holiday getaway spot. It is close to several other areas of interest, including National Parks, sites of cultural heritage and many other picturesque locations.

Whether you enjoy adventure, surfing, trekking, exploring or even just relaxing by the beach with a drink in hand, Arugam Bay is the place you’d want to enjoy it.

Beaches in Arugam Bay

Most of Arugam Bay’s popularity is due to its picturesque beaches. Main Point and Whiskey Point are the main surfing spots in the area where surfers can ride waves to their hearts’ content. If you’re looking to simply relax in the gentle ocean, there is Baby Point, which is extremely relaxing as the beach forms a shallow pool and the waves there are very calm.

Arugam Bay Surf Spots

Main Point

This is Arugam Bay’s main surfing break, which is mostly enjoyed by experienced surfers, but as it is close to the heart of the town’s activity, it sees the most visitors.
Main Point is also fun if you just want to watch others surf or hang out by the beach. The Main Point has intermediate waves which require some skill to surf, but just before that there’s Baby Point, which is a great point for beginners to start with.

Pottuvil Point

Pottuvil Point is every veteran surfer´s dream;a long deserted sandy beach, dotted with some huge boulders at the water´s edge. This beach is not as crowded due to its distance from Arugam Bay.

Pottuvil Point is a playful sand-bottom point and on a good south swell, the wave begins up the point, allowing you to run close to the shore for almost a kilometre. The wave breaks so close to shore that you can simply hop off onto the beach and run back around instead of swimming.

Whiskey Point

Whiskey Point is ideal for beginner to intermediate surfers. The tide breaks somewhat perpendicular to the beach, meaning that you can catch waves without swimming out too far. The waves are also gentle enough that surfers often lazily bob and let them pass until a ripe one arrives.

The waves, however, are not gentle to swimmers. While it is simply a bay, without rocks or undertow, the waves can come in powerful, catching you off-guard.

Weather in Arugam Bay

Being located in the dry zone of Sri Lanka’s South-East coast, Arugam Bay receives very little when compared to the rest of the island. The months of April and August see the best surfing waves in Sri Lanka, and surfers flock to Arugam Bay from May through to November.

The overall weather is warm and tropical in Arugam Bay and the average temperature is

• 28-30C during November, December and January;
• 30-32C during the months of February, March, September, and October
• 32-36C in the months of April, May, June, July and August.

Banking in Arugam Bay

Thanks to its popularity, Arugam Bay has seen an influx of businesses providing valuable services and banking is one of these.

The following banks currently provide ATM facilities within Arugam Bay or the nearby town of Pottuvil:

• Bank of Ceylon
• Sampath Bank
• Commercial Bank
• Hatton National Bank
• People’s Bank
• Seylan Bank ATM in Arugam Bay

Money changers are available to exchange currency at a fair rate, and money transfer services like Western Union and MoneyGram are also an option.

Wildlife & National Parks

Arugam Bay is surrounded by areas that are perfect for exploration. Yala National Park and Lahugala National Park are the two most popular natural reserves nearby, while the lagoon is also another nature lover’s paradise. These attractions are all within a short drive from Arugam Bay, and we can provide transport.