Explore Arugam Bay
Along the southern bend of the East Coast lies the ever-popular town of Arugam Bay, famously named as one of the top 10 best surf spots in the world to catch a good wave. It is a popular tourist destination and home to a diverse mix of locals as well as a sizeable expatriate European community.
Arugam Bay is a great place surf, with the best waves being in July and August. However, many non-surfers have also chosen this town to chill out and relax as it is a long way from anywhere else and with nothing to distract from enjoying the moment! The beaches here are relatively isolated and a simple, laid-back lifestyle permeates the area.
What to do/see around Arugam Bay
- Explore the Forest Hermitage at Kudimbigala, once home to, and place of worship for hundreds of Buddhist monks, priests and students, who would regularly spend days meditating in isolation inside the nearby caves.
- See one of the largest Hindu Temples in the country at Okanda Village.
- Take an excursion to Yala National Park, another of Sri Lankas amazing National Parks, and home to leapords, sloth bears, Asiatic Elephants and a plethora of other flora and fauna.
- Have an adventure at the small but important Lahugala National Park, which was created to conserve the habitats of the Asiatic Elephants and many endemic bird species which have been in decline.
- Watch the sunrise in the east from the mouth of Arugam Bay, a beautiful sight that will stay with you forever.
