Archive for the 'the bay' Category

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Close to Home in … Arugam Bay

Published on 29/07/2011 in Arugam Bay Surf Club, Arugam Surf Club, Arugambay Surf Club, Blogs, Facebook Fan Club: Arugam Surf, From our own Correspondent, front page, surf and the bay. 0 Comments

Close to Home in … Arugam Bay

…We were lucky enough to pair up with the Arugam Bay Surf Club to have them show us a few waves around the region and on our first surf one of the local surfers busted out his beloved Rusty Surfboard!……

Text and Photography: Brody


3 hours drive to Los Angeles. 17 hours from LA to Bangkok. 16 hour layover in Bangkok. 4 hours to Columbo, Sri Lanka. 10 hours drive across the country- seas of three wheeled moto-taxis (called tuk-tuks), cars, tractors pulling cartloads of people, herds of buffalo, and families on bicycles- all merging semi-seamlessly with a symphony of horn beeps and blares. Finally we had arrived, in what felt like the furthest I could possibly be from home.

For a few hours Sri Lanka seemed like another world. Different tastes, customs, rituals, and new waves to explore. We were lucky enough to pair up with the Arugam Bay Surf Club to have them show us a few waves around the region and on our first surf one of the local surfers busted out his beloved Rusty Surfboard! After all of that travel to get so far from home, our Rusty Surfboards were an instant conversation starter and the feeling of being “so far away” melted with the first exchange of waves. Continue reading ‘Close to Home in … Arugam Bay’

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ASP @ Arugam Bay August 30 – September 4

Published on 08/07/2011 in Arugam Bay Surf Club, Arugam Surf Club, Arugambay Surf Club, Facebook Fan Club: Arugam Surf, Surf Federation News, Surf competition, front page, press coverage, surf and the bay. 1 Comment


“Arugam Bay is such a great wave for both competitors and spectators,”

Aragum Bay © ASP

Sri Lankan Airlines Pro

ASP 6-Star women’s event
ASP World Longboard men’s event
Arugum Bay Sri Lanka
30 August – 4 September 2011

World First At This Year’s Sri Lankan Airlines Pro

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 7 July, 2011 : – - Coolangatta – Sri Lankan Airlines and the ASP are pleased to announce the addition of the 2011 Sri Lankan Airlines Pro to the ASP Tour calendar. This year the Sri Lankan Airlines Pro will see an exciting world first by combining an ASP 6-Star women’s event and an ASP World Longboard Title (WLT) men’s event.

The Sri Lankan Airlines Pro will return to Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka after last year’s event saw consistent, pumping waves running down the famous right-hand point for the duration of the waiting period. ASP Australasia General Manager Dane Jordan is excited to see Sri Lanka on the ASP Tour in 2011.

“Arugam Bay is such a great wave for both competitors and spectators,”
Jordan said. “Last year the men (6 star event) scored almost perfect waves every day and now it’s the women and the longboarders’ turn. Sri Lanka is such an exotic destination for surfers and to have a World Title event at Arugam Bay is great for the sport worldwide and within Sri Lanka. Continue reading ‘ASP @ Arugam Bay August 30 – September 4′

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Finally!

Published on 02/06/2011 in Arugam Bay Surf Club, Arugam Surf Club, Arugambay Surf Club, Blogs, Facebook Fan Club: Arugam Surf, From our own Correspondent, Money Matters, Surf Federation News, front page, people, surf and the bay. 2 Comments

Donated surfboards finally reach surfers in Sri Lanka

The Arugam BaySurfers

Paddle4Relief (P4R) Founder, Tim Tanton, with the help of representatives from both Arugam Bay Surf Club and West Coast Surf Club, have finally managed to get the donated shipment of surfboards cleared from Sri Lankan Customs!
The 36 boards were sent out by the Braunton charity in February, but were delayed at customs. Tim, was in Sri Lanka for a prolonged period of three months trying to free the shipment from the country’s border, which he said only seemed possible through financial contributions.
“It was a very stressful time because being a charity we run on minimal costs and in the end it led to me paying £750 out of my own pocket.”
Quite an expensive donation but well worth it when one sees the joy of the youngsters as their eyes light up and they have the chance to learn to surf.The boards are crucial to Sri Lankan surfing communities to give talented surfers the opportunity to improve and for the the little ones to learn. The majority of the surfboards have now been distributed around the island. More will be handed out on Tim’s next visit to a few more obscure places that he was unable to get to this time.
The trip has been exhausting and traumatic. Emotions have run high, and tears have been shed. Frustration has been evident, both from Tim, himself, and the surfers of Sri Lanka. They have been upset that their fellow countrymen have caused so much disruption both through bureaucratic nonsense, corruption and jealousy.
What one could describe as a nightmare, it has been a success. One can see from the photos, whether it is Geeva, a young female Sri Lankan teenager learning to surf, or Asanka, Sri Lanka’s Number one surfer, or Chumphikha who doesn’t surf but enjoys the vibe, that all the blood, sweat and tears are worth it.

Geeva . . . . . loves learning to surf

Tim said that developing the deprived country’s natural asset of great surfing conditions is an obvious way of building a sustainable economy for those providing surfing lessons and equipment hire.
The surfers in Arugam Bay are now able to use the soft top surfboards to run surf lessons for both tourists and for the younger children in the community. This enables them to earn a salary and to give back something to their community. They are now fortunate to have an office to use as a base, and where they can take bookings for lessons, store surfboards and inform tourists of where and when to surf.

Chumphikha . . . . . . loves the vibe

We, Paddle4Relief, have been instrumental in empowering the young surfers of Arugam Bay to realise the potential of their sport and in taking responsibility for their environment, their playground. They have previously realised the need to carry out Beach Cleans, and they are presently involved in establishing a working committee with other organisations and officers within the community to develop a sustainable programme where they can protect their environment.

Asanka . . . . . Sri Lanka's Number 1 surfer

The support from the North Devon Community, the Sri Lanka Surfing Community, Christian Surfers UK, Surf Relief UK, Tiki Surf International, Fluid Juice, Constantine Surf, Croyde Surf Life Saving Club and the team of friends that support Tim at Paddle4Relief have made this possible. Special thanks must go to Phil Williams of Christian Surfers UK for his continued committment to the surfers in Sri Lanka and his ability to provide both spiritual and financial support.
It is still hard to put the experience into words. Tim explained that he been at a very low ebb on number of occasions throughout the episode and yet he says
“there is the enormous satisfaction that we stuck by our committment and came out the other side”
Realisation is that it did cost a lot more money than expected. Money that the charity, P4R, didn’t have. So somehow P4R need to raise more at this years event in August to rebalance the accounts. It has taken a lot of energy but it has brought something to others that money cannot buy . . . . . . . . . it has given them opportunity, hope, enjoyment and realisation that they are not alone. That complete strangers from around the world, care, care enough to help, to sacrifice, and hopefully this humanity will continue with them, through their lives.

The Arugam Bay Surf Club & their own office

Now the focus is on getting a Surf Instructor out to Sri Lanka to enable the young surfers to gain a recognised Surf Instructors Qualification.
The quest is never ending it seems. So the plan is to recharge the batteries and gather everyone together to continue the quest.
So, if anyone, or any business, would like to help in any way what so ever then please contact tim@paddle4relief.co.uk
Or, if there is a qualified Surf Instructor that can head out to Sri Lanka and train the young surfers to achieve a recognised Surf Instructors Qualification then please contact Tim. There is funding for a flight ticket, transfers, accommodation and possibly meals for such a person.
We desperately need funding for this years event on Sunday August 21st. We need sponsors for the event t-shirts and hoodies. We are also looking for prizes for the Paddle Race and Fancy Dress Surf Competition, let alone the raffle and tombola.
Many thanks again to all those that have supported and continue to support P4R.

Entry Filed under: 2011 P4R, Arugam Bay Surf Club, Sri Lanka 2011

source:

http://www.paddle4relief.co.uk/blog/index.php/2011/05/finally/

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Before & After !

Published on 15/05/2011 in Arugam Bay Surf Club, Arugam Surf Club, Arugambay Surf Club, Blogs, Facebook Fan Club: Arugam Surf, From our own Correspondent, guesthouse, restaurants and the bay. 0 Comments

An Arugam Bay Fish B4

An early morning fishing session in Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka, saw this beautifully marked Rock Fish come to the Dinner table @ Samanthi’s Restaurant. The fish was caught on a jointed plug that has proven to be successful in the coastal waters in Devon.
The fish had already escaped once, having broken the 4kg breaking strain line following a series of powerful dives into the sharp reef. Unfortunately for the big mouthed greedy fish, it chose to go for a second plug that had been quickly tied to the main line, this time with a short 70lb leader, and cast out into the same spot.
It not only looked beautiful but tasted fantastic. Samanthi’s Restaurant can be found next to Freedom Cabanas at the southern corner of Arugam Bay, only a very short walk to the highly prized right hand point break.

An Arugam Bay Fish. There after

source:

http://www.paddle4relief.co.uk/blog/index.php?s=arugam&searchbutton=Go!

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Arugam Bay and beyond

Published on 10/05/2011 in Blogs, Culture, Historical sites, front page, people, press coverage, restaurants, the bay and wild life. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , .

- Land of the Lotus Eaters

Arugam Bay is the amalgamation of the Tamil word for six – Aru and the Sinhala word for village – gam. Juliet Coombe discovered the area has a lot more on offer than surf, sand and sea, when travelling with 2nd Partner – a tour company with a difference.


Arugam Bay is a long way from everything, and in the early years when there was no bridge to the area, this was part of the attraction to the ‘real’ adventure traveller, who discovered this spot of the island in the 1970s. Known for its love gurus, nude bathing and nirvana lifestyle it fast became the spot to surf the waves by day, and the area by night looking for fun times. However, today, this ‘Shangri la,’ tipped to be the next best thing is a rather sad strip of hotels and restaurants that makes Hikkaduwa in comparison look like the South of France. The food is at best terrible, and the only place worth hanging out in is Siam, according to the first film crew, SBS from Australia who have just been filming My Sri Lanka with world famous chef Peter Kurivitas. They are the first crew to go through the area in 30 years and only Siam was worth eating at, where a dude called DJ Nihal calls the shots and the food is the best on the strip. Not really on the surface worth an eight to 10 hour trip from Colombo depending on the weather and traffic conditions.

However step out of this artificial boomtown and discover amazing places like Kudumbigala Monastery (11 miles from Panama), which is the only cylindrical stupa in Sri Lanka. Surrounded by 200 caves in the area that used to be used by monks, they have paintings older than the ones of the girls painted on the Sigriya rock Fortress palace. Appu Hami, a 64-year-old village elder, held in high esteem and the best jungle guide in the area comes from Panama, which dates back as a settlement to 1818. His face is a gnarled as the trees from the jungle, eyes as sharp as a hawk’s, and has a lifetime of stories to tell.

Appu Hami – a legend
in Arugam Bay Appu Hami advocates that before any trek you should eat well from the local indigenous vegetables which include seven different types of yams and two types of Lotus plants which are pulled by the roots from the lakes, famed for their beautiful water lilies. Lotus eating is good for the heart, blood sugar (diabetes) and other things that he says, brings a sparkle to one’s eyes. It seems women also mix the lotus seeds together and make facial scrubs and the pulled up flowers are used as offerings at the Buddhist temples.

The lakes have always been fished in and this is how the people of the Bay discovered the benefits of the Lotus. Until the 1960s no money exchanged hands, and the community-bartered goods instead, and everyone was much better off. The average wages were only Continue reading ‘Arugam Bay and beyond’

Arugam’s Facebook reaches 30K

Published on 09/05/2011 in Arugam Bay Surf Club, Arugam Surf Club, Arugambay Surf Club, Blogs, Facebook Fan Club: Arugam Surf, From our own Correspondent, front page, people, surf and the bay. 0 Comments

On Mother’s Day 2011 the poplar Facebook page “Arugam Surf” reached a new record and milestone.

Greetings from Arugam Bay

This Community page now has more than 30,000 friends from all over the globe.
An interesting observation:
More than 20,000 are young ladies – a sign that the Bay is not only of interest to the die hard male dominated surfing Community.

Eve Fletcher. A remarkable lady surfer @ 84 ripe years

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Protected: Surfing Mag (June2011) on Abay

Published on 06/05/2011 in Arugam Bay Surf Club, Arugam Surf Club, Arugambay Surf Club, Blogs, Facebook Fan Club: Arugam Surf, Money Matters, Security & Safety, Surf Federation News, Traveler's Reports, accomodation, bars, front page, hotels, press coverage, restaurants, services, shops, surf and the bay. Enter your password to view comments. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , .

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Arugam Bay “Whisky” Point Surf

Published on 03/05/2011 in Arugam Bay Surf Club, Arugam Surf Club, Arugambay Surf Club, Blogs, front page, surf and the bay. 0 Comments

“Walking the Walk” @ AbaY

Published on 01/05/2011 in Arugam Bay Surf Club, Arugam Surf Club, Arugambay Surf Club, Blogs, Facebook Fan Club: Arugam Surf, Kitesurf, Surf Federation News, Surf competition, Wind Surf, front page, press coverage, surf and the bay. 0 Comments

AbaY:

"Walking the Walk"

open letter Arugam Bay Surf  Club to Paddle4Relief:

Dear Tim,

How are you i am doing well here.

The happy news i like to inform you our surf club have been registered under the sports ministry of Sri Lanka.

This is the register number 142018.

I feel my big responsibility reached the moment.i try since 2006 but yesterday reached.

i hope from this year we can do better works.

Kind regards.

FAWAS Lafeer (Chairman).

Arugambay Surfing Club,

Main point Road,

Arugambay,

Pottuvil,

Sri Lanka.

Mail:abay_surfers@yahoo.com

Web:www.arugambaysurfclub.com

Mobile:+94(0)771759620/779 552 268

source:

http://www.paddle4relief.co.uk/blog/index.php?s=arugam&searchbutton=Go!

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Arugam Bay: A Surfing Adventure

Published on 04/04/2011 in Arugam Bay Surf Club, Arugam Surf Club, Arugambay Surf Club, Blogs, Facebook Fan Club: Arugam Surf, Kitesurf, Surf Federation News, Surf competition, Wind Surf, front page, surf and the bay. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , , , .

Sri Lanka is still one of the surfing world’s secret gems, discovered by a few lucky ones who return year after year to enjoy the tropical waters, fun waves and diverse cultural experiences the country has to offer.

arugam.info reporting directly from the Bay. Since 1997

Yet to the majority of the worlds’ travel addicted surfing community it has been overlooked as a surf travel destination. The local surfing community and exposure of Sri Lanka as a surfing holiday destination are in their infancy, but this trend is rapidly changing as more and more surfing travellers experience the beauty and adventure Sri Lanka has to offer and share their stories about this once forgotten paradise with the world.

Arugam Bay: A Surfer’s heaven

Every year between April and October, storms from below South Africa, whip the ocean into a frenzy and send large, consistent swells up the length of the Indian Ocean and into the coastline of Sri Lanka. The storms are usually located thousands of kilometres away, so that by the time the swells reach Sri Lanka, they are perfectly groomed ground swells that wrap their way around the southern and eastern sides of the island. During the surf season it is not unusual to encounter at least one solid ground swell every single week and with the prevailing wind coming from the west, the majority of the southeast and eastern coasts of Sri Lanka are protected from the wind offering hundreds of uncrowded and sometimes even undiscovered locations to surf. Breaks range from gentle beach breaks, reef breaks and sandy bottomed point breaks, catering for every type of surfer from the complete novice, up to the experienced professional.

Pro Training Session ;-)

Arugam Bay or A-Bay as it is predominantly known is the hub of the Sri Lankan Surfing community, with the entire village set up to handle surfing tourists, with a huge range of accommodation and eating options. Unlike many surfing destinations which cater for only the hard core surfer and his or her desire to spend 10 hours a day catching waves over sharp shallow reefs, Arugam Bay and all of the Sri Lankan surfing destinations are the perfect place to take your girlfriend or the family. While they enjoy swimming in the protected turquoise waters of the bay, you can slip out to the point to surf perfect uncrowded waves for the morning. Once surfing is over there are so many adventures and places to explore only a short tuk tuk ride away.

Surfing: A sport for all, young, old and any gender

Continue reading ‘Arugam Bay: A Surfing Adventure’

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Arugam Bay, a tourism hotspot

Published on 30/03/2011 in AbTa News, Arugam Bay Surf Club, Arugam Surf Club, Arugambay Surf Club, Blogs, Environmental, Security & Safety, front page, guesthouse, hotels, people, press coverage, surf and the bay. 1 Comment

Coastal conservation and management a must:

Disna Mudalige

The southeast coast of Sri Lanka gleams with new vigour and light with the dawn of peace. This area which people dared not to go for decades due to terrorist threats is now wide open for both local and international tourists. It has become a tourism ‘hotspot’ with its wide array of tourist attractions. However, the need of a well planned coastal zone management is strongly felt with the tourism expansion in this coastal stretch.

The coastal stretch from Pottuvil to Panama includes bays famous for surfing and bathing, coastal waters rich with fish resources, lagoons providing ideal niches for prawns, crabs and lobsters, rich mangrove stands, wide sandy beaches for beach lovers and tall sand dunes for those who seek adventures.

The Beach at Arugam Bay

Arugam Bay

The tourist season in Arugam Bay in the Southeast coast starts in March with the favourable windy atmosphere for surfing. Arugam Bay is one of the best surfing areas in Asia. As estimated about 100,000 tourists visit Arugam Bay during the season which extends till October. Continue reading ‘Arugam Bay, a tourism hotspot’

Arugam Bay – Panama Media Tour

Published on 16/03/2011 in Blogs, Environmental, front page, people, press coverage, the bay and wild life. 0 Comments

Media get an opportunity to witness issues related to ecosystems with special reference to tourism development in the southeast coast of Sri Lanka

14 March 2011 | News story

media tour Photo: IUCNSL

The coastal stretch from Pottuvil to Panama on the southeast coast of Sri Lanka is blessed with a wide array of tourist attractions. . These include bays famous for surfing and bathing, coastal waters rich with fish resources, lagoons providing ideal niches for prawns, crabs and lobsters, rich mangrove stands – a heaven for aquatic fauna and birds, wide sandy beaches for beach lovers and tall sand dunes for those who seek adventures.

Arugam Bay is one of the best surfing areas in Asia, and has been a popular destination for surfers even at times of civil disturbances.

These attractions draw a large number of local and international tourists to the area making it a tourism “hot spot” and with the dawn of peace in 2009, visitation by both local and international tourists to places of attractions has increased significantly.  The resulting unplanned development activities are expected to increase which will contribute to habitat degradation.    The area is also famous for traditional fishing. Continue reading ‘Arugam Bay – Panama Media Tour’

Arugam Bay Fishing -v- Tourism issues

Published on 12/03/2011 in AbTa News, From our own Correspondent, Money Matters, front page, people, press coverage and the bay. 7 Comments

Traditional Fishing activities. A colourful old ox cart adds vibrant life to Arugam Bay beach

Arugam Bay fishing community should not be neglected over tourism- ABTA Chief

Immediate measures should be taken to address concerns of the fishing community in Arugam Bay, as they contribute towards developing tourism in one of the world’s top surfing destinations, said M. H. A. Raheem, Chairman of the Arugam Bay Tourism Association (ABTA).

A busy beach. Specially in the morning

Since the very beginning, Arugam Bay has been known as a fishing village, and the fisheries sector has become a major income generating source of the area. Continue reading ‘Arugam Bay Fishing -v- Tourism issues’

Arugam Bay Surf Club Story

Published on 27/01/2011 in Arugam Bay Surf Club, Arugam Surf Club, Arugambay Surf Club, Blogs, Facebook Fan Club: Arugam Surf, From our own Correspondent, Kitesurf, Money Matters, Surf Federation News, Surf competition, front page, people, press coverage, services, surf and the bay. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , .

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Arugambay – 5 Reasons To Visit

Published on 27/12/2010 in Arugam Surf Club, Blogs, Facebook Fan Club: Arugam Surf, Historical sites, Traveler's Reports, cabanas, front page, guesthouse, hotels, press coverage, restaurants, surf, the bay and wild life. 3 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , .

Are you an avid surfer?

If so, you may instantly recognize the name Arugam Bay. Even if you are not, you may be interested to learn more about this popular tourist attraction.

The Surf Boards can be rented at many outlets at Arugam Bay

Arugam Bay is a sleepy little hamlet 320 km due east of Colombo, Sri Lanka’s capital city and is ranked among the top ten surf destinations in the world. In this article I am going to tell you 5 good reasons you should make a visit to Arugam Bay.

Arugam Bay is not your typical surf destination with modern facilities. It is more a community based destination, where little guest houses and the odd star rated hotel lie side by side. This does not make it any less attractive to regular visitors who make repeat visits every year. Although this destination was devastated by the 2004 tsunami and the conflict, the enterprising community of Arugam Bay have brought the destination back to its old glory.

Brilliant roads. by Maga, Photo by: Lovely Arugam Bay on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/photos.php?id=108552872497906

Much improved roads, which have reduced travel times by almost an hour and a half and the return of peace has made Arugam Bay a destination you should not miss visiting.+

Here are the top 5 reasons to visit Arugam Bay:

  1. It is the third highest ranked among the world’s top ten surfing destinations. So, if you are a surfing enthusiast or are interested in learning to surf this is just the location for you. You need not even bring your gear along, as you can hire surfing gear from local outfits, who also provide training for newbie surfers. It boasts of over 10 surf points and the waves are great between April and October and it also is the scene for local and international surfing competitions staged during this period.

    10 Surf Spots. Ideal for beginners. And professionals

  2. During November to April the sea is fine for swimming and snorkeling and conditions are just right if you are looking for a quiet get- away. The prices for accommodation can get pretty low and you can find a pretty decent room with basic facilities for around $15 per night.

    Romantic Bungalows. To suit all budgets. Here is one of "Hideaways" best

  3. If you are a wild life enthusiast your excellent wild life sanctuaries are just minutes away from this destination. The Lahugala sanctuary famous for elephants is not more than a 20 minute drive from here. You may even pass some of these majestic beasts if en-route if you take the inland route to arrive here. The Kumana bird sanctuary lies just 10km south of Arugam Bay and birds from as far as Siberia are known to migrate to this location to escape winter.

    Truly Free & Wild Elephants. Right next to the road. No fence!

  4. The sand dunes at Panama allow you to wander around an unspoilt stretch of land, and even go on a jeep safari to the dunes. The Pottuvil dunes are much closer, but it is situated in the midst of a busy little town, but none the less attractive in its own little way.

    A shephard cowboy in the Panama dunes or the Wild East

  5. The area close to Arugam Bay also boasts a host of ancient monuments. The Kudumbigala archeological reserve is host to monastic caves dating from around the 12th Century AD. The ancient Okanda temple dedicated lord Skanda situated on a rocky outcrop south of Arugam Bay is believed to be featured in “Sinbad the Sailor’s tales”. Monuments related to the Southern kingdom of Magama almost a thousand years old are found in Pottuvil town, by the dunes and within the Lahugala sanctuary. They are said to be built to honour the mother of the warrior king Dutugemunu of the Anradhapura kingdom.

    Ancient Temples and shrines. Adore the area all around Arugam Bay

The attractions of Arugam Bay are so, numerous and cater to visitors with different interests. It is just amazing that so many attractions should lie so close together. Coupled with the extremely friendly service by the villagers who run the facilities, I would strongly recommend that you visit here especially if you are on a tight budget.

Friendly local management (Of the SVH and Hideaway shown here)

AUGAM BAY IS AN ALL YEAR ROUND DESTINATION.

With the best and most predictable climate in Asia!
The only dry and sunny place on the island this entire November 2010

A typical winter in Arugam Bay

http://ezinearticles.com/?Arugambay—5-Reasons-To-Visit-Arugambay-Surfers-Paradise&id=5523244

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Great places to surf: Arugam Bay

Published on 25/11/2010 in Arugam Bay Surf Club, Arugam Surf Club, Arugambay Surf Club, Facebook Fan Club: Arugam Surf, Kitesurf, Surf Federation News, Surf competition, Wind Surf, front page, press coverage, surf and the bay. 0 Comments

Q: Where are the best places to surf that few people know about?

Arugam Bay. Renowned for its surf & backpacker heaven

By Rod Gilmour 4:01PM GMT 24 Nov 2010

Answer:

Further afield try Arugam Bay on the southern tip of Sri Lanka. Renowned for its surf, it is a haven few backpackers know about and is back on the map following the devastating tsunami.

The British Surfing Association estimate that there are around 500,000 regular surfers in the UK. With popularity gaining every year, those hardy souls who crave wave after wave are finding their territory spoilt by a multitude of weekenders. If you want to surf in relative peace then searching Britain’s coastlines for those secret waves is the answer. It also means days away. Sandwood Bay, about as far North as you can venture on the Atlantic west coast of Scotland, is one of those places. After leaving the car 4.5 miles from the beach, the first challenge is the walk with the surf boards and tents (don’t forget your map). Once there, you will be amongst only a handful of souls on one of the most isolated and picturesque beaches Britain has to offer.

Further afield try Arugam Bay on the southern tip of Sri Lanka. Renowned for its surf, it is a haven few backpackers know about and is back on the map following the devastating tsunami.

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