Arugam Bay

 

Arugam Bay is Sri Lanka's most popular surf area and the sole international surfing competition venue. It's also regarded as one of the top 10 surf spots on the world. Since 2004, it has also hosted the majority of Sri Lanka's international surfing competitions. The So Sri Lanka Pro 2019 was also held there.

ARUGAM BAY village is small, with only a single main road running parallel to the beach, dotted with guesthouses, cafés, and shops, as well as some of Arugam Bay's signature quirky homespun architectural creations, such as rustic palm-thatch cabanas, teetering treehouses, and other quaint structures (not to mention the distinctive wooden pavilion restaurant and red British telephone box of the landmark Siam View Hotel). Following recent clearances, during which the authorities ordered the removal of all buildings within 20 meters of the coastline, the beach currently looks better than ever (albeit at considerable cost to local hoteliers and other residents, who were forced to watch as the government bulldozers rolled in and summarily razed significant slices of prized real estate).

A-Bay also serves as a dividing line between the Sinhalese-majority areas to the south and the predominantly Tamil and Muslim areas further up the coast, and is home to an extraordinarily varied but peaceful mix of all three ethnic groups – as well as an increasing number of Western expats. Fears that the village's unique (for Sri Lanka) alternative and slightly off-the-wall character will be obliterated by larger and more mainstream tourism developments persist, particularly in light of the new Hambantota airport's upcoming opening, which will make the village significantly easier to reach for international visitors. However, for the time being, Arugam Bay retains its own amusingly odd charm.

Arugam Bay Map

K.M.S. Dilshani Jayasundara
#2021😊