Arugam Bay

About Arugam Bay

Arugam Bay runs on a different calendar to the rest of the island: when the south coast is being rained on from May to September, the east is dry and the swell is working. Main Point, at the southern end of the bay, is a long right-hand point break that peels over sand and rock and is the reason the town exists in its current form - but it is not a beginner's wave, and the mellower schools operate on the bay's inside. Strung north and south are the other breaks people come for: Whiskey Point, Peanut Farm, Elephant Rock, and Pottuvil Point at dawn. Between surfs there is a lagoon full of birds and the occasional crocodile, elephants crossing the road near Lahugala in the evening, Kumana National Park an hour south for birdlife and the odd leopard, and the ruins of Muhudu Maha Viharaya sitting in the dunes. The town rebuilt itself after the 2004 tsunami and has stayed deliberately low-rise.

Top Activities

• ✓Surfing at main break & Pottuvil Point
• ✓Lagoon kayaking
• ✓Kumana National Park safari
• ✓Elephant spotting at Lahugala
• ✓Beach yoga
• ✓Seafood by the water

Nearby Attractions

Closest Places in This Guide

Straight-line distances; allow considerably longer by road, especially in the hills.

• Muhudu Maha ViharayaHeritage · Beach · Cultural4 km
• Panama BeachBeach · Nature8 km
• Lahugala Kitulana National ParkWildlife · Nature · Heritage12 km
• Sangamankanda PointNature · Beach21 km
• Kudumbigala MonasteryHeritage · Adventure · Nature27 km
• Veddha VillageCultural · Heritage47 km

Travel Tips

Travel Guides That Cover Arugam Bay

• Money in Sri Lanka: Cash, Cards, ATMs and TippingHow much cash to carry, where cards work, what the ATMs charge, and how much to tip drivers, safari trackers and hotel staff.
• Sri Lanka Itinerary: 7, 10 and 14-Day Routes That Actually WorkThree routes for a first trip, built around realistic travel times, the current state of the hill-country railway and the coast that is in season.
• Sri Lanka's East Coast: Where to Go When the South is RainingArugam Bay, Trincomalee, Nilaveli and Pasikudah - the coast that comes alive from May to September, while the south sits under monsoon.