What's on in Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka through the year

Quiet — travelers describe it as quiet, Year-end break in Sri Lanka

Nothing new starts in January.

Still on: Off-season shutdown (1 Nov – 31 Mar)

Busy — February break in Sri Lanka, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in February.

Still on: Off-season shutdown (1 Nov – 31 Mar)

Busy — February break in Sri Lanka, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in March.

Still on: Off-season shutdown (1 Nov – 31 Mar)

Peak crowds — Sinhala and Tamil New Year, Surf season

• Nature

  Kumana waterbird season

  1 Apr – 31 Jul · usuallyBirdlife season

  The mangrove swamp at Kumana, an hour down the coast, takes in tens of thousands of migrating waterbirds through these months. Jeeps leave from Panama before dawn, and the birds, not the elephants, are the reason to go. Source ↗

• Holiday

  Sinhala and Tamil New Year

  13–16 AprNational holidayClosures

  Avurudu closes shops and stops buses across the country for several days, and most of the town's Sri Lankan staff go home for it. Guesthouses stay open; half the kitchens do not. Source ↗

• Season

  Surf season

  15 Apr – 15 Oct · usuallyCrowded

  The south-west wind blows offshore on this coast for half the year, and Main Point holds a long right that beginners and everyone else have to share. The whole strip of board hire, bars and guesthouses exists for these months only.

Busy — Surf season, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in May.

Still on: Kumana waterbird season (1 Apr – 31 Jul (usually)), Surf season (15 Apr – 15 Oct (usually))

Busy — Surf season, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in June.

Still on: Kumana waterbird season (1 Apr – 31 Jul (usually)), Surf season (15 Apr – 15 Oct (usually))

Busy — Surf season, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in July.

Still on: Kumana waterbird season (1 Apr – 31 Jul (usually)), Surf season (15 Apr – 15 Oct (usually))

Peak crowds — Surf season, August break in Sri Lanka

Nothing new starts in August.

Still on: Surf season (15 Apr – 15 Oct (usually))

Peak crowds — Surf season, SFSL surf championship leg

• Festival

  SFSL surf championship leg

  5–20 Sep · usuallyMajor festivalCrowded

  The national federation runs its Arugam Bay series at Main Point over three days, which is the one stretch of the season the lineup is closed to everyone else and there is a crowd on the sand watching it. Source ↗

Still on: Surf season (15 Apr – 15 Oct (usually))

Busy — Surf season, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in October.

Still on: Surf season (15 Apr – 15 Oct (usually))

Quiet — one of its worst months for weather

• Season

  Off-season shutdown

  1 Nov – 31 MarClosures

  The wind swings onshore, the swell goes flat and most of the strip boards up and moves to the south coast for the winter. What is left is a handful of guesthouses, the fishing boats and an empty beach.

Busy — Year-end break in Sri Lanka, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in December.

Still on: Off-season shutdown (1 Nov – 31 Mar)