A fishing settlement on Sri Lanka's east coast, Arugam Bay lies about 4 km south of the market town of Pottuvil and some 320 km by road from Colombo, on the road to Kumana (Yala East) National Park. Its right-hand point breaks work on swell from the southwest monsoon, so the season runs roughly April to October, best from July to September, when the east is dry. That is the reverse of the south and west coasts, which are rainy in those months. The 2004 tsunami destroyed much of the bay and Pottuvil, and the bay has hosted most of Sri Lanka's international surf competitions since. The main settlement, known locally as Ullae, is predominantly Muslim.
Nights sit around 23°C and afternoons around 31°C.
Arugam Bay barely changes season: afternoons sit around 33°C and nights around 24°C most of the year.
There is a clear wet season from October – February, peaking in November with around 308 mm. The dry months run from June – August.
Wind is rarely an issue; most months sit between calm and a light breeze. Air quality is worth watching: February averages an AQI of 66, while November clears to 39.
Daylight is steady all year, around 12.0 hours a day.
For what you're after, the best months in Arugam Bay are July – September. Expect fast internet (60 Mbps) and a moderate cost of living (about €950 a month).
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