Sri Lanka sits above a deep-water canyon where blue whales and sperm whales migrate reliably from November to April. Pre-dawn departure from Mirissa harbour, out beyond the headland into deep water, and then, on a good morning, a blue whale surfacing. Spinner dolphin pods are regular company. Responsible licensed operators only, with strict distance standards from all animals.
Arugam Bay
Sri Lanka’s east coast surf capital - and a genuinely good one
Main Point in Arugam Bay delivers a long right-hander from May to October that works for complete beginners and rewards experience. The town behind it is low-key in the way only places that haven’t been over-discovered can be - a few genuinely good restaurants, Pottuvil Lagoon five minutes away by boat and a pace entirely unlike the south coast.
