Arugam Bay is no secret amongst surfers, in fact, it’s a world-renowned spot, with a long stretch of golden sandy beach and excellent reef breaks. So if you’re hoping to ride the waves, or learn how, this is a beautiful spot away from the south coast crowds. That’s not to say it doesn’t get busy here – sometimes the surfboards in the water can outnumber the people on shore. Fortunately, there are plenty of popular breaks to choose from including Main Point, Baby Point, Whiskey Point and Peanut Farm. If you’re more interested in lounging in the sunshine, there’s plenty of that too, with bohemian beach bars, guesthouses and hostels clustered in the palms.

Aside from Arugam Bay’s Main Beach there are other, quieter bays to explore like Kudakalliya Beach, Pottuvil Point or Peanut Farm’s wide sandy bay. For the best sunrise views, take the short hike up to Elephant Rock, and watch the pro surfers dance on the breaks below. This area is also surrounded by national parks, so you can go from a sunrise safari among the elephants, birds and leopards, to sunset with your feet in the sand, without travelling too far. One of the most unique wildlife experiences here is pontooning around Pottuvil Lagoon as the wild elephants come out of the forest and feast on the long grasses. You can add this to the long list of reasons you won’t forget Arugam Bay in a hurry.