Why Weligama, Surfing & Stilt Fishermen will steal your heart
Weligama's name means 'sandy village', and it describes it perfectly. The town's long, gently curving bay has a soft sandy bottom and small, friendly waves, which makes it one of the best places in Asia to learn to surf.
Book a lesson with one of the many surf schools, and within an hour or two, most people are standing up on their boards and riding their first waves. The water is warm, the instructors are patient, and there's no better feeling than catching a wave all the way to the beach.
Just off the beach sits Taprobane Island, a tiny private island with a white villa built in the 1920s. The writer Paul Bowles once owned it, and it's now a luxury private villa.
Along this stretch of coast, around Koggala and Ahangama, you'll see Sri Lanka's iconic stilt fishermen, perched on wooden poles above the surf, holding their fishing rods over the waves. This traditional method is said to date back to the Second World War, when food was scarce. Today it's one of the most photographed scenes in Sri Lanka, especially at sunset.
Weligama is also a short hop from Mirissa's whale-watching boats and beaches, making it a perfect base for an active beach holiday. The town has a relaxed, sociable vibe, with surf cafés, yoga studios and seafood restaurants along the bay.
