The south coast of Sri Lanka is a surfers paradise. Around each corner is a new break being enjoyed by only a handful. A searing sun, the warmest water and endless waves makes the south the perfect surfari destination. What makes it a surfari? No matter where you travel along the coast you are never far from the jungle, monkeys, peacocks and jungle bliss. There really aren’t too many places in the world that combine both the jungle and surf in such close proximity.
Hikkaduwa surf beach was one of my favorite spots to head out into the water. The town is pretty well developed having been on the tourist map for a number of decades. However, a chill vibe remains with bars and huts lining the beach, watching out over the surfers taking wave after wave. A reef sits below the break but the water is deep enough to make sure a bad landing is highly unlikely.
I headed out into the waves without a board. Normally I last less than an hour before getting cold. This day I lost track of time until the sun began to set and I realized I had been swimming in the waves for over two hours. A mixture of tourists and locals shared the waves and the atmosphere seemed quite relaxed. Many situations around the world where the two groups share waves creates a tense atmosphere. For two hours all I saw were smiles despite the waves getting quite busy during the sunset.
