Surf’s up in Arugam Bay

Kevin Williner, a tourist from Switzerland enjoys a smooth ride on a giant surfing wall in Arugam Bay as captured by our photographer Sulochana Gamage. Arugam Bay is one of the top 10 surf points in the world with the glassy surfing season running from May to November when the predominant wind is offshore for at least the first half of the day. According to Dunstan Surfwear the notable point breaks are, ‘The Point’ and ‘Pottuvil Point.’

‘The Point’ is the main break at Arugam Bay, which is a long right-hand point/reef break that breaks at the headland in front of the Arugam Bay. It is coined to be a swell magnet and the waves are guaranteed to be bigger than all the other breaks at Arugam Bay. The ‘bomb’ waves provide 400-metre rides, a clean ride-able wall, and barrels. Pottuvil Point is less crowded but a favourite. The beach is long and deserted. The waves at Pottuvil Point provide 800 metre-rides from the outside section right through the beach on the inside.

The surfers on the East coast say they are stoked by the choice of waves, easy access and tropical water that make Arugam Bay one of the world’s best surfing playgrounds, and good training facilities for novices to pick up surfing skills.

Meanwhile Sri Lanka Tourism is taking measures to develop the tourism industry in the north and east thus creating opportunities for regional youth to enter into the hospitality industry.

Delivering the key note speech at the UNWTO Conference in Passikudah last week, Minister of Tourism Development, Lands and Christian Religious Affairs, John Amaratunga said his aim is to see tourism becoming a catalyst in transforming the lives of the local people both economically and socially.

“Tourism is one of the few industries that can develop economies overnight. The Maldives was able to transform that country in to a much sought after destination. It is only now that tourism is transforming the lives of people in the island,” he said.